English National Opera Appoints New Music Director

André de Ridder will step into the role, as the company undertakes its move from London to Manchester

English National Opera (ENO) has announced that André de Ridder will serve as its new Music Director. He will become Music Director Designate in September 2025 and step into the role fully in the fall of 2027.

De Ridder has previously conducted groups including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, and Concertgebouworkest — as well as at opera houses including Finnish National Opera, Dutch National Opera, Theater Basel, Staatsoper Stuttgart, and Oper Köln.

He is presently General Music Director of Theater Freiburg in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, where he led the German premiere of Nico Muhly’s Marnie.

De Ridder has likewise been strongly committed to new music with the ENO, having led 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. At the 2007 edition of the Manchester International Festival, he also led the world premiere of Damon Albarn’s and Chen Shi-Zheng’s animation opera, Monkey: Journey to the West.

De Ridder was a Leverhulme Young Conductor in Association (and the assistant to Marin Alsop) at the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (2005 – 2007). He has also worked extensively in Manchester, the ENO's new base, as the assistant to Mark Elder at the Hallé Orchestra.

"It is an honor to have been chosen by English National Opera as their new Music Director," de Ridder said. "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."

"I am hugely excited by André’s appointment, and very much look forward to working with him," said David Adams, Leader of the ENO Orchestra. "To be beginning my musical journey at ENO alongside such an inspiring musician and visionary artist is thrilling. His depth of knowledge, warmth and collegiality will be a huge asset to ENO for years to come."