Opera, Dance and Ballet in London

Over 100 dancers and musicians bring The Nutcracker to life with exquisite dancing, beautiful sets and Tchaikovsky’s glorious score played live.

Ekaterina Bakanova and Corinne Winters lead two excellent casts in Richard Eyre’s much-loved production of Verdi’s most famous opera.

The Marriinsky Ballet dancers Konstantin Sergeyev’s classic production of Tchaikovsky’s romantic masterpiece.

Richard Alston’s newest creation comes to Sadler’s Wells as part of a triple bill. Chacony is inspired by the richness and nobility of Henry Purcell’s slow and weighty Baroque Chaconne, and Britten’s tribute to it. This extraordinary music will be played by an onstage string quartet.

Guitarist, composer, dramatist and producer Paco Peña has expanded the possibilities and changed perceptions of flamenco in a career spanning five decades. He returns to Sadler’s Wells with his sell out show Flamencura.

Matthew Bourne's interpretation of the classic fairy tale, has, at its heart, a true war-time romance. A chance meeting results in a magical night for Cinderella and her dashing young RAF pilot, together just long enough to fall in love before being parted by the horrors of the Blitz.

Village boy Nemorino is besotted with the wealthy Adina. She rejects his declarations of love – but fortunately the quack Doctor Dulcamara is on hand with a ‘love potion’ to help him win her heart.

Virtuoso dance from The Royal Ballet in a programme that includes Forsythe and Balanchine classics, Wheeldon’s 2016 narrative ballet and a Scarlett world premiere.

A Sadler's Wells favourite returns, in this classic tango production. With a cast of over 30 dancers and singers, Tanguera tells a story of unrequited love in the early 20th centrury Buenos Aires. When Giselle, a young French woman, arrives in Argentina as one of the first waves of European immigrants, she meets Lorenzo, a port worker who falls in love with her at first sight. But as Giselle falls deeper into Buenos Aires' seedy underworld, Lorenzo must fight to win her love.

Christine Goerke and Lise Lindstrom take the title role in Andrei Serban’s striking staging of Puccini’s final opera.

One of Handel’s finest operas, Rodelinda is filled with intense drama told through ravishingly beautiful music. Award-winning director Richard Jones brings his distinctive theatrical imagination to this production, which sets Handel’s bitter political drama in Fascist Italy.

Satyagraha is composer Philip Glass’s meditation on Gandhi’s early years in South Africa, tracing the progress of his concept of non-violent protest as a positive force for change.

André Tchaikowsky’s Shakespeare-inspired opera is an important rediscovery in 20th-century opera and receives its London premiere in Welsh National Opera’s production, directed by Keith Warner.

Jonathan Miller’s classic production of The Barber of Seville is a feast of frivolous fun. Enjoy Figaro’s mischievous escapades as he assists Count Almaviva in prising the beautiful Rosina away from her lecherous guardian, Dr Bartolo. Rossini’s comic masterpiece fizzes with memorable melodies in an entertaining production that unites the theatrical worlds of Italian commedia dell’arte and Whitehall farce. 

The Royal Ballet brings its celebrations of 70 years at the Royal Opera House to a close with a mixed programme of works by its Founder Choreographer Frederick Ashton.

Mozart’s masterpiece reveals much about the human condition through consummate wit, grace and joyous musical invention. ENO Music Director Martyn Brabbins conducts this second revival of Director Fiona Shaw’s critically acclaimed production.

English National Ballet returns with a double bill featuring Kenneth MacMillan’s masterpiece Song of the Earth and Frank Andersen’s recreation of the beloved classic La Sylphide.

Following the Grammy Award nominated success of INALA, a Zulu ballet performed with Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Sisters Grimm return with the tale of a water spirit from the Amazon River, who ventures deep into the rainforest in search of a cure for her dying sister. She soon finds that the forest is not as abundant as it was.

Farnace and Sifare, sons of the mighty warrior Mitridate, both love their father’s fiancée Aspasia. While Sifare is determined to remain loyal to his father, Farnace vows never to yield.

Elizabeth of Valois is promised in marriage to Don Carlos of Spain, as part of a peace treaty between the two kingdoms. They meet and fall in love – but no sooner have they declared their love than news comes that the terms of the treaty have changed: Elizabeth is to marry Carlos’s father Philip instead.

The Mariinsky Ballet opens its London season with the company’s sparkling production of Petipa and Gorsky’s exuberant classic, Don Quixote.

The Mariinsky Ballet dances a mixed programme of Alonso’s Carmen Suite, McGregor’s Infra and Petipa’s Paquita Grand pas.

The Mariinsky Ballet presents the highly anticipated revival of Alexei Ratmansky’s acclaimed Tolstoy adaptation.

Aida must choose between the man she loves and the homeland she longs for. Betrayal is the only option.

Aida is a timeless story of duty, love and betrayal amid the clash of war. This is opera on a grand scale, in which ENO’s award-winning Chorus and Orchestra will demonstrate their full power.

Following on from his innovative digital work Pattern Recognition, Sadler's Wells New Wave Associate Alexander Whitley takes on the breath-taking scale of space for his company's main stage debut.

Iolanthe is a brilliantly funny, satirical fantasy, revealing a typically Gilbert & Sullivan topsy-turvy worldview. Phyllis and Strephon wish to marry, but as Phyllis is a ward of court she requires the Lord Chancellor’s permission. The Lord Chancellor, however, wants her for himself.

Based on Shakespeare’s popular comedy, Britten’s opera follows the consequences of a falling-out between the fairy-king Oberon and his queen, Tytania. Mistaken identities, confused lovers and alarming transformations are the result.

Returning to ENO, Robert Carsen’s production explores the blurred relationships between reality and dreams, the natural and supernatural, and sexual desire.

Antonio Pappano conducts a new production of Verdi’s thrilling Shakespeare-inspired opera directed by Keith Warner, starring Jonas Kaufmann and Gregory Kunde in the title role.

Tony Award-winning director Michael Mayer makes his UK opera debut, collaborating with ENO Music Director Martyn Brabbins. Grammy Award-winning mezzo Sasha Cooke sings the title role, while acclaimed bass-baritone Daniel Okulitch sings Mark Rutland. They are joined by ENO favourite Lesley Garrett.

English National Ballet returns with a double bill featuring Roland Petit’s Le Jeune Homme et la Mort and Frank Andersen’s recreation of the beloved classic La Sylphide.

The Mariinsky Ballet dance Petipa’s great classical ballet of love, betrayal and ultimate redemption.

In his debut production as ENO Artistic Director, Daniel Kramer directs a production which contrasts spectacular party scenes with tender, intimate moments. Verdi’s masterpiece features one of the most iconic, romantic and tragic scores of all time.

Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker's world-renowned company Rosas returns as part of our contemporary classics series with her iconic piece Rain.