English National Opera Chorus and Orchestra win ‘Outstanding Achievement in Opera’ at Olivier Awards

4 April 2016, 10:40 | Updated: 4 April 2016, 10:43

The win comes just days after the company’s music director has announced that he will be standing down.

ENO beat off competition from conductor Antonio Pappano, mezzo-soprano Felicity Palmer and soprano Tamara Wilson to win the Olivier for Outstanding Achievement in Opera.

A strike by ENO's chorus, protesting against a 25% pay cut and plans to axe four jobs, was recently called off, and the opera company is currently trying to cut costs after its grant from the Arts Council was cut by 29%.

The Royal Opera’s production of the two one-act operas Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci was named Best New Opera Production. The other two operas nominated were Morgen und Abend (Royal Opera House) and The Force of Destiny (English National Opera).

In Dance, Wayne McGregor’s Woolf Works was named Best New Dance Production (beating competition from Compagnie Yoann Bourgeois and Les Ballets de Monte Carlo).

Ballet dancer Alessandra Ferri was given the Olivier for Outstanding Achievement in Dance for her appearances in Woolf Works and Chéri at the Royal Opera House. Also nominated in the category were Javier de Frutos for the choreograph of Anatomy of a Passing Cloud (Linbury Studio Theatre at the Royal Opera House) and Sasha Waltz for her choreography of Sacre at Sadler’s Wells.

Here’s the full list of all the other winners:

Best Revival 
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom at National Theatre, Lyttelton

Best New Comedy
Nell Gwynn at Apollo Theatre

Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre
Pat Kinevane and Fishamble for Silent, Soho Theatre

White Light Award for Best Lighting Design
Mark Henderson for Gypsy at Savoy Theatre

Best Sound Design
Tom Gibbons for People, Places And Things at National Theatre, Dorfman

Best Costume Design
Gregg Barnes for Kinky Boots at Adelphi Theatre

Blue-i Theatre Technology Award for Best Set Design
Anna Fleischle for Hangmen at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court & Wyndham's Theatre

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Mark Gatiss for Three Days In The Country at National Theatre, Lyttelton

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Judi Dench for The Winter's Tale at Garrick Theatre

Virgin Atlantic Best New Play
Hangmen at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court & Wyndham's Theatre

Best Actor
Kenneth Cranham for The Father at Wyndham's Theatre

Best Actress
Denise Gough for People, Places And Things at National Theatre, Dorfman

Best Entertainment & Family
Showstopper! The Improvised Musical at Apollo Theatre

Best Theatre Choreographer
Drew McOnie for In the Heights at King’s Cross Theatre

Best Director
Robert Icke for Oresteia at Almeida Theatre

Autograph Sound Award for Outstanding Achievement in Music
In The Heights – Music and Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda at King’s Cross Theatre

Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical
David Bedella for In The Heights at King’s Cross Theatre

Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Lara Pulver for Gypsy at Savoy Theatre

Best Musical Revival
Gypsy at Savoy Theatre

Best Actor in a Musical
Matt Henry for Kinky Boots at Adelphi Theatre

Best Actress in a Musical
Imelda Staunton for Gypsy at Savoy Theatre

MasterCard Best New Musical
Kinky Boots at Adelphi Theatre