London Coliseum

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Lucia Di Lammermoor The English National Opera at The London Coliseum presents the most dramatic of all Donizetti's operas — loosely based on Sir Walter Scott's darkly brooding tragedy — in a revival of award-winning director David Alden's electrifying production from 2008. Dazzling soprano Anna Christy stars as the childlike bride, tricked into a politically advantageous marriage by her abusive older brother, with bel canto tenor Barry Banks as the Byronic outcast with whom she falls desperately, madly, murderously, in love. Antony Walker, Music Director of Pittsburgh Opera and the first recipient of the Sir Charles Mackerras Conducting Award, makes his Company debut in one of the most richly lyrical, yet psychologically acute operas in the entire Italian romantic repertoire.

Elixir of Love The English National Opera at The London Coliseum presents the most often performed opera in Italy for two decades after its premiere. Donizetti's The Elixir of Love is still the most popular operatic ‘rom com' of all. Jonathan Miller's staging affectionately relocates the action from 19th century rural Italy to small-town ‘50s America. One of today's highest-flying young lyric tenors, John Tessier made a sensational ENO debut in the 2008 revival of Rossini's The Barber of Seville; he now returns as Nemorino, the lovesick young mechanic who believes that a travelling salesman (played by comic maestro Andrew Shore) really can cure his broken heart. With The Elixir of Love running alongside Lucia di Lammermoor, ENO audiences have a rare chance to relish both the comic and tragic sides of Donizetti's operatic genius.

Satyagraha The English National Opera at The London Coliseum presents one of the most visually spectacular stagings of recent decades, as the ENO's hit production of Philip Glass’s Satyagraha returns to the London Coliseum, having also enjoyed huge success at the Metropolitan Opera, New York. Glass’s masterpiece is a mesmerising and hauntingly beautiful musical meditation upon Mahatma Gandhi’s early years in South Africa, and his spiritual progress towards non-violent protest. Instilled with breathtaking theatrical flair by Improbable’s award-winning director-designer partnership of Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch, the production has been described as ‘a masterwork of theatrical intensity and integrity’ (The Times). Alan Oke repeats his compelling central performance as the young activist. Philip Glass is also famed for his award-winning film scores including The Hours, The Truman Show and Koyaanisqatsi.

Katya Kabanova The English National Opera at The London Coliseum presents Katya Kabanova. David Alden follows his double Olivier Award-winning production of Janácek's Jenufa with a new staging of the Czech composer's later lyrical masterpiece, Katya Kabanova. A claustrophobically intense yet heart-rending study of sexual morality within a close-knit community, it was inspired by Janácek's erotic obsession with a younger married woman. Stunning singing actress Patricia Racette makes her ENO debut as the passionate soul trapped in a loveless marriage, with Stuart Skelton (a sensational Peter Grimes in another Alden staging in 2009) as the stranger who offers her a brief hope of happiness. Janácek's most lyrically emotional score is conducted by Mark Wigglesworth with an outstanding cast also featuring Susan Bickley, Clive Bayley, John Graham-Hall, Anna Grevelius and Alfie Boe.

Ballet Nacional De Cuba - Swan Lake Making its long-awaited debut at the London Coliseum, Ballet Nacional de Cuba presents two programmes, which showcase the company’s unparalleled technique and extraordinary flair for invigorating Western ballets with vivid Cuban passion. Swan Lake was the first ballet to be performed by Ballet Nacional de Cuba, when Alicia Alonso established the company in 1948. Performed with drama and style, this classic production features world-class performances from the full company of dancers. These performances feature a full live orchestra.

Ballet Nacional De Cuba - Magia De La Danza Making its long-awaited debut at the London Coliseum, Ballet Nacional de Cuba presents two programmes, which showcase the company’s unparalleled technique and extraordinary flair for invigorating Western ballets with vivid Cuban passion. Magia de la Danza is a mixed bill which brings together extracts from seven of the company's most famous ballets including the Nutcracker, Coppélia and Swan Lake. The full programme is: Giselle Pas de Deux (Act II) / Sleeping Beauty Polonesa and Grand Pas de Deux (Act III) / The Nutcracker Waltz of the Flowers and Grand Pas de Deux (Act II) / Coppélia Mazurka (Act I) and Grand Pas de Deux (Act III) / Don Quixote Dance of the Toreadors (Act I) and Grand Pas de Deux (Act III) / Swan Lake Dance of the Swans and Pas de Deux (Act II) / Gottschalk Symphony Creole Party. These performances feature a full live orchestra.

Birmingham Royal Ballet - the Sleeping Beauty Birmingham Royal Ballet at The London Coliseum. On her christening day Princess Aurora is cursed by the wicked fairy Carabosse: one day the Princess will prick her finger on a spindle and die. But the kind Lilac Fairy tempers the curse so the Princess will instead fall asleep for 100 years. With a classical score by Tchaikovsky and original choreography by Marius Petipa, The Sleeping Beauty is considered one of the greatest ballets from Imperial Russia. This thrilling production is by Birmingham Royal Ballet’s former director Sir Peter Wright, creator of the Company's popular production of The Nutcracker. With its romantic finale packed with every fairytale character imaginable, The Sleeping Beauty is as engaging now as when she first fell asleep, over a hundred years ago.

Ballet Nacional De Espana - Dualia and La Leyenda Spain's national dance company, Ballet Nacional de España, make a welcome return to London as part of Spring Dance at the London Coliseum. During its 30 years, Ballet Nacional de España has performed in some of the most renowned theatres in the world and received some of the highest accolades including the Medalla de Oro al Mérito en las Bellas Artes, awarded to artistic director Jose Antonio in 2005 by the Spanish Ministry of Culture. For their performances at the London Coliseum, the company perform two of their best loved works. Dualia was choreographed by two of flamenco's hottest stars Rojo and Rodriguez, and explores the sensuality of looks and caresses through movement and music. La Leyenda (The Legend) was choreographed by the company's artistic director José Antonio as a tribute to the famous flamenco star Carmen Amaya who died in 1963. The piece portrays images from her life – from the slums of Barcelona to the glamour of performing on the American stage in the 30s and 40s.

Tosca The English National Opera at The London Coliseum - Among the great dramatic sopranos of our time, Catherine Malfitano made an unforgettable ENO debut in 2006 as the tortured Kostelnicka in David Alden's Olivier Award-winning production of Jenufa. Famed as one of the foremost Toscas of recent decades, she now returns to direct Puccini's ever popular opera with rising star Amanda Echalaz – already heralded as ‘the leading Tosca of her generation' (The Independent) — making her ENO debut in the role that Ms Malfitano once made her own. With one Tosca on stage and another behind the scenes, a radical new design approach and the proven Puccinian passion of Edward Gardner, ENO's Olivier Award-winning Music Director, in the pit, this new production promises to be a thrilling new take on Puccini's most powerfully theatrical opera.

The Pearl Fishers The English National Opera at The London Coliseum - A thrilling tale of friendship tested by love, set on an exotic isle in an eastern sea, Bizet's early masterpiece is a gem of 19th-century French opera, full of fabulous tunes, colourful orchestration and evocative choruses. With Tony Award-winning tenor Alfie Boe as Nadir, ENO's new production is directed by outstanding film-maker Penny Woolcock, following her explosive debut with John Adams's Doctor Atomic at ENO and the Metropolitan Opera, New York. Conducted by rising Scottish podium star Rory Macdonald, who made his own impressive ENO debut last season with Rossini's The Barber of Seville, it offers UK audiences a rare chance to discover what a pearl of a piece Bizet's opera can be.

Idomeneo The English National Opera at The London Coliseum - Mozart's first mature masterpiece took a stock mythological plot and transformed it into a life-and-death drama of real characters confronted by the personal and political consequences of choices made in a time of war. Following her 2009 adaptation of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas which sold-out at the Young Vic, and is also set in the aftermath of the Trojan War, Katie Mitchell brings her unique directorial style to bear on what is now widely seen as Mozart's most deeply felt piece. Full of virtuosic yet often intimately lyrical vocal writing, grand public processions and stirring choruses, Idomeneo is conducted by ENO's Olivier Award-winning Music Director, Edward Gardner. The cast features some of Britain's best, including Paul Nilon, Robert Murray, Sarah Tynan and Emma Bell.

The London Coliseum
This 'Italian Renaissance' style theatre is one of the largest in London and was styled as a 'People's Palace of Entertainment and Art' - some 67,000 people visited The London Coliseum in its opening week - there where four two hour performances each day running from 12noon to 11.00pm. The large external revolving 'Globe' feature at the top of the building caused a problem with the Local Council who said it contravened the London Building Act - a compromise solution was found where the globe did not move itself but was fitted with internal lights that flashed on and off to give the impression of the globe revolving around. In January 2002 a major refurbishment started and was completed in January 2004, in time to celebrate the theatre's centenary year.

The theatre initially presented a range of variety of shows before becoming a 'legit' theatre in 1931. For the ten years from 1947 the theatre became synominous with the big American musicals as, one after the other, Annie Get Your Gun, Kiss Me Kate, Guys and Dolls, Can-Can, Pajama Game, Damn Yankees, Bells Are Ringing where all presented here.

The London Coliseum became the new home of The Sadler's Wells Opera Company - renamed The English National Opera - in 1968 since when they have presented annual season's of opera - all sung in English - interspersed by visiting company's such as The English National Ballet.

Shows currently playing in London's West End