The majestic Palais Garnier in Paris, the impressive La Scala in Milan, as well as the celebrated Sydney Opera House, all hold important positions in their cities’ fabric. The Royal Opera House of London has been hidden down a Convent Garden back street. Hidden in the corner of an old marketplace, the back entrance of the historic building is squeezed next to a retail arcade. It was a building of exclusivity; the interiors have been off-limits to people who didn’t have a ticket.
Photography: Hufton + Crow
History of Royal Opera House
Although it was established as the Covent Garden Opera Company in 1946, the Royal Opera has a rich 260-year history of operatic performances at the Covent Garden. The opera has played a significant role in each of the three theatres that were on the site.
The theatre was built in 1858 and during World War II, it was used as a dance hall. After the war, the decision was made to establish the Royal Opera House as the permanent year-round home of The Royal Opera and The Royal Ballet. The ballet company reopened the building in 1946 with The Sleeping Beauty. The companies collaborated for various performances, and Bizet’s Carmen was the first complete performance by the Covent Garden Opera.
Photography: Luke Hayes
The Renovation Project
Leaving it in its current awkward state, the Royal Opera House (ROH) has been long hidden from the eyes of the public. But with the “Open Up” project, the ROH might have a more visi...