Rebranded as Royal Opera Ballet and Opera, the combined dance and opera companies have together announced plans for 2024/25.The opera season opens with lavish, much-loved productions of Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro (2-15 Sept) and of Verdi'sLa Traviata (7-21 Sept).
But then comes a new production of Tchaikovsky's romantic opera, Eugene Onegin, in a new production by American director Ted Huffman. Gordon Bintner, Kristina Mkhitaryan and Liparit Avetisyan star as the haughty stranger Onegin, Tatyana, the woman who falls for him, and Lensky, the friend who sacrifices all when love is challenged.
A lavish production of The Marriage of Figaro returns in September. Photo: Clive Barda
Italian director Damiano Michieletto, whose Cav & Pag are a favourite at Covent Garden, stages a new production of Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffman, with Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Flórez in the title role, reliving a series of romances (7 Nov to 1 Dec; cinema relay 15 Jan, encore screening 19 Jan). Look out for soprano Ermonela Jaho as Antonia, among the love interests.
The big new year production in the main house is Mark-Anthony Turnage's new opera Festen, based on Thomas Vinterberg’s cult film film of the same name. Tenor Allan Clayton, bass-baritone Gerald Finley and sopranos Eva-Maria Westbrook and Natalya Romaniw lead the all-star cast. With libretto by Lee Hall of Billy Elliot fame, Festen promises to be the highlight of the season (11-27 Feb 2025).
Also new, and continuing a new Ring cycle, Wagner's Die Walküre. With its stirring 'Ride of the Valkyries', this is probably the best known opera in The Ring. Barrie Kosky directs, with departing music director Sir Antonio Pappano conducting (1-17 May; cinema relay 14 May, encore screening 18 May).
Star mezzo Aigul Akhmetshina returns in the title role of Carmen in April 2025. Photo: Camilla Greenwell
The final big show for the Royal Opera is a new production of Handel's opera Semele, in which an ambitious young woman dabbles with a god, but is soon out of her depth. Oliver Mears directs, with Pretty Yende in the title role (30 June-18 July)
In between the new productions, look out for revivals of cast-iron hits such as Puccini's Tosca (26 Nov -13 Dec), marking 100 years since the composer's death and of Michieletto's Carmen (9-26 April 2025), this time with the dream team – mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina and tenor Freddie De Tommaso as lovers.
Culture Whisper's pick of 2024/25: Eugene Onegin, Festen and Semele. But there's lots of other marvellous music in between...
Operas are sung in the original language, with English surtitles. General booking for the autumn season opens 9AM, Wed 10 July 2024: click here for details. Click here for details of cinema live relays and screenings.
| What | Royal Opera 2024/25: dates for your diary |
| Where | Royal Opera House, Bow Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 9DD | MAP |
| Nearest tube | Covent Garden (underground) |
| When |
02 Sep 24 – 31 Jul 25, 21 productions, including seven new stagings and a world premiere. Start and running times vary |
| Price | £TBA |
| Website | Click here for details and booking |