English National Opera Names Five Cities On Relocation Shortlist

The English National Opera has narrowed down its search for a new home to five cities, after being forced to move its headquarters out of London.

The opera company has been told by Arts Council England to relocate from the capital or lose its public funding.

Birmingham, Bristol, Greater Manchester, Liverpool and Nottingham are on the shortlist.

“All the cities have brilliant stuff going for them,” ENO chief executive Stuart Murphy said in an interview.

“But there’ll be different versions of the ENO depending on which city we go to.”

In November, the ENO was told to move its HQ from London after the Arts Council was instructed by the government to spread more money beyond the capital.

The Arts Council suggested Manchester, the biggest city in Europe without a resident opera company, as a possible destination.