English Touring Opera to move from London to Sheffield

English Touring Opera (ETO) has announced that Sheffield will be its new home. The company will relocate its offices to the South Yorkshire city by the end of October 2024 as part of the Arts Council England Transfer Programme.

ETO will initially move to a temporary office base in Sheffield by October 2024, with plans to establish a permanent home in 2025. The company will continue to rehearse and launch its tours at London’s Hackney Empire in 2025 and aims to commence performances in Sheffield from the Spring 2026 season.

ETO general director Robin Norton-Hale commented: “We have built strong links with local audiences in the city over more than two decades of performing at the Lyceum Theatre, and we have always been struck by the warmth and enthusiasm we encounter in Sheffield. The city’s thriving cultural scene makes it an ideal base for touring our work across the country, and we are looking forward to getting to know the people of Sheffield better, with plans for a community opera in 2026 and long-term partnerships with arts, community, and educational organisations. With Opera North touring from Leeds and English National Opera’s new base in Greater Manchester, we are excited about the possibilities to grow the audience for this thrilling and multi-faceted artform across the North of England and beyond.”

The decision follows a consultation process with ETO staff, performers, technical teams, and partner venues and organisations, as well as local councils and schools, to ensure the greatest positive impact on the widest possible audience. ETO describes Sheffield as ‘ideally located’ for its touring cycle and views the relocation as a natural extension of the company’s mission to make exceptional artistic experiences accessible to all.