The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet, and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. Originally called the Theatre Royal, it served primarily as a playhouse for the first hundred years of its history. In 1734, the first ballet was presented. A year later, Handel's first season of operas began. Many of his operas and oratorios were specifically written for Covent Garden and had their premieres there.
The current building is the third theatre on the site following disastrous fires in 1808 and 1857. The façade, foyer, and auditorium date from 1858, but almost every other element of the present complex dates from an extensive reconstruction in the 1990s. The Royal Opera House seats 2,256 people and consists of four tiers of boxes and balconies and the amphitheatre gallery. The proscenium is 12.20 m wide and 14.80 m high. The main auditorium is a Grade 1 listed building as noted by Theatres Trust.
Royal Opera House, London
Get involved with shows at Royal Opera House, London:
- Richard II is holding auditions: in Random Location 11 from 13:45 to 13:45 on Fri 23rd Aug - more details
- The Miser is holding auditions: in Random Location 48 from 12:30 to 12:30 on Sat 24th Aug - more details
- Cats is holding auditions: in Random Location 6 from 13:45 to 13:45 on Sun 25th Aug - more details
- The Good Person of Szechwan is holding auditions: in Random Location 18 from 17:15 to 17:15 on Mon 26th Aug - more details
- Seussical is holding auditions: in Random Location 35 from 15:15 to 15:15 on Wed 28th Aug - more details
- Uncle Vanya is looking for: Director, Lighting Designer, Master Carpenter, Costume Designer, Producer, Publicity Designer, Set Designer, Publicist, Technical Director, Sound Designer - more details
- Seussical is looking for: Master Carpenter, Costume Designer, Producer, Production Manager, Director, Set Designer - more details
- The Good Person of Szechwan is looking for: Director, Master Carpenter, Costume Designer, Production Manager, Sound Designer, Publicity Designer, Publicist, Lighting Designer, Set Designer, Producer - more details
- A Midsummer Night's Dream has announced: Random text 11 - more details
- Richard II has announced: Random text 93 - more details
- Fiddler on the Roof has announced: Random text 17 - more details
- The Good Person of Szechwan has announced: Random text 69 - more details
News
Royal Opera House, London
11:27 on 18th August
Hi @Camdram! Royal Opera House, London is excited to announce Who's Afraid of Cindies.
Royal Opera House, London
00:39 on 18th August
Royal Opera House, London is excited to announce The End of the Van of Life.
Royal Opera House, London
06:36 on 16th August
Royal Opera House, London is excited to announce Angels in Philosophy.
Royal Opera House, London
14:03 on 14th August
Hi @Camdram! Royal Opera House, London has a really very long post. Rehersals are well underway for our very exciting new show. We're sure you'll want to hear all about it, and maybe come see it! So anyway our latest show is Who's Afraid of Oxford.
Royal Opera House, London
14:04 on 12th August
Royal Opera House, London is excited to announce Much Ado About Week 5.
Royal Opera House, London
09:49 on 9th August
Royal Opera House, London has a really very long post. Rehersals are well underway for our very exciting new show. We're sure you'll want to hear all about it, and maybe come see it! So anyway our latest show is The End of Cindies.
Royal Opera House, London
13:51 on 8th August
Hi @Camdram! Royal Opera House, London has a really very long post. Rehersals are well underway for our very exciting new show. We're sure you'll want to hear all about it, and maybe come see it! So anyway our latest show is Surviving Amsterdam.
Royal Opera House, London
17:06 on 2nd August
Royal Opera House, London is excited to announce Angels in Addenbrooke's.
Royal Opera House, London
02:48 on 31st July
Royal Opera House, London wants you to buy tickets for The End of the Van of Life.
Shows
- Sun 10 Nov
- Mon 11 Nov
- Tue 12 Nov
- Wed 13 Nov
- Thu 14 Nov
- Fri 15 Nov
- Sat 16 Nov
- Sun 1 Dec
- Mon 2 Dec
- Tue 3 Dec
- Wed 4 Dec
- Thu 5 Dec
- Fri 6 Dec
- Sat 7 Dec
- Sun 8 Dec
- Mon 9 Dec
- Tue 10 Dec
- Wed 11 Dec
- Thu 12 Dec
- Fri 13 Dec
- Sat 14 Dec
- Sun 15 Dec
- Mon 16 Dec
- Tue 17 Dec
- Wed 18 Dec
- Thu 19 Dec
- Fri 20 Dec
- Sat 21 Dec
- Sun 22 Dec
- Mon 23 Dec
- Tue 24 Dec
- Wed 25 Dec
- Thu 26 Dec
- Fri 27 Dec
- Sat 28 Dec
- Sun 22 Mar
- Mon 23 Mar
- Tue 24 Mar
- Wed 25 Mar
- Thu 26 Mar
- Fri 27 Mar
- Sat 28 Mar
- Sun 3 May
- Mon 4 May
- Tue 5 May
- Wed 6 May
- Thu 7 May
- Fri 8 May
- Sat 9 May
- Sun 17 May
- Mon 18 May
- Tue 19 May
- Wed 20 May
- Thu 21 May
- Fri 22 May
- Sat 23 May
- Sun 21 Jun
- Mon 22 Jun
- Tue 23 Jun
- Wed 24 Jun
- Thu 25 Jun
- Fri 26 Jun
- Sat 27 Jun
- Sun 28 Jun
- Mon 29 Jun
- Tue 30 Jun
- Wed 1 Jul
- Thu 2 Jul
- Fri 3 Jul
- Sat 4 Jul
- Sun 5 Jul
- Mon 6 Jul
- Tue 7 Jul
- Wed 8 Jul
- Thu 9 Jul
- Fri 10 Jul
- Sat 11 Jul
- Sun 12 Jul
- Mon 13 Jul
- Tue 14 Jul
- Wed 15 Jul
- Thu 16 Jul
- Fri 17 Jul
- Sat 18 Jul
Past shows
See all the shows that have been performed here at the venue history page.