In a colossal hangar buzzing with activity, a dedicated tech crew in high-visibility vests and hard hats prepares for a significant event. Massive lighting rigs hover just above the ground, and hidden from view is Europe’s largest lift, designed to accommodate articulated lorries. This is The Warehouse at Manchester’s Aviva Studios, a cutting-edge arts venue that has, since its 2023 opening, hosted renowned pop artists, a monumental exhibition by Yayoi Kusama, and the immersive performance art of Marina Abramović. Now, it’s venturing into the realm of opera for the very first time.
Specifically, the venue is set to host the English National Opera’s inaugural production conceived for and within Manchester: the highly anticipated UK premiere of “Angel’s Bone.” This opera, composed by the acclaimed Chinese-American Du Yun with a libretto by Canadian Royce Vavrek, is being brought to life by the celebrated Australian director Kip Williams.
“Angel’s Bone” garnered the prestigious 2017 Pulitzer Prize, recognized for its “harrowing allegory for human trafficking in the modern world” following its US debut in 2016.