Live at Lunch, 21 September 2018 © 2018 ROH. Photographed by James Bellorini

Each week, Live at Lunch at the Royal Opera House offers Londoners free culture, with the chance to enjoy music or dance in our newly renovated event spaces. The performances are all drop-in, last 45 minutes and take place on Fridays or Sundays in either the Paul Hamlyn Hall or Linbury Foyer.

The next Live at Lunch performances in February to April are as follows:

• Sunday 24 February, 1pm (Paul Hamlyn Hall)
• Friday 1 March, 1pm (Linbury Foyer)
• Friday 8 March, 1pm (Paul Hamlyn Hall)
• Sunday 10 March, 1pm (Paul Hamlyn Hall)
• Friday 22 March, 1pm (Paul Hamlyn Hall)
• Sunday 24 March, 1pm (Linbury Foyer)
• Friday 29 March, 1pm (Linbury Foyer)
• Sunday 31 March, 1pm (Linbury Foyer)
• Friday 5 April, 1pm (Linbury Foyer)
• Friday 12 April, 1pm (Paul Hamlyn Hall)

Audience members don’t need a ticket and can turn up to any of the free Live at Lunch events. Performances last about 45 minutes with no break, and seating is unreserved. Visit www.roh.org.uk for more details.

About the Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House wants to give everyone access to exceptional ballet and opera. As The Royal Ballet, The Royal Opera and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, we bring together the world's most extraordinary artists in more than 500 performances every year on our two world-class stages.

We are open every day from 10am with a programme of daytime events, activities and festivals for people of all ages. Through award-winning music, dance and theatre we transport our audiences to other worlds.

Last year more than 676,000 people saw a Royal Opera House performance or came for a tour. Our BP Big Screens programme every summer sees thousands enjoy free, world-class opera and ballet on their doorsteps, from Aberdeen to the Isle of Wight. The Royal Opera House Live Cinema Season, which broadcasts live performances of opera and ballet to UK and international cinemas, celebrated ten years of world-class cinema broadcasts in 2018. In 2019, we will broadcast to more than 1,500 cinemas globally. Our ongoing partnership with the BBC saw three of our productions broadcast across BBC platforms/channels last Season.

Tags: What's on, Paul Hamlyn Hall, Royal Opera House, Linbury Foyer

Royal Opera House launches a series of festivals, events and activities for people of all ages

The Royal Opera House today opens the doors to its transformed new home, following an extensive three-year construction project. From today’s launch onwards, visitors to the Royal Opera House are invited to enjoy a new immersive events programme, featuring festivals, Family Sundays, Tea Dances, workshops and informal recitals. The exciting programme of new daytime events, festivals and activities for people of all ages will begin on 21 September 2018 and run throughout the Season.

Following on from the completion of the Royal Opera House’s three-year, £50.7m renovation project, the building is now open every day from 10am, transformed into a must-see visitor destination in London’s world-famous Covent Garden.

A Learning and Participation event ©ROH/Sim Canetty-Clarke, 2012

The Month of Sundays programme will enable visitors to experience something new for only £5 every Sunday in November. Events will include dance and singing workshops, chances to learn how to make props and accessories with expert craftspeople, pop-up performances, exhibitions and guided tours. There will also be delicious food and drink offer, and each Sunday will be completely unique.

On Sunday 11 November during ROH Remembers, visitors will have an exclusive glimpse of a rehearsal for Alastair Marriott’s The Unknown Soldier, which commemorates World War I.

On Sunday 25 November, Young ROH fans will be led deep into the worlds of opera and ballet with activities including a pub quiz with choreographer and performer Hakeem Onibudo, and an immersive reimagining of Alice in Wonderland, Alice after Dark.

On 16 December the Royal Opera House transforms into The Nutcracker’s Kingdom of Sweets. This first Family Sunday will be a jam-packed programme of fun activities inspired by the adventures of Clara and Hans Peter, including family dance classes, an opportunity to conduct Tchaikovsky’s magical score, behind-the-scenes exclusives and the chance to create your very own prop inspired by The Nutcracker.

The Royal Opera House’s popular Tea Dances return this autumn from Monday 5 November, when visitors can tango, waltz and quick-step across the famous Paul Hamlyn Hall to live music.

Jillian Barker, Director of Learning and Participation at the Royal Opera House, said:
‘These new events allow audiences to share in the creative journey involved in a Royal Opera House performance. The events programme provides a taste of the many different aspects of the Royal Opera House, from the mastery of backstage theatre crafts to the excitement of guest performances. We’re throwing the Royal Opera House doors open and inviting everyone to feel something new, immerse themselves in our art forms and create their own Royal Opera House story.’

The Royal Opera House will also launch its first under-fives programme, allowing children to discover ballet and opera through interactive dance, singing, music and stories in Ballet Dots and Opera Dots, beginning on 1 October.

Also new will be Books at Brunch, featuring talks from authors, broadcasters, publishers and artists from across the worlds of opera and ballet. Crafternoons invite visitors to try their hand at some of the techniques used to bring the sets and props of our ballet and opera performances to life.

Budding singers of all ages and ability will be able to sing with an opera chorus during the Sing at the Royal Opera House sessions and keen dancers can participate in Dance with The Royal Ballet in workshops led by a member of The Royal Ballet.

The new recitals programme will feature the free, drop-in Live at Lunch sessions, with performances inspired by the heritage and repertories of The Royal Opera and The Royal Ballet. Recitals at Lunch in the Crush Room will showcase artists from The Royal Opera, Royal Opera Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House and our Jette Parker Young Artists, alongside a diverse range of guest performers.

Tickets on sale here >>> www.roh.org.uk

Tags: Royal Opera House, Festival