Tony Winner Chenoweth to Make ENO Debut in Candide

By Andrew Gans
26 Dec 2007

Kristin Chenoweth
Kristin Chenoweth
Photo by Aubrey Reuben

Kristin Chenoweth, the Tony-winning actress who can be seen on the new ABC series "Pushing Daisies," will make her debut with the English National Opera in a production of Candide in June 2008.

Chenoweth will play Cunegonde in the ENO production, which is scheduled to play 13 performances at the London Coliseum beginning June 23.

The former Wicked star, who has previously sung the role of Cunegonde in a New York Philharmonic production of Candide, will play opposite British tenor Toby Spence in the title role. Additional casting will be announced at a later date.

The ENO production of Leonard Bernstein's Candide will feature direction by Robert Carsen and choreography by Tony winner Rob Ashford. Rumon Gamba will conduct the orchestra.

The creative team will also feature set designer Michael Levine, costume designer Buki Shiff and lighting designers Robert Carsen and Peter Van Praet.

Kristin Chenoweth, who received a Tony nomination for her work as Glinda in Stephen Schwartz's Wicked, has been seen on the New York stage in The Fantasticks, Scapin, Steel Pier, A New Brain, Epic Proportions, Strike Up the Band, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, The Apple Tree, Stairway to Paradise and Candide. The actress won her Tony Award for her performance as Sally Brown in the Broadway bow of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. Chenoweth recently released her second solo recording, "As I Am" (Sony Classical), and her screen credits include "Kristin," "The West Wing," "The Music Man," "The Pink Panther," "Stranger Than Fiction," "Deck the Halls" and "Running with Scissors."

Chenoweth will make her Metropolitan Opera debut in March 2010 as Samira in John Corigliano's The Ghost of Versailles. Based on Voltaire's novel, Candide premiered on Broadway in 1956 at the Martin Beck Theatre. Although it boasted music by Leonard Bernstein, a book by Lillian Hellman and additional lyrics by John Latouche, Dorothy Parker and Richard Wilbur, the musical ran a brief 73 performances; Barbara Cook starred as Cunegonde. The 1997 revival at the Gershwin Theatre featured a cast led by Jim Dale, Andrea Martin, Jason Danieley and Harolyn Blackwell.

Tickets are now available by calling 44 (0) 871 911 0200 or by visiting www.eno.org.