Alongside revivals of some of the very best Royal Opera House productions are new stagings. Make a note in the diary of Robert Carsen's new look at Verdi's Aïda (25 Sept to 12 Oct), Handel's magical Alcina directed by Richard Jones (8 to 24 Nov) and, adding to the succession of Benjamin Britten operas, The Rape of Lucretia, directed by Oliver Mears in the Linbury Theatre (13-22 Nov).
In the winter season, the outstanding newcomer is Dvorak’s Rusalka, directed by Natalie Abrahami, the familiar tale of a water creature who sacrifices her beautiful voice for the love of a man on land (21 Feb to 7 March 2023).
Four outstanding new productions come back to back between April and June. Innocence by Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho is a chilling story directed by Simon Stone (17 April to 4 May). Then the exciting Jette Parker young artists work together on Handel’s Arminio, continuing a run of great operas by Handel in the Linbury Studio (20 April to 6 May).
Natalya Romaniw sings the title role in Puccini's Tosca (28 Nov to 21 Dec). Photo: Patrick Allen
Deborah Warner directs Alban Berg’s mould-breaking opera Wozzeck (19 May to 7 June) with the great German baritone Christian Gerhaher in the title role, Deborah Warner directing. Later, Adele Thomas, who made such an impression with the award-winning Bajazet this year directs Verdi’s story of mysterious identity, Il Trovatore (20 June to 4 July).
To close the season there are revivals of strong productions including Massenet’s Werther, with Jonas Kaufmann in the title role, and Verdi’s Don Carlo (30 June to 15 July), with Brian Jagde in the title role and the unmissable supersoprano Lise Davidsen as Elizabeth of Valois.
Other great casts include the return to Covent Garden of overnight sensation, tenor Freddie de Tommaso as painter Cavaradossi, with soprano Natalya Romaniw making her long-awaited Royal Opera debut in the title role of Puccini’s highly dramatic Tosca (28 Nov to 21 Dec).
Culture Whisper picks for the 2022/23 season are de Tommaso and Romaniw in Tosca, plus the new Aïda and Alcina (booking opens 27 July), Rusalka (booking opens 26 Oct), and Innocence, Wozzeck and Il Trovatore (booking opens 25 Jan).
Operas are sung in the original language, with English surtitles. Public booking for operas staged from Sept to Nov, and Tosca, opens 27 July 2022. Click here for priority booking as a Friend of the Royal Opera House
| What | Royal Opera 2022/23: the operas and artists |
| Where | Royal Opera House, Bow Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 9DD | MAP |
| Nearest tube | Covent Garden (underground) |
| When |
08 Sep 22 – 22 Jul 23, 24 new productions, revivals and showcases over 10 months |
| Price | £4-£260 |
| Website | Click here for more information and booking |