Opera, Dance and Ballet in London

Sink into the Globe Theatre’s highly anticipated 2026 summer season with this electrifying staging of Shakespeare’s playful, chaotic comedy about spells, transformations, and the fickle nature of love. Four young Athenian lovers, caught in a love quadrangle, flee into an enchanted forest, where they become the victim of a love spell by the mischievous fairies that dwell within it. Dream and reality blur into midsummer madness in the sun-soaked open air of the Globe Theatre, making for an unforgettable and immersive theatrical treat.

Puccini's classic opera returns to the stage with this heartbreaking and heartwarming story of love, friendship, and loss in Paris at Christmastime. Richard Jones bring to life one of the most enduring, popular, and influential operas in the world, filled with beloved characters and a rich, evocative score. A perfect first opera for newcomers and a cherished favourite of long-time opera lovers.

Kenneth MacMillan's psychologically thrilling 1978 ballet reimagines the story of a real-life scandal in the Austro-Hungarian court, where the death-obsessed Crown Prince Rudolph begins a clandestine affair with the beautiful, morbid Baroness Mary Vetsera, leading to a devastating murder-suicide. Dark desires, family secrets, and political intrigue come together in this searing exploration of the darkest parts of the human psyche.

Deborah Warner's (Billy Budd, Wozzeck) stunning contemporary staging of Benjamin Britten's bleak, harrowing opera returns to the Royal Opera with the story of Peter Grimes, a fisherman driven to madness after the death of his apprentice causes his community to turn against him. Opera lovers will be thrilled and moved by this psychologically complex, atmospheric story of alienation and exile, set to a powerful score.

Richard Jones's energetic, sophisticated staging of Camille Saint-Saëns's grand opera, in this biblical epic that retells the story of the love affair between the superhumanly strong Samson and the Philistine temptress Dalila. Alexander Soddy conducts this harrowing story of temptation, betrayal, and a trial of faith, set to an instantly recognisable and powerful score that will enthrall both seasoned opera lovers and newcomers.

King of Tango German Cornejo and his spectacular dance company return to present a night of authentic Argentine tango and a score that celebrates the legacy of the great tango composer Astor Piazzolla. Ten world class dancers and a live orchestra of musicians and singers come together to spin a story of passion, desire, and drama, told through one of the most irresistible dance forms.

Laurent Pelly's larger-than-life production returns with Donizetti's heartwarming comic opera about a tomboy raised by an unconventional military family as she searches for her happily ever after. Packed with catchy, military-style tunes, this witty, laugh-out-loud bel canto opera conducted by Yves Abel will sweep you away into a light-hearted adventure in the Tyrolean alps.

The London Palladium's beloved festive tradition returns this Christmas with a brand-new panto retelling of Cinderella: the magical rags to riches fairytale that we all know and love, told with several cheeky, delightful twists. This fabulous, funny, and outrageous retelling stars Julian Clary as the Fairy Godfather, alongside iconic comedy duo Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders reuniting onstage as the ugly stepsisters. Get ready for a one-of-a-kind festive treat with this sassy panto, filled with spectacular costumes, dazzling special effects, and lots of laughter.

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.

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.

Richard Jones's stunning new staging of Vicenzo Bellini's last ever opera will sweep you away into the tragic love story of Elvira, a Puritan, and Arturo, a Royalist, whose wedding day spirals into tragedy in the wake of misunderstandings, madness, and treason, leading to the ultimate test of faith. This emotionally profound and ethereally composed opera stars Lisette Oropesa stars as the devoted Elvira and Francesco Demuro as the courageous Arturo.

Globe Director of Education Lucy Cuthbertson and Splendid Productions' Kerry Frampton and Ben Hales team up for a brand new original play for the Globe Theatre's magical summer season. Perfect for the whole family, it follows a boy named Cass, who invents a rich imaginary world of adventuring and heroism, inspired by his grandmother's love for Shakespeare. Don't miss this whimsical and heartwarming celebration of the joy of storytelling.