Opera, Dance and Ballet in London

Frederick Ashton’s joyful ballet is a love letter to the countryside, a light-hearted pastoral tale about a battle of wills between Lise and her mother over the question of marrying for love or for money. This whimsical, humourous ballet features dancing chickens, a dizzying ribbon dance, clog-dancing and an adorable Shetland pony, making it a comic masterpiece that will leave you smiling long after you've left the theatre.

Jake Heggie and Terrence McNally’s harrowing, poignant opera, based on Sister Helen Prejean’s memoir about her experiences counselling a murderer on death row, returns to the London stage 25 years after its world premiere.

Who wants to live forever? This haunting, enigmatic opera puts the human soul on trial, staged for the first time with the Royal Opera. Director Katie Mitchell reimagines through a contemporary lens this classic opera by Czech composer Leoš Janáček about a tormented immortal grappling with the realities of eternal life. Set to an eerie, uniquely modern musical score, this epic opera will stay with you long after you've left the theatre.

The Royal Ballet and Opera introduces a mixed programme combining the talents of George Balanchine, Cathy Marson, and Justin Peck as they present three vastly different but equally astounding and beautiful ballets. Fall in love with Serenade, be swept away by Everywhere We Go, and marvel at the world premiere of a new Cathy Marson ballet. This evening of dance and storytelling is a must-watch for ballet lovers.

Handel’s comedic masterpiece about the beautiful Partenope and her four hapless suitors is a colourful, laugh-out-loud opera and a dazzling tale of love and mistaken identities. Now this 18th century Italian opera is getting a 1920s makeover with its new revival at the London Coliseum.

Court conspiracy meets baroque opera in this visually stunning production of Handel’s classic opera about a pair of lovers torn about by accusations of infidelity. Dutch director Jetske Mijnssen, in her Royal Opera debut, brings the powerful, gripping, emotionally thrilling story to life with conduction by Stefano Montanari.

Tom Morris directs David Harewood, Toby Jones, and Caitlin FitzGerald in this modern take on Othello at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. Step into a Venice plagued by political turmoil and paranoia, where the noble Othello is pulled into a web of lies by the scheming, villainous Iago in this explosive, thrilling tragedy.

In January 2026, the English National Ballet will bring a bold reimagining of the classic romantic ballet, Giselle, to the grand stage of the London Coliseum, directed and choreographed by Akram Khan.

Based on the film by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger and Hans Christian Anderson's fairytale; Matthew Bourne's The Red Shoes heads to London for the Christmas season at Sadler's Wells. This powerful tale of obsession, possession and one girl's dream to be the greatest dancer in the world has captivated audiences for years!

Step into the dreamy, wooden, candlelit space of the Sam Wanamaker Theatre, where for the first time Shakespeare’s Globe and Headlong bring to the stage this magical, chaotic story of tricksy fairies and confused lovers.

Witness a timeless story of love and redemption in this dazzling, spectacular production of Puccini's Turandot. Drawing on Chinese and Italian theatrical traditions, this captivating opera about a cold-hearted princess and her mysterious suitor is filled with rich, emotional depths, a breath-taking cultural fusion, and a truly unforgettable score.

A clueless Captain, a spirited siren and pompous petty officers come together in this hilarious tale of love, honour, and duty that pokes fun at the British class system. Cal McCrystal’s revival of Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic opera, set aboard the HMS Pinafore, makes its much-anticipated return to the stage.

La Traviata is one of Verdi's most famous operas, telling the tragic story of the romance between the doomed courtesan Violetta and the romantic Alfredo. Inspired by history, with a timeless story that will leave you in tears, and a powerful, moving score full of the most well-known operatic melodies, this is a must-watch for all opera lovers.

Jamie Manton directs Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht’s gripping, beautiful opera about three fugitives in a desert boomtown where dreams come true, told through a rich score that blends opera and jazz in a truly unique cultural and musical experience.  

Mozart's classic Italian comedy about swapped fiancees and the games we play in love is transported to Coney Island in the 1950s. Phelim McDermot's revival of Cosi Fan Tutte is a rollercoaster of fun, flair, and wit, told through a sparkling score full of unforgettable melodies.

Noel Streatfeild's beloved story about three orphaned sisters pursuing their dreams returns to the National Theatre following a critically acclaimed run in 2024. Hailed as "a superlative adaptation that never puts a foot wrong" (Evening Standard), this enchanting production is the perfect family treat.

Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s visually stunning and ambitious production of The Sleeping Beauty arrives on the Royal Albert Hall stage for the first time. In this dazzling, bewitching spectacle, witness the classic fairy tale come to life, full of gorgeous sets, costumes, choreography, and a score that will take your breath away.

The beloved British musical comes home after strutting its way through Broadway. Starring Strictly Come Dancing’s Johannes Radebe and rising star Dan Partridge and featuring music and lyrics by pop icon Cyndi Lauper, this story of the unlikely team-up between a shoemaker and a drag queen is sure to leave a smile on your face.

Back for its 28th year, this enchanting stage adaptation of the beloved picture book by Raymond Briggs returns to the London stage with the heartwarming story of the friendship between a young boy and the snowman he wishes to life. Full of valuable lessons about friendship and imagination, packed with unforgettable songs like the beloved ‘Walking in the Air', this is the perfect holiday musical for children and adults alike.

Peter Wright's production brings to life composer Adolphe Adam's enchanting, tragic ballet about the titular Giselle, who kills herself after learning her lover is promised to another, joining a ghostly army of vengeful, wrathful jilted women. Visually stunning, with a sweeping story of love and betrayal, this haunting, timeless ballet is a quintessential piece of the Romance genre.

Richard Jones's critically acclaimed staging of Mussorgsky's epic opera returns to London, conducted by Mark Wigglesworth and starring Bryn Terfel. Capturing a crucial and turbulent moment in Russian history, it chronicles the rise and fall of Tsar Boris Godunov as he confronts vengeful ghosts, his own guilt, and the rise of a usurper who threatens his throne. How far will he go for power?

One of Verdi's most famous operas returns to London, in an elegant production by Oliver Mears and conducted by Verdi specialist Mark Elder. Telling the story of the hunchbacked jester Rigoletto, who tries to protect his daughter Gilda from the attentions of his philandering master, the Duke of Mantua, it's a thrilling story of corruption, power, and murder, told through a breath-taking score and a series of complex characters you won't be able to forget.

Woolf Works pays tribute to the unique artistic spirit of Virginia Woolf through a genre-defying, experimental ballet triptych that recreates stories from three of her novels. Choreographer Wayne McGregor brings these unique stories to life through a series of breath-taking contemporary dance performances.

The greatest hits of opera in one night; this is a show for everybody – from opera buffs to those who don’t know their Aida’s from their arias.

Join TUTU on a hilarious journey where incredible dance skills and inventive parody intertwine seamlessly. Choreographed by Philippe Lafeuille, this playful new perspective shatters stereotypes and makes dance accessible to all.

Back by popular demand, Emerald Storm fuses the rhythm of traditional Irish dance with the grittiness of urban tap in a genre-defying and boundary-breaking production by West End star Adam Garcia. Featuring performances from viral tap sensation Bayley Graham and Lord of the Dance's Olivia Graydon, with singing by Britain and America's Got Talent finalist Tom Ball, this immersive theatrical experience will enchant and delight you with its dazzling choreography and musical spectacle before inviting you to join in the fun.

British choreographer Matthew Bourne's dance production tells the story of a small-town Italian-American community whose lives are changed when a handsome, dangerous stranger walks into their diner. With a passionate, high-energy score by Terry Davies and inspired by Bizet's iconic opera, Carmen, The Car Man will sweep you off your feet and into a sizzling American epic.