Photo Flash: Sneak Peek at Emma Thompson and Bryn Terfel in ENO's SWEENEY TODD

Lonny Price will direct Bryn Terfel and Emma Thompson in Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler'sSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, A Musical Thriller, the first production in a major new long term partnership between English National Opera (ENO) and the GradeLinnit Company.

The strictly limited run of 13 performances at ENO's London Coliseum begins on 30 March 2015 with press night on 31 March and final performance on 12 April 2015. The ENO orchestra, conducted by David Charles Abell, will appear on stage alongside the cast in this semi-staged production which was originally produced by the New York Philharmonic at Lincoln Center earlier this year, with orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick. Further casting will be announced shortly.

Tickets for Sweeney Todd are £10 - £125, with 300 seats available at £10 for every performance. Priority booking opens at midday today (16 September 2014) and public booking opens at 10am on 23 September 2014.

With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler from an adaptation by Christopher Bond, Sweeney Todd received its world premiere at the Uris Theatre on Broadway in March 1979, directed by Harold Prince and starring Len Cariou and Angela Lansbury. The show received eight Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score, as well as eleven Drama Desk Awards and the Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Musical.

English National Opera is the UK's leading producer of world-class opera sung in English, and stages more new work and contemporary opera than any other UK opera company. It works with the best talent from across the arts and creative industries to create distinctive, highly theatrical productions that are seen by audiences across the world, thanks to the company's partnerships with its most celebrated opera houses and cinema transmissions by ENO Screen. ENO champions British and British-trained talent by placing it at the heart of its performances and provides unique development programmes for singers, musicians, composers and conductors. Through all its activities ENO aims to make its work enjoyable, accessible and affordable for as many people as possible

The GradeLinnit Company was founded by Michael Grade and Michael Linnit in 2008, having worked closely together on various projects over many decades. In partnership with English National Opera the GradeLinnit Company will develop new productions of the finest musicals. This new partnership will harness the producing and technical teams at ENO and the commercial expertise of Grade and Linnit to produce world class music theatre in London's largest theatre, ENO's London Coliseum, and beyond. Further productions to be staged as part of this partnership will be announced in due course.

Photo Credit: Richard H. Smith

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