Organization

Mezzo-soprano (+2)

Samantha Price

Iolanthe

Soprano (+1)

Ellie Laugharne

Phyllis

Baritone (+4)

Marcus Farnsworth

Strephon

Ben McAteer

Earl Mountararat

Soprano (+2)

Llio Evans

Celia

Stage director

Cal McCrystal

Set designer

Set designer (+4)

Paul Brown

Costume designer

Lighting designer

Tim Mitchell

Choreographer

Choreographer (+1)

Lizzi Gee

Conductor

Conductor (+2)

Chris Hopkins

Catherine Wyn-Rogers

Fairy Queen

Stage director (+6)

John Savournin

The Lord Chancellor

Tenor (+1)

Ruairi Bowen

Earl Tolloller

Bass-baritone (+4)

Keel Watson

Private Willis

Mezzo-soprano (+4)

Bethan Langford

Leila

Actor (+2)

Petra Massey

Fleta

Actor

Adam Brown

The Lord Chancellor's Page

Lighting designer (+1)

Ian Jackson-French

Clive Mantle

Orchestra

English National Opera Orchestra

London Coliseum

English National Opera

Iolanthe is a brilliantly funny, satirical fantasy.

It’s a topsy-turvy worldview, typical of Gilbert & Sullivan, in which life in the fairy world and Parliament is reversed.

Phyllis and Strephon (half man, half-fairy) wish to marry, but as Phyllis is a ward of court, she requires the Lord Chancellor’s permission. The Lord Chancellor, however, wants her for himself.

Sullivan’s ever-melodious musical score matches Gilbert’s libretto in satirising the vanities and egos of the peers of the realm. And, just for good measure, Iolanthe targets the celebrity culture of the day. There are thinly disguised portraits of the good and the great of late Victorian society. There are side swipes at Queen Victoria, John Brown (her personal servant and ‘close companion’), Lord Randolph Churchill (reformist Tory) and William Gladstone (the serving Liberal PM).

Cal McCrystal returns to direct this successful operetta, bringing his characteristic and joyfully chaotic physical comedy, irreverence and brilliant wordplay. Outstanding former ENO Harewood Artist, Samantha Price, leads a cast of ENO favourites – including baritone Marcus Farnsworth as Strephon.

Book your opera tickets for ‘a glorious night of mayhem, madness and misunderstandings’ (What’s on Stage) with the ENO production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s Iolanthe at the London Coliseum.

English

London

United Kingdom

Staged

Operetta

Iolanthe | 5 Oct–25 Oct 2023 | London Coliseum |Find out more: www.eno.org/IolantheIolanthe is a brilliantly funny, satirical fantasy.It’s a topsy-turvy worl...