The site's beginnings date back to 1898, when a series of operatic performances were held at the Old Vic Theatre. Over the decades, the site expanded and gradually started to specialise in Shakespearean theatre, while also incorporating the company of the Sadler’s Wells Theatre. Soon the site's own company was formed. It was called the Vic-Wells Opera Company, which, eventually, became the Royal Ballet. During the two World Wars, the site was closed due to safety precautions, and the company, without a site of permanent residence, toured all over England to raise the spirits of Englishmen. Following the events of Word War II, the theatre reopened with ‘Peter Grimes’, a production by English composer Benjamin Britten. After several decades of successful premieres, Sadler’s Wells Opera relocated to the Coliseum, and later, in the early 1970s, changed its name to the English national Opera. The Coliseum Theatre, thanks to its central location near Trafalgar Square, had been the venue for many well-known performances. The building first opened as a theatre in 1904 and is the work of architect Frank Matcham. As the English National Opera moved to the building in 1968, its company renovated the site and installed a revolving stage.

During the 1980s, the opera was in its prime and toured the United States and the Soviet Union, all the while holding tremendously popular performances in England. After taking over the London Coliseum on a permanent lease, the ENO company commenced a large-scale restoration project in the beginning of 2000. During that period, a shift in management and mediocre company policies resulted in scarce box office results. A successful series of performances, however, came along with the reassessed Wagner operas. This included the hit productions of ‘The Rhinegold’, ‘Valkyrie’ and ‘Siegfried’, as well ‘Twilight of the Gods’, which marked the completion of the 'Ring' cycle. These operatic performances became known for their minimalist approach, lacking the traditional exuberant sets and emphasising on acting and expression rather than costumes. However, financial difficulties, workforce reductions and budget constraints continued until late 2006.

ENO is still following a strong tradition of promoting young English composers, and its librettos are still predominantly written in the English language. However, as of 2007, the site began the production of several international operatic pieces, such as Mozart’s ‘The Magic Flute’, the classics ‘Carmen’ and ‘Aida’, as well as ‘The Turn of the Screw’. The highly successful stagings of Richard Wagner’s 'Ring' cycle are also part of this programme. Apart from these, the ENO has become more open towards the lighter genres of opera, such as operettas and musicals. Some of the most memorable performances held throughout the opera’s history include the 1961 staging of ‘Iolanthe’, which travelled across Europe, ‘Mikado’, ‘Patience’ (1969), ‘Pirates of Penzance’ and ‘Gondoliers’ (2005) by Sullivan.