Royal Opera House
Sections:
Cosi Fan Tutte at the Royal Opera House, London
The Royal Opera House is one of the largest theatres in London, with a seating capacity of 2,257. You can buy Cosi Fan Tutte Tickets here and also find out more about the venue box office, seating plan and restaurants near the Royal Opera House.
Build Date:
1858
History:
The magnificent Royal Opera House is actually the third theatre built on the Covent Garden site. Both the previous theatres were destroyed by fire, a serious hazard in the era before electricity. Work on the third and present theatre eventually started in 1857 to designs by E.M. Barry and the new building opened in May 1858 with a performance of Meyerbeer’s Les Huguenots. In 1892, with the repertoire broadening, the theatre was renamed the Royal Opera House. Winter and summer seasons of opera and ballet were given and between seasons the theatre was either closed or used for film shows, dancing, cabaret and lectures. By the 1980s it was pretty clear that the facilities at The Royal Opera House were inadequate for carrying the two companies forward into the 21st century. Plans for a major development of the theatre were revealed in 1984, but, it was only after the creation of the National Lottery that the Opera House was awarded £58.5m towards re-building costs. Work started in 1996 with a farewell gala taking place in the ‘old’ house in July 1997. Three years later, at total cost of £178m, the theatre had been utterly transformed. Brand new technical and rehearsal facilities were built; a smaller auditorium, the Linbury Studio, was created for smaller and more experimental productions, while the existing auditorium and foyers were fully refurbished. As well as all this, the virtually derelict Floral Hall was completely rebuilt and turned into a thrilling public arena, with bars and eating spaces in spectacular surroundings.
Contact Details
The Royal Opera
Bow Street
Covent Garden
London
WC2E 9DD
For all ticket enquires, call:
020 7492 9968
Map
Facilities
Theatre Capacity:
2257
Theatre Layout:
The horseshoe shaped auditorium is split into five levels: Orchestra Stalls, Stalls Circle, Grand Tier, Balcony and Amphitheatre. Seats in the centre of the Orchestra Stalls are popular, with a slight rake that improves views further back. Middle Stalls Circle and Grand Tier seats offer excellent views, with a slight overhang affecting only seats in the outermost corners. Grand Tier boxes are highly regarded. Seats to the rear lose some view and are priced accordingly. Only rear Balcony seats are affected by overhang, though some side Balcony seats suffer instead from obstructed views. The front Amphitheatre provides well-priced, clear view seats. Seats further back are very high up, views are unobstructed and leg room ample. Good wheelchair spaces are available in all Circles.
