ENO: Albert Herring at Lowry

English National Opera are heading north – and it’s not just a flying visit. The company has recently announced it will make Greater Manchester its permanent home by 2029. Before then, Salford audiences can enjoy a taste of things to come when ENO brings their witty new staging of Benjamin Britten’s Albert Herring to Lowry this October for two performances only.

Britten’s only comic opera, Albert Herring, first premiered in 1947 and still sparkles with mischief. Set in the small Suffolk town of Loxford in 1943, it begins with a dilemma – Lady Billows and her self-righteous committee can’t find a girl in the village virtuous enough to crown Queen of the May. Coming up with a novel solution, they break tradition and appoint the timid greengrocer’s boy, Albert, as King of the May instead. For the shy lad, it’s hardly a dream honour – until his friend Sid laces the celebratory drink and Albert embarks on an alcohol-fuelled night of rebellion and self-discovery. What follows is a gently anarchic coming-of-age tale that pokes fun at provincial respectability, where curtains twitch and tongues wag at every turn.

This semi-staged production is directed and designed by multi-award-winner Antony McDonald and conducted by Daniel Cohen. The cast includes tenor Caspar Singh in the title role, Leah-Marian Jones as his overbearing mother, Emma Bell as Lady Billows and Mark Le Brocq as the pompous Mayor. With just thirteen instruments, Britten’s score proves that less is more – weaving sly quotes, Victorian pastiche and a lightness of touch that lets the comedy sing.

For ENO, bringing Albert Herring to Lowry follows a series of acclaimed semi-staged productions in London, including Gloriana and Duke Bluebeard’s Castle. But this visit has added resonance – it’s a sign of things to come as the company begins its journey towards a permanent Manchester base.

Funny, quirky and slyly subversive, Albert Herring shows Britten at his most playful – a perfect introduction to opera, and a lively reminder that even in the buttoned-up 1940s, rebellion could be found in the most unlikely of places.