ENO’s Mahagonny: biting, bleak, brilliantly executed satire

Simon O'Neill (Jimmy MacIntyre)

Jimmy's trial

Kenneth Kellogg (Trinity Moses), Rosie Aldridge (Begbick) and Mark Le Brocq (Fatty)

Danielle de Niese (Jenny Smith) and Simon O'Neill (Jimmy MacIntyre)

The arrival of the hurricane

Danielle de Niese (Jenny Smith)

By David Karlin, 17 February 2026

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“the only true crime in the lawless Mahagonny: failing to settle his bar bill”

Reviewed at The London Coliseum, London on 16 February 2026

Weill, Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny

English National Opera

André de Ridder, Conductor

Jamie Manton, Director

Camilla Clarke, Set Designer, Costume Designer

DM Wood, Lighting Designer

English National Opera Orchestra

English National Opera Chorus

Rosie Aldridge, Leokadia Begbick

Mark Le Brocq, Fatty

Kenneth Kellogg, Trinity Moses

Danielle de Niese, Jenny Smith

Richard Trey Smagur, Jimmy Mahoney

Alex Otterburn, Billy

Elgan Llŷr Thomas, Jacky O'Brien

Zwakele Tshabalala, Tobby Higgins

David Shipley, Joe

Reality television: ENO’s Angel’s Bone in Manchester

Lawrence Dunn, 12th May

Kip Williams and ENO mount an extraordinary new production of Du Yun and Royce Vavrek’s multifaceted opera, with performances of great emotional directness broadcast live on camera.

*****

Taken for a ride: an energetic revival of Così fan tutte at ENO

Dominic Lowe, 6th February

English National Opera's revival of Phelim McDermott’s popular production is a blend of spectacle with some first-class singing, with Lucy Crowe emphasising her Mozartian credentials.

****1

Cocteau-esque camp: Alden’s Partenope returns to ENO

Mark Valencia, 20th November

Christopher Alden’s Olivier Award-winning production of Handel’s Partenope returns to the Coliseum, but it's the singing that earns the plaudits.

****1

Dead Man Walking at English National Opera: a superb execution

David Karlin, 1st November

Anneliese Miskimmon's ENO production of Jake Heggie and Terence McNally's tale of crime, repentance, compassion and redemption compels from start to finish.

*****

Comedy falls flat in ENO's season opening Cinderella

Mark Valencia, 27th September

Julia Burbach and her designer, Herbert Murauer, are defeated by the wide canyons of the Coliseum stage in their modern-dress Cinderella.

**111

ENO gives Thea Musgrave's Mary, Queen of Scots a worthy performance

Nick Boston, 15th February

Musgrave's powerful depiction of a powerful woman at the mercy of male manipulation receives a strong staging from at ENO.

****1

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David Karlin

David is a co-founder of Bachtrack. He is a musical omnivore interested in almost all types of music, but with a particular love of Italian opera. You can contact him from this link.

English National Opera’s Mahagonny: biting, bleak, brilliantly executed satire