UK Museums: Royal Opera House, London
Royal Opera House (ROH)
The Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, central London is the UK's premier venue for opera and ballet. It draws thousands of visitors from all over the world every day, with total visitors over 1.5 million a year.
Often referred to as just "Covent Garden," the ROH is the home of The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet, and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House.
History
The Royal Opera House has its origins in the first 18th century theatre on the site, the Theatre Royal. Opera was first performed here in 1735 - a series of the works of George Frideric Handel (1685-1759). Ballet had begun the year previously.
The present Royal Opera House is the third building on the site after fires in 1808 and 1856 gutted the older buildings. The façade, foyer, and auditorium are original structures dating from 1858, but the rest of the building complex dates from a 1990s redevelopment financed by Lottery money.
A Grade I listed building, the main horseshoe-shaped auditorium has a capacity for just over 2,250 people. It is thus the third largest theatre in London. The audience is seated in four tiers of boxes and balconies and the amphitheatre gallery.
Antonio Pappano is the present music director of the Royal Opera; Kevin O’Hare is the director of the Royal Ballet. The Orchestra accompanies The Royal Opera and The Royal Ballet and was founded in 1946.
Royal Opera House Facilities
The iron and glass Paul Hamlyn Hall named after a generous benefactor is adjacent to the ROH and was once a flower market. It now hosts a variety of events, including concerts, exhibitions, and theatre workshops.
The subterranean Linbury Studio Theatre is a secondary theatre space with a capacity for an audience of 400 people. It is known for its largely experimental performances by the likes of the Royal Ballet School.
The aluminum and wood Bridge of Aspiration above Floral Street connects the Royal Ballet School with the Royal Opera House. It was designed by WikinsonEyre and opened in 2002. It allows access for the dancers to the theatre.
The Royal Opera House is also home to a luxury wining and dining scene both formal and informal.
Restaurants and bars include the Balconies Restaurant, the Crush Room, the Dorfman Conservatory, the Linbury Bar, the Paul Hamlyn Hall, the Piazza Restaurant, the Royal Opera House Café and the Terrace Bar.
Except for the Linbury Bar and the Royal Opera House Café they are open to ticket holders only.
The shop at the Royal Opera House sells ballet-inspired gifts, clothing, jewellery, prints, and recordings both in-store and online, shipping worldwide.
The area around the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden as a whole also has numerous cafes, pubs and restaurants catering to the many foreign tourists and local Londoners who flock to the area.
A visit to the Royal Opera House can be combined with seeing nearby Covent Garden, The London Transport Museum and The London Film Museum. Several other theatres are also close by including the Aldwych Theatre, the Duchess Theatre, the Novello Theatre, and the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
Access - Getting to the Royal Opera House
Royal Opera House (roh.org.uk)
Bow Street
London
WC2E 9DD
Tel: 020 7240 1200
Hours: 12 noon to the end of the evening performance Monday to Saturday; open on Sundays when there is a performance or event.
The nearest underground stations to the Royal Opera House are Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Holborn, Charing Cross and Tottenham Court Road.
Many London buses pass near the Royal Opera House stopping at Aldwych, Drury Lane and Leicester Square Station.
These include the numbers #1, #26, #59, #68, #76, #168, #172, #188, #243, #341, #521, #N1, #N26, #N68, #N171 and X68 stopping at Aldwych Drury Lane. At Leicester Square the following buses all stop #24, #29, #176 #N5, #N20, #N29, #N49, and #N279.
The nearest mainline stations are Charing Cross, Euston, and Waterloo.
The nearest Santander Cycle docking stations are Tavistock Street, Wellington Street and Drury Lane.
Gallery
