Royal Opera House

Once a failure, now a fan-favourite 🩰 Did you know when Swan Lake first opened in 1877, it was deemed a disaster? Discover more about the secrets and stories of this timeless ballet on our Swan Lake-themed tour, complete with a delicious afternoon tea. Book your tickets via the link in our bio today. #SwanLake #Ballet #BalletDancer #TheRoyalBallet #RoyalOperaHouse https://www.roh.org.uk/tickets-and-events/ballet-tea-and-tour-details

Some very special birds' nests 🦢 Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake had its world premiere nearly 150 years ago in March 1877. We went behind the scenes into the wigs and make up department to learn about some very special birds nests for Swan Lake... Classical ballet's most powerful tale of love, treachery and forgiveness returns to the Royal Opera House stage this week, opening on Wednesday 6 March. 🎫 Last few tickets remaining - book via the link in our bio. #Ballet #SwanLake #Tchaikovsky #Dance #BalletDancer #BTS #BehindTheScenes #Wigs

Raise a glass 🥂 Brindisi – or ‘The Drinking Song’ – from Verdi’s La Traviata is one of the best-known opera melodies, performed by Violetta and Alfredo in Act I of the opera. Brindisi translates to ‘toasts’ in English, encouraging friends to take a drink 🍷 ▶ Watch La Traviata wherever you are on Royal Opera House Stream – sign up today to enjoy your first month for £1 via the link in our bio. #Verdi #LaTraviata #Opera #Brindisi

A story of love, mischief and mechanical dolls 🩰 Coppélia had its world premiere on this day in 1933 with the Vic-Wells Ballet – Ninette de Valois’ small company which would go on become The Royal Ballet in 1956. A classic of The Royal Ballet repertory, Coppélia offers buoyant and intricate choreography, bringing a colourful storybook world to life in this treat for the whole family. ▶ Watch Coppélia on Royal Opera House Stream via the link in our bio. #Ballet #Coppélia #TheRoyalBallet #NinetteDeValois #BalletDancer #RoyalOperaHouse

Behind the scenes of Puccini’s Tosca! Assistant Director @lou.ise.bak.ker takes us into The Royal Opera’s production of Puccini’s devastating opera, and reveals some of the tricks of the trade hidden within the beautifully historical sets. Book you tickets today to be transported back to Rome in 1800 – link in bio #Puccini #Tosca #Opera #Theatre #BehindTheScenes #Backstage #Props #Set #Scenery

Down the rabbit hole... 🐰⏱ With whimsical music and imaginative designs, The Royal Ballet's Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland premiered on this day in 2011. Colourful and captivating, Christopher Wheeldon's ballet interpretation of Lewis Carroll's children's classic is fun for all the family. ▶ Watch Alice's Adventures in Wonderland on Royal Opera House Stream from the comfort of your own home – sign up today via the link in our bio to enjoy the first month for £1. #Ballet #Dance #Choreography #AliceInWonderland #LewisCarroll

💐 Spring has sprung! 💐 We’re celebrating the start of a new season with the Spring Fairy from Cinderella! Summoned by the Fairy Godmother alongside the fairies of Summer, Autumn and Winter, she helps to turn Cinderella’s rags into a beautiful dress, a pumpkin and mice into a carriage and horses, and grasshoppers and dragonflies into a retinue of footmen. What are you most looking forward to this Spring? 🎥 @anna_rose_osullivan on stage #Cinderella #Ballet #Spring #Season #Equinox #BalletDancer #TheRoyalBallet #RoyalOperaHouse

The making of Carmen 👗 Ahead of the opening of Damiano Michieletto's searing new production of Carmen this week, we went behind the scenes to get a closer look at Carmen's costumes 🧵 Book your tickets to see Bizet's ever-popular opera on our Main Stage from Friday 5 April. #Carmen #Opera #TheRoyalOpera #RoyalOperaHouse #Bizet #Costume #BehindTheScenes

A sparkling spectacle ✨ First performed by the New York City Ballet in 1967, Jewels is one of George Balanchine's greatest pieces of choreography – and today marks its 56th anniversary! Experience the evolution of ballet through three contrasting acts, each set to music by different composers and represented by a precious jewel: emerald, ruby or diamond. A pure celebration of dance, this masterpiece has become a treasured gem performed by companies worldwide. 🎥 Sarah Lamb and Steven McRae perform the pas de deux from the 'Rubies' movement. #Ballet #TheRoyalBallet #GeorgeBalanchine #Choreography

Awakened from the archives 🩰 This beautiful tutu was worn by the Fairy of the Songbirds in the 1946 production of The Sleeping Beauty – her gift to Aurora is her beautiful voice, both for song and speech. Following World War II, the Royal Opera House reopened on 20 February 1946 with a gala performance of The Sleeping Beauty by the Sadler’s Wells Ballet company, with Margot Fonteyn as Aurora. #Ballet #TheSleepingBeauty #Tchaikovsky #MargotFonteyn #Archives #ASMR

A shot-for-shot comparison! We had some fun playing with our collection of @albettaonline’s Swan Lake Dolls, trying to match some famous positions from our stage. How did we do? You can find Odette, Odile, and Prince Siegfried dolls in our shop in Covent Garden or online: shop.roh.org.uk 🩰 Make your own poses and share them with us! 🎥 Marianela Nunez & Vadim Muntagirov #Ballet #SwanLake #Tchaikovsky #Dance #BalletDancer

The making of Manon 🩰 Join Royal Ballet Principal Reece Clarke for a Q&A hosted by Oscar-nominated producer Tanya Seghatchian (Cold War, The Power of the Dog.) The Q&A will be followed by an Encore screening The Royal Ballet’s production of Manon, featuring Natalia Osipova as Manon and Reece Clarke as Des Grieux. 🎬 Curzon cinema Mayfair, Sunday 11 February, 2pm – tickets via the link in our bio. #Ballet #Manon https://bit.ly/3SBICCe

Fascinating flurries of falling snowflakes ❄ Entranced by the magical snow that falls throughout La bohème? We took a closer look at the workings behind the wintry weather on our main stage. Don't miss Puccini's opera of passion, friendship, and heartbreak - book your tickets for the final few performances, ends Friday 16 February. 🎫 Link in bio. #Puccini #Opera #LaBoheme #Theatre

The sound of 1,800 schoolchildren 🎶 On 8 February we invited schools across the country to come and see La bohème on our main stage, and it’s safe to say they enjoyed it! Find out more about our Schools’ Matinees via the link in our bio. #Puccini #LaBoheme #Opera

Moments with... Aigul Akhmetshina Ahead of the opening of Carmen on our Main Stage on 5 April, we caught up with Aigul Akhmentshina to get an insight into her favourite arias, most memorable performances, and secret talents. 🎫 Book your tickets to see Damiano Michieletto's searing new production of Bizet’s ever-popular opera via the link in our bio. #Opera #TheRoyalOpera #Carmen #Bizet # Aigul Akhmentshina #RoyalOperaHouse

Spoiler alert 🤫 Here’s a sneak peek into the final scene of Puccini’s Tosca, with a glimpse into some behind-the-scenes theatre magic ✨ Catch Tosca on our main stage until 21 July. 🎫 Book your seats today to see Puccini’s sweeping operatic thriller – link in bio. #Puccini #Tosca #Opera #Theatre #BehindTheScenes #Backstage

An unflinching and timeless portrait of fragility in the face of trauma Different Drummer is a one-act ballet by Kenneth MacMillan is a fragmentary retelling of George Büchner’s play Woyzeck, about the plight of a soldier driven to despair and murder. Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at the intricate costume-making process for The Royal Ballet's upcoming production. See this complex and haunting ballet on our Main Stage, alongside two other one-act ballets by MacMillan 🎫 Book your tickets via the link in our bio #Ballet #TheRoyalBallet #BalletDancer #KennethMacMillan #RoyalOperaHouse

A complex countryside love affair 💔 A Month in the Country had its world premiere on this day at the Royal Opera House in 1976. Set in a living room of a country house, the drama unfolds in this one-act ballet upon the arrival of a dashing young tutor... Watch The Royal Ballet’s 2022 production of A Month in the Country wherever you are on Royal Opera House Stream. ▶ Sign up today via the link in our bio to enjoy the first month for just £1. #Ballet #Dance #Theatre

Once upon a dream ... ✨ These exquisite costumes from The Royal Ballet’s 1968 production of The Sleeping Beauty were worn by ballet legends Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev, and are now on display in the Fantasy: Realms of Imagination exhibition at the @britishlibrary. Watch The Sleeping Beauty (2020) on Royal Opera House Stream and enjoy your first month for £1. #RoyalOperaHouse #BritishLibrary #Library #Fantasy #Ballet #Costume #Fairytale