Royal Opera House

Handel’s clever, thrilling, and magical opera comes to life with this Olivier Award-winning production by Richard Jones, which returns with many of the original cast. On a magical island, the enchantress Alcina transforms her lovers into animals, but her latest victim’s wife Bradamante embarks on a deadly quest to rescue him, leading to a battle of wits between the two women. With its strong female heroine, dazzling plot twists and firecracker arias, Handel’s Alcina has become a favourite for opera lovers.

Kasper Holten's beautiful production brings to life Mozart's darkest opera in a story of debauchery and desire, full of passion, murder, twists, and cutting emotional tension. Inspired by the legend of the notorious Spanish libertine of fiction, Don Juan, this thrilling opera follows the seductions and conquests of the remorseless Don Giovanni, retold by an all-star cast.

Kenneth MacMillan’s devastating and powerful 1974 ballet comes to life onstage, set to Jules Massenet’s score. In the seedy underbelly of 18th century Paris, Manon finds herself torn between the steadfast love of Des Grieux and the temptations of wealth and luxury. MacMillan’s work has enchanted and awed audiences with its nuanced understanding of human psychology, and now it’s your chance to experience this timeless, devastating story of hedonism and desire.

Damiano Michieletto brings Bizet’s electrifying, sensual opera about jealousy, obsession and desire to life, conducted by Sesto Quatrini. The fiercely independent Carmen, one of opera’s most memorable heroines, seduces the respectable Don José, but soon finds herself the victim of his jealousy and possessiveness when her affections start to wander. The second-most performed opera in The Royal Opera’s repertoire, Carmen has remained immensely popular over the years for its heady combination of passion, sensuality and violence.

This mixed programme features Jerome Robbins's Dances at a Gathering and Kenneth MacMillan's Song of the Earth. Experience the music of masters like Chopin and Mahler through parallel performances, each packed with stunning choreography, exploring the profundity of human connection and community, and the transience of life and death, with two performances that present starkly contrasting but equally exquisite visions of humanity.

Director Philipp Stölzl makes his Royal Opera debut with this playfully surreal new production of Verdi's gripping, passionate opera based on a real historical royal assassination. Consumed by desire for his best friend's wife, King Gustavo is warned of his impending death by a fortune teller. Experience a tangled web of passion and treachery, prophecy and politics told through a visually stunning and emotionally resonant opera. 

Equal parts fairy tale, farce, and moral allegory, The Magic Flute is arguably Mozart's most popular opera. This thrilling, visually stunning, and epic tale takes the classic story of a prince on a quest to rescue a princess and packs it with deep philosophical themes and marvellous, powerful music that will resonate deeply with you.