It's good news for the ENO, which has faced turmoil during the last few years following the departures of key members of staff. (Artistic director Sešn Doran stepped down in November 2005 and was rapidly replaced by programming director John Berry; weeks later, chairman Martin Smith resigned.)
The only visiting productions to receive nominations were a production of Britten's Peter Grimes by the Leeds-based company Opera North and mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato's performance in the Luc Bondy/Les Arts Florissants staging of Handel's Hercules which originated at the 2004 Aix-en-Provence Festival (and was seen at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in February 2006).
A full list of the nominees in the opera categories, which were announced yesterday, is below. The 31st annual Laurence Olivier Awards will take place on February 18 at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.
Best New Opera Production:
- English National Opera's Jenufa at the Coliseum
- English National Opera's The Makropoulos Case at the Coliseum
- English National Opera's Orfeo at the Coliseum
- Opera North's Peter Grimes at Sadler's Wells
Outstanding Achievement in Opera:
- John Mark Ainsley in ENO's Orfeo at the Coliseum
- Joyce DiDonato in Les Arts Florissants' Hercules at the Barbican
- Amanda Roocroft in ENO's Jenufa at the Coliseum
- John Tomlinson in The Royal Opera's G‹tterd‹mmerung at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
