Helen Bamber Foundation partners with English National Opera for Du Yun’s Pulitzer Prize-winning opera Angel’s Bone
Matthew McKinney, Mariam Wallentin, ENO’s Angel’s Bone at Aviva Studios, May 2026 © Ellie Kurttz
English National Opera and the Helen Bamber Foundation are partnering for the West End transfer of Du Yun’s Pulitzer Prize-winning opera Angel’s Bone.
The partnership connects the opera’s central themes with the Helen Bamber Foundation’s specialist work supporting survivors of trafficking, torture and extreme cruelty, helping audiences engage with the real-world issues explored on stage.
Following its powerful UK premiere at Aviva Studios, Manchester, this spring, Angel’s Bone tells the story of Mr and Mrs X.E., a desperate couple who discover two wounded angels in their garden. What begins as apparent compassion quickly becomes a disturbing portrait of greed and exploitation, offering an unflinching take on human trafficking and modern-day slavery.
The Helen Bamber Foundation is a UK human rights charity that supports survivors of torture, trafficking, and other forms of extreme cruelty. Through a specialist team of doctors, therapists, lawyers and caseworkers, the charity provides long-term, holistic support including medical care, trauma therapy, legal advice, housing and welfare assistance, helping people rebuild their lives with safety, dignity and independence. The Foundation also advocates for policy change and raises awareness of the experiences of refugees, people seeking asylum and survivors of human rights abuses.
Angel’s Bone shines a light on human trafficking, a crime that is often hidden in plain sight. People can be forced, deceived or coerced into exploitation, including forced labour, domestic servitude, sexual exploitation and criminal activity, with the impact of trauma often continuing long after they have escaped. In the UK, more than 23,000 potential victims of modern slavery and trafficking were referred to the National Referral Mechanism in 2025, the highest number since records began, although the true scale of trafficking is believed to be far greater.
Alison Pickup, CEO of the Helen Bamber Foundation, says: “For survivors, escaping their traffickers is only the beginning. Trauma can make it incredibly difficult to tell their story, trust others or navigate the systems designed to support them. Without specialist, trauma-informed support, they can fall through the gaps and face the risk of re-exploitation. Our partnership with ENO brings the profound human impact of trafficking into sharp focus, helping audiences understand what survivors go through and the vital, sustained support they need to rebuild their lives.”
Olivia Butler, Producer from ENO, says: “At ENO, we believe opera can illuminate urgent human stories and help audiences engage with difficult issues in a deeply personal way. Our partnership with the Helen Bamber Foundation brings vital specialist insight to Angel’s Bone, connecting the work’s portrayal of human trafficking and exploitation with the realities faced by survivors. Together, we want to deepen understanding, extend the conversation beyond the stage and use the combined power of art and advocacy to build awareness and inspire meaningful change.”
Awarded the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Music, Angel’s Bone is widely recognised as one of the most significant works of the past decade. Created by composer, performer and activist Du Yun with a libretto by Royce Vavrek, its electrifying score fuses medieval polyphony, punk, electronics, chamber music and cabaret. This new production is directed by Kip Williams, reunited with Tony and Olivier Award-winning designer Marg Horwell, following their acclaimed collaborations, including Dracula starring Cynthia Erivo.
Angel’s Bone opens at the London Coliseum from16-31 October 2026 for 6 performances.
Angel's Bone is an ENO production. It originally premiered in May 2026 at Aviva Studios, Manchester, in collaboration with Factory International and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.
The Helen Bamber Foundation exists to help survivors move beyond survival and towards a future they can shape for themselves. You can support this work by making a donation to the charity. Your support can help provide survivors with specialist psychological and medical care, legal advice, safe housing and practical support as they rebuild their lives.
Donate here: https://donate.justgiving.com/charity/helenbamber