Kristin Chenoweth to Headline London Production of Candide

Tony Award-winning Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth will make her English National Opera debut as Cunegonde in Robert Carsen's new production of Leonard Bernstein's Candide. This piece opens on June 23, 2008, at the London Coliseum, where it will play for 13 performances only.

Chenoweth has previously sung the role of Cunegonde in Candide at Lincoln Center with the New York Philharmonic. Her Broadway credits include You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown Tony Award, Steel Pier, Epic Proportions, The Apple Tree and originating the role of Glinda in Wicked. Chenoweth will make her Metropolitan Opera debut in March 2010 as Samira in John Corigliano's The Ghost of Versailles. Her concert career includes engagements at Carnegie Hall, the Metropolitan Opera House, Los Angeles' Walt Disney Concert Hall and London's Donmar Warehouse. Her TV credits include The West Wing, The Music Man, Annie and her current role as Olive Snook in the series Pushing Daisies. She also starred in her own series, Kristin. Film appearances include Deck the Halls, RV, Bewitched, Running with Scissors, Stranger Than Fiction and The Pink Panther. Following the success of her albums Let Yourself Go and As I Am on Sony Classical, she is preparing to record her third album.

Rumon Gamba, who recently conducted Candide with the BBC Concert Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall, will conduct Carsen's production. The sets are by Michael Levine Anthony Minghella's Olivier Award-winning Madame Butterfly with costumes by Buki Shiff and lighting by Carsen and Peter Van Praet. The chorography is by Tony Award winner Rob Ashford Parade, Evita, Guys & Dolls, Thoroughly Modern Millie, also making his ENO debut.

The British tenor Toby Spence will sing the title role. Further casting is yet to be announced.