Page 780 - Liverpool Philharmonic 22-23 Season Coverage Book

7 May 2023

Opera
ENO chief says Liverpool and Manchester ‘strong

contenders’ for new home

Stuart Murphy says other cities in running but stresses chances of either
northern city hosting opera company

Josh Halliday North of England correspondent

Liverpool and Manchester are “really strong contenders” to be the new home of the
English National Opera (ENO), its chief executive has said, after the cultural body was
forced to leave London.

Stuart Murphy, who steps down later this year, said three potential bases would be
selected by the end of May and a winner chosen by the end of this year.

Murphy said Liverpool and Manchester were in strong contention but that Bristol,
Birmingham and Nottingham were also in the running.

“I don’t want to close any one of them down, but Liverpool and Manchester are really
strong contenders,” he told the Guardian.