Alumnus André de Ridder announced as Music Director of ENO

Congratulations to conducting alumnus André de Ridder, appointed Music Director of English National Opera.

Graduating as our Junior Fellow in Conducting in 2002, André is currently General Music Director of Theater Freiburg in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, where he has conducted works including Wozzeck, Hansel and Gretel, Don Carlos, The Magic Flute, Jenůfa, Alcina, and the German premiere of Nico Muhly’s Marnie. His projects and collaborations have taken him to orchestras and opera houses across the globe, and he maintains strong links with the UK and Manchester, where he spent many of his formative years.

Credit: Marco Borggreve

Strongly committed to new music, he has previously conducted for ENO the premieres of Gerald Barry’s The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant in 2005, and Michel van der Aa’s Sunken Garden in 2013. In 2007, he led the world premiere of Damon Albarn’s and Chen Shi-Zheng’s animation opera, Monkey: Journey to the West at the Manchester International Festival, and subsequent performances at the Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris and Royal Opera House, London. He has given premieres of works by composers such as Daníel Bjarnason, Bryce Dessner, Max Richter, Wolfgang Rihm and Kaija Saariaho, as well as collaborating with bands such as Dirty Projectors, The Flaming Lips and Gorillaz.

Speaking of his appointment, he said: ‘It is an honour to have been chosen by English National Opera as their new Music Director. I’ve been privileged to have experienced working with ENO early in my career, which has informed and inspired my own approach to repertoire, new work and always exploring perspectives on bringing great opera to wide audiences. I am immensely excited to join them at this time of change and development, and to have the chance to work again in the Greater Manchester region too.’

Jenny Mollica, Chief Executive of English National Opera, added: ‘We are absolutely thrilled to announce André de Ridder as ENO’s new Music Director. Throughout our rigorous and extensive global search process, we have been deeply inspired by André’s visionary approach, uniquely defined by a compelling blend of innovation and artistry, warmth and generosity.

‘His commitment and readiness to chart new ground in opera make him the perfect fit for ENO. At a time of significant creative renewal for ENO, we look forward to working with André as we continue to build our next chapter across London and Greater Manchester.’

Earlier this year, the RNCM announced a new creative partnership with ENO to support early career artists to write new operas, bringing fresh voices and narratives to the artform. Open from 2026 to Greater Manchester-based recent graduates, the year-long ENO Creative Incubator Scheme provides mentoring and financial support, plus workshop and performance spaces for artists to compose and present their new work.

15 May 2025