Factory International

Trailer for Angel's Bone just landed🪽 Angels appear all too rarely. Don’t miss them. Care becomes contempt and love becomes loathing in this dark, unsettling parable from contemporary composer Du Yun and librettist Royce Vavrek. Directed by Kip Williams. 📍Aviva Studios, until 16 May 2026 London Coliseum 16 – 31 October 2026

Ai Weiwei is coming to Manchester... History, power and empire collide in Button Up! - a major new exhibition arriving in Manchester this summer from the world-leading artist and activist Ai Weiwei (@aiww ). Commissioned and produced by Factory International (@factory_international ), Ai Weiwei: Button Up! is the artist’s most expansive presentation in the north of the UK to date, with Ai Weiwei turning his critical gaze to the last 200 years of global history. Taking inspiration from Manchester, a city at the heart of the Industrial Revolution, Button Up! explores how historic systems of trade, empire and exploitation resonate in today’s humanitarian and political crises. Bringing together new and existing large-scale works on display in the UK for the first time, Button Up! takes over the Warehouse space at Aviva Studios this summer. “I’m not interested in making very big things just for the sake of it. But in Manchester, that wonderful Warehouse space calls for monumental work." - Ai Weiwei 📆 2 July - 6 September 2026 📍 Aviva Studios, home of Factory International | Manchester, UK 🎟️ Early bird offer - book for the first two weeks of the exhibition and get discounted tickets from £15 🔗 Book now by clicking the link in Factory International's bio. 🖼️ Billboards by BUILDHOLLYWOOD (@buildhollywood ) 📸 Photography by Joe Smith (@joeolismith )

Your first look at Angel's Bone just landed🪽 Angels appear all too rarely. Don’t miss them. 📍Aviva Studios, 12 – 16 May 2026 London Coliseum 16 – 31 October 2026 Photos by Ellie Kurttz & Tristram Kenton

‘Spectacular’– We caught up with Angel’s Bone composer Du Yun at opening night for the UK Premier of her Pulitzer Prize-winning opera.   Angels appear all too rarely. Don’t miss them🪽   📍Aviva Studios, until 16 May 2026 London Coliseum 16 – 31 October 2026

"Placing an audience right in the centre of human drama...I aim to bring that to opera." Looking back at his previous theatre work, we heard from Director of Angel's Bone Kip Williams (@kip_williams ) in our latest episode of In the Studio on how he has translated his experience in theatre to opera. Making his opera and English National Opera (@englishnationalopera ) debut, Angel's Bone also marks the continuation of his long-term creative collaboration with award-winning Designer, Marg Horwell (@marghorwell ) - whose recent successes include The Picture of Dorian Gray on Broadway and Dracula starring Cynthia Erivo in the West End. Angel's Bone finishes in Manchester tomorrow (Saturday 16 May) - don't miss it! 🪽 Angel's Bone 📍 The Warehouse | Aviva Studios, home of Factory International 📅 Until Saturday 16 May 🎥 Watch the full episode of In the Studio on Factory+ by clicking the link in Factory International's bio.

Watch the latest episode of In the Studio with Kip Williams 🎥 During rehearsals, we spoke with Director of Angel's Bone Kip Williams (@kip_williams ) as he shared more insight into the themes and narrative of the show. Williams makes his English National Opera and UK opera debut with Angel’s Bone, marking the continuation of his long-term creative collaboration with award-winning Designer, Marg Horwell (@marghorwell ) - whose recent successes include The Picture of Dorian Gray on Broadway and Dracula starring Cynthia Erivo in the West End. An English National Opera (@englishnationalopera ) production in collaboration with Factory International and BBC Philharmonic (@bbcphilharmonic ), along with performances from Kantos Choir (@kantoschoir ), Angel’s Bone tells the haunting story of two fallen angels, drawn back to earth by a longing for its pleasures. In the Studio is Factory International's series where artists and collectives show us the space where their ideas come to life. 🪽 Angel's Bone 📍 The Warehouse | Aviva Studios, home of Factory International 📅 Until Saturday 16 May 🎥 Watch the full episode of In the Studio on Factory+ by clicking the link in Factory International's bio.

Step behind the scenes with Gary Farr, one of the musicians involved in Tuesday night's UK premiere of the Pulitzer-prize winning opera Angel's Bone at Manchester's Aviva Studios. This English National Opera production is in collaboration with Factory International and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, with the chorus performed by Manchester-based ensemble Kantos Chamber Choir. Catch Angel's Bone at Aviva Studios until Saturday 16 May, and listen to the broadcast on Radio 3 and BBC Sounds on 6 June.

Announcing ‘Guardian’, a new limited edition print triptych by @aiww in collaboration with @avant.arte , in support of @factory_international . To create the edition, Avant Arte’s specialist fine art printmaking studio, @make__ready , have beautifully translated three new designs into a silkscreen print in Blue, Green and Purple, each signed and individually numbered. Available 2 June at 14:00 UK time for one week only. Link in bio to set a reminder for the launch.

The artists behind the reimagining of Bronski Beat's The Age of Consent on why the album is still important in 2026 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ We're less than a week away until Bronski Beat’s (@bronskibeatofficial ) defiant debut album The Age of Consent is reimagined live through the voices of ground-breaking queer and trans contemporary artists. We heard from Bishi (@bishiofficial ), Tom Rasmussen (@tomrasmussen ) and Sans Soucis (@sanssoucismusic ) on what the album means to them - and why it's still significant over 40 years on since its release. Joining them in the lineup in Manchester are Planningtorock (@planningtorock ), David McAlmont (@david.mcalmont ), David Hoyle (@davidhoyleuniversal ) and Nia Choir (@nia.choir ) backed by The Chateau Collective. The Age of Consent is presented by The Chateau (@the_chateau_ ) and Southbank Centre (@southbankcentre ). 📍 The Hall, Aviva Studios, home of Factory International (Manchester) [@factory_international ] 📅 17 May 🎟️ Aviva £10 Tickets available 🔗 Book now - click the link in Factory International's bio

Our next Philharmonic Sessions with BBC Philharmonic Orchestra features Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring 🎻 Next week, the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra (@bbcphilharmonic ) returns to Aviva Studios - we caught up with Director of BBC Philharmonic Orchestra Adam Szabo (szaboadam_) to learn more about the significance of Stravinsky's masterpiece... Few pieces have shaken the musical world like Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, with its 1913 premiere in Paris famously caused a riot. Alongside The Rite of Spring, hear two UK premieres of Chemiluminescence by Jessie Montgomery (@jmontymusic ) and No Such Spring by Samuel Adams (@samuelcarladams ). 📍 The Hall, Aviva Studios 📅 22 May 🎟️ Standing Stalls only £15 🔗 Click the link in Factory International's bio to book now. ---- 📸 Photo of Samuel Adams by Lenny Gonzalez (@millennyem ) 📸 Photo of Jessie Montgomery by Jiyang Chen (@jiyangc )

…or 8🤭 See Angel’s Bone at Aviva Studios 12 – 16 May🪽 #Opera #ThingsToDoManchester

What album would you turn into an opera? 🤔 The opera Angel's Bone makes its UK premiere in Manchester in just two days! Breaking with operatic tradition, Angel’s Bone fuses multiple musical genres, spoken word and immersive staging. So we thought we'd ask the people of Manchester...which record would you turn into the next operatic masterpiece? Let us know your answer in the comments below 👇 An English National Opera (@englishnationalopera ) production in collaboration with Factory International and BBC Philharmonic (@bbcphilharmonic ), along with performances from Kantos Choir (@kantoschoir ), Angel’s Bone tells the haunting story of two fallen angels, drawn back to earth by a longing for its pleasures. Director Kip Williams (@kip_williams ) makes his ENO and UK opera debut with Angel’s Bone, marking the continuation of his long-term creative collaboration with award-winning Designer, Marg Horwell (@marghorwell ) - whose recent successes include The Picture of Dorian Gray on Broadway and Dracula starring Cynthia Erivo in the West End. 📍 The Warehouse | Aviva Studios, home of Factory International (Manchester) 📅 12-16 May 🔗 Book your tickets now by clicking the link in Factory International's bio.