English National Opera And London Musical Theatre Orchestra Announce A CHRISTMAS CAROL Collaboration

English National Opera (ENO) today announces A Christmas Carol, a festive spectacular in collaboration with London Musical Theatre Orchestra (LMTO).

The new semi-staged production of the musical will feature a soon to be announced all-star cast, with over 100 performers on stage, combining the forces of LMTO - the world's only professional orchestra dedicated to performing musical theatre repertoire - with members of ENO's award-winning orchestra and chorus.

Based on Charles Dickens' much-loved 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol tells the story of miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, who experiences a Christmas like no other as spirits try to show him the error of his ways, before it's too late.

Stuart Murphy, CEO, ENO and London Coliseum says: 'English National Opera is delighted to announce another exceptional symphonic musical at the London Coliseum. Investing and producing A Christmas Carol with our partners at LMTO allows us to use ENO's brilliant orchestra and chorus at Christmas, create additional income to support future opera as well as perform the work of Academy Award-winning Alan Menken in this Dickens classic.'

Freddie Tapner, CEO and Artistic Director for the London Musical Theatre Orchestra comments: 'LMTO is thrilled to be working alongside ENO to bring this much-loved show to an even wider audience. Our previous concert versions have signalled the start of Christmas for thousands of theatre goers, and now with this new staging we're bringing the story to even richer life with glorious costumes, an epic combined orchestra of ENO and LMTO and spectacular choreography by Broadway legend Susan Stroman.'

Written by the critically acclaimed team of Alan Menken, Lynn Ahrens and Mike Ockrent, the stage musical of A Christmas Carol first premiered in 1994 at New York's Paramount Theatre, where it was described as 'a tonic for adults, and for children a transfixing journey' (the New York Times). It ran for a decade, and was adapted into a film in 2004. LMTO previously performed A Christmas Carol in concert format to sell-out audiences and five star reviews in 2016, 2017 and 2018 at the Lyceum Theatre.

The music is by Alan Menken whose film scores and songs for The Little Mermaid (1989), Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992), and Pocahontas (1995) have each won him two Academy Awards.

Lyrics are by multi-award winner Lynn Ahrens (Once On This Island (1995) (Olivier Award), Ragtime (1998), A Man of No Importance (2003) and Oscar-nominee for Anastasia (1998)) who also collaborated on the musical's book with Mike Ockrent, director and co-adaptor of the Olivier Award-winning Me and My Girl (1985) and whose Broadway production of Crazy for You (1992), won three Olivier Awards and three Tony Awards.

Choreography is by five-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman. Stroman is the recipient of two Olivier Awards for Oklahoma! (1991) and Crazy for You (1993), five Drama Desk Awards, eight Outer Critics Circle Awards including one for A Christmas Carol (1995), and the George Abbott Award for Lifetime Achievement in the American Theater.

A Christmas Carol will be the 5th semi-staged musical to be performed at the London Coliseum; the largest stage in London's West End. Previous successes include Sweeney Todd, Sunset Boulevard and Carousel.

A Christmas Carol will run for 10 performances over 6 days at the beginning of December 2020.

Tickets go on sale on the 16 December (priority booking) and 18 December (public booking) at 12 noon.

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