Royal Opera House
London WC2

The newly redeveloped Royal Opera House is now the permanent home of The Royal Opera and The Royal Ballet.  

The first theatre here opened in 1732 and staged plays as well as concerts, and was prone to fire being destroyed in 1808 and again in 1856. 

The present building dates from 1858, designed by E M Barry, and has the portico frieze by John Flaxman, which depicts tragedy and comedy, the 1809 building.  One of the opera house's finest moments came in 1892 when the first British performance of Wagner's 'Ring' was conducted here by Gustav Mahler. 

In 1999 the Royal Opera House reopened after a £214 million redevelopment and expansion programme.  The magnificent new building, which features the stunning facade of the Floral Hall, links the Covent Garden piazza with Bow Street.  Since it reopened the Royal Opera House has been open to the public throughout the day (except when performances are in progress), with its many restaurants and bars, and often hosting free lunchtime recitals. 

Guided tours are also provided and include an introduction to the history of the theatre, an insight into the re-development and a look at aspects of current productions. The tours run up to three times per day, Monday to Saturday, and take about one and a half hours. There is a charge for the tour.

The performances take place in 5 seasons, and you can pre-book tickets in advance for these performances.      

Tel: 020 7304 4000 for details and tour bookings, Mon-Sat: 10:00-20:00