Mark Wigglesworth to replace Edward Gardner at English National Opera

English National Opera today announced the departure of its music director Edward Gardner at the end of the 2014-15 season, and the appointment of Mark Wigglesworth to immediately succeed him.

Gardner has been a galvanising figure at ENO – particularly in his work with the company’s orchestra – since his surprise appointment in 2007, replacing music director designate Oleg Caetani who never took up the position. ENO’s artistic director John Berry, responsible for that appointment, today spoke of the conductor’s ‘phenomenal’ achievements at the company.

Nevertheless, there will be some surprise that Gardner hasn’t opted to say longer at the Coliseum given the critical success of his work there – which has included landmark and musically imposing productions of Cav & Pag, Peter Grimes and Wozzeck – and his perceived rapport with the company. ENO cite Gardner’s new job (from September 2015) as principal conductor of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra in Norway as a reason for his departure; Gardner also retains his position as principal guest conductor of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, itself on the lookout for a new music director.

The appointment of experienced opera conductor (and former Gramophone blogger) Mark Wigglesworth will do much to counter any concerns about Gardner’s departure. Wigglesworth surprised many with his unusually firmly-plotted performances of Parsifal in 2011, drawing very different qualities from the ENO orchestra than the audience were used to from Gardner and critical praise from the newsstand press.

Writing for Gramophone during rehearsals for that production, Wigglesworth talked of the inspiration he found in conducting opera in his native language (all operas at ENO are sung in English). ‘Few artistic experiences are more complete than understanding singers' words at exactly the moment they are sung’, he wrote, ‘opera is at its best when the communication can be that simultaneous.’ Wigglesworth was also in the pit for David Alden’s striking 2010 production of Katya Kabanova, his conducting described as ‘better than exceptional’ by the The Telegraph. He has been a guest at the Netherlands Opera, La Monnaie (Brussels), Glyndebourne, WNO, the Royal Opera and at the Metropolitan Opera in New York.

‘I have worked at ENO often enough to know that talent and experience, professionalism and passion run through the entire company’ said Wigglesworth of his appointment on the official press-release quote. ‘To be part of this family of experts will be inspiring and fulfilling in equal measure.’

Edward Gardner commented that he will ‘never forget nine seasons of working with such an outstanding orchestra, chorus and music team’, and that he is ‘eager to explore new musical relationships.’ He will doubtless be linked to the upcoming vacancies in Birmingham and possibly at Covent Garden. ENO confirmed that Gardner will return to the company as a guest conductor in 2016.

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