ENO announces that award-winning opera and theatre director Daniel Kramer will become Artistic Director of the Company from 1 August 2016.
British-American director Daniel Kramer’s work with ENO extends backs to 2008. He was selected as part of ENO’s young director’s initiative for which he directed Punch and Judy at the Young Vic which subsequently won the South Bank Show Award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera. Kramer returned to ENO in 2009 to direct Bartok’s Duke Bluebeard’s Castle at the London Coliseum and is currently directing Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde, conducted by former ENO Music Director Edward Gardner and designed by Anish Kapoor.
Daniel Kramer has been an Associate at the Gate Theatre, Notting Hill and the Young Vic, and a Creative Associate at the Royal Shakespeare Company.
The appointment was made by a panel of ENO Board Members chaired by Harry Brunjes, including Louise Jeffreys and Anthony Whitworth-Jones. The views of members of the Orchestra and Chorus and the senior artistic team were also taken into account. Daniel was unanimously chosen as the exceptional individual from a very strong field of candidates.
Speaking about his appointment, Daniel Kramer said,
“I am honoured to join this wonderful Company. The core of English National Opera is its unique Company spirit – its award-winning orchestra and chorus and its incredible staff, stage and house crew. My intention is to champion this family and to inspire audiences night after night with a thrilling programme of musical diversity, attracting audiences from opera to operetta through to popular music. We will work, too, with the wider community outside the Coliseum, to develop emerging talent and new audiences. We are here to play and sing for you. I hope you will join us in this new chapter of our evolution.“
Chairman of ENO, Harry Brunjes added,
“We welcome Daniel Kramer to ENO. This marks a turning point in the Company’s history as we move towards a new approach to planning seasons and reaching out to new audiences in London and indeed throughout the country. We went through an extremely thorough appointment process and Daniel was unanimously chosen as the exceptional individual from a very strong field of candidates. I am delighted that he has joined us at a time of great change for the Company”
Cressida Pollock, Chief Executive of ENO said,
“I am delighted that Daniel Kramer is joining ENO as Artistic Director. I look forward to working closely with Daniel as we transform the organisation and engage new audiences with our wonderful work both at our home in the Coliseum as well as further afield”
The 2018/19 season will be the first season that Daniel Kramer programmes as Artistic Director. The 2016/17 and 2017/18 seasons will be programmed by ENO’s Senior Artistic Team. The 2016/17 season will be announced on Thursday 5 May 2016.
