Royal Opera House

Rich in history, the Royal Opera House is a major venue for performing arts in London

Bow Street entrance to the Royal Opera House
Bow Street entrance to the Royal Opera House cc licensed photo by markhillary

The Royal Opera House, a prominent venue for opera and performing arts in London is located in the district of Covent Garden the building is often referred to by the same name.

The theatre is home to The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet and to the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House.

The original building called the Theatre Royal was built in 1732 and functioned primarily as a playhouse for it's first 100 years. The theatre was destroyed by a fire in 1808 and rebuilt by 1809. It was later destroyed in yet another fire in 1856 and replaced by a new building in 1858, which still forms much of the present building. In 1892 the theatre was named the Royal Opera House or ROH for short. It served as a dance hall during the Second World War. From 1996 through 2000 major reconstruction and enhancement took place which included the old Covent Garden Market creating an extensive new gathering place.

The Royal Opera House has collections of several hundred thousand items that highlight the history of the ROH. You can visit exhibitions of some of these collections on Monday to Friday from 10am to 3:30pm.

For more information about the Royal Opera House as well as performances and schedules visit their official site at the link below.

Facts For Your Visit

Official Website: Royal Opera House

Fee: Yes

Open Now

Regular Hours:
Hours may be subject to change. Please verify on the official website.

  • Tuesday: 1:00 am - 7:30 pm
  • Wednesday: 1:00 am - 7:30 pm
  • Thursday: 1:00 am - 7:30 pm
  • Friday: 1:00 am - 7:30 pm
  • Saturday: 12:30 am - 7:00 pm
  • Sunday: 12:30 am - 12:00 am

Category: Performing Arts Opera & Ballet

Address: Bow Street
Covent Garden WC2E 9DD
United Kingdom

Phone: +44 20 7304 4000

Reviews

Yelp Rating:
4.5 out of 5 4.5 Star Rating
Based on 101 Reviews.

See all reviews on Yelp

5 Star Rating Exactly what you would picture an opera house to be- beautiful stage, red curtains, elaborate gold framing, beautiful painted ceilings. It was like a dream... Read More

Elysa L. Jul-23-2019

5 Star Rating A wonderful venue for pretty much any show you will see there and tonight was no exception, Puccini's madam butterfly was phenomenal! Excellent cast a... Read More

Peonia E. Jun-30-2022

5 Star Rating Covent Garden is one of my favorite Opera/Ballet theater house. For many years I have attended performances by the greatest artists of our times and always... Read More

Sara D. Feb-03-2017

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Directions

Tube Line Nearest Station Walking Time
Picadilly LineCovent Garden2 Minutes

How to get to Royal Opera House by Tube

From Covent Garden Tube Station exit onto Long Acre and go right(east), then go right onto Bow Street. The Royal Opera House is just ahead on the right.

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Photo Gallery

Video


A quick video introduction to the Royal Opera House

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