English Touring Opera (ETO) brings new productions of Puccini's Manon Lescaut and Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress to The Everyman Theatre this week.

Continuing ETO's mission to make exceptional artistic experiences available to all, its Spring tour brings outstanding live productions and impactful education and community projects to people across the country.

ETO presents a radical, dreamlike interpretation of Puccini's Manon Lescaut on Saturday, April 27. It's a devastating depiction of a woman wrestling with her desire for love on her own terms, and the double standards imposed on her by society.

Packed with memorable music and heartbreaking drama, this new production presents a unique modern take on one of Puccini's most loved operas. The production is directed by Jude Christian who also brings her sharp, punchy new English translation to the piece.

Gerry Cornelius, ETO's music director, conducts. Soprano Jenny Stafford sings the title role for the first time, with Gareth Morris as Des Grieux, Aidan Edwards as Lescaut and Edward Hawkins as Geronte.

The tour also includes a new production of Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress, which is being performed at the Everyman on Friday, April 26.

The production charts young Tom Rakewell's journey from unexpected inheritance to ruin - an initially cynical tale which develops into one of redemption and humanity.

Polly Graham, artistic director of Longborough Festival Opera, directs this multilayered production, and musical polymath Jack Sheen, who recently conducted Last Days at the Royal Opera House, conducts.

Tenor Frederick Jones sings the role of Tom Rakewell, a role he has performed before to critical acclaim. Nazan Fikret stars as Anne Trulove, with Jerome Knox as Nick Shadow and Lauren Young as Baba.

ETO's Learning and Participation programme is central to the company's mission and reaches over 10,000 people each year through productions in theatres, schools, museums and libraries.

This continues in the Spring 2024 tour with The Great Stink, the second in ETO's trilogy of operas for children exploring climate change and the environment. Set against the backdrop of the Great Stink of 1858 - when the Thames was so polluted that London was covered in a foul fog - this fun-filled family opera is brought to life with singers, musicians and puppets as well as interactive moments where children will get to meet Queen Victoria, Prime Minister Disraeli and even the Thames herself.

Written by Hannah Khalil and composed by Omar Shahryar, the opera will have two school performances in Gloucestershire.

Robin Norton-Hale, ETO's general director, said: "With their themes of the importance of love and human connection over greed and isolation, Manon Lescaut and The Rake's Progress - and The Great Stink too - have a great deal to say about how we live in an increasingly divided world.

"The three operas showcase a variety of musical styles, and I'm delighted that we have assembled such exciting creative teams to respond to these brilliant composers with different - and thrilling - approaches to design and staging.

"At ETO we strive to bring the best in opera to audiences up and down the country, and this season should have something for everyone; romance, modernism, puppetry, poetry - and of course excellent music-making".

More information and tickets can be found on the English Touring Opera website.