Royal Ballet and Opera

One of the theatres with a long history,a venue that masterfully combines stunning architecture with world-class performances. The interior is a visual feast. Dining options in the venue are also commendable with an amazing view from the terrace.

It is amazing feeling to engulfed in the thought that spectacular and brilliant ballet takes place in this Opera House. They also have a visually appealing rooftop restaurant with a top view of the Convent Garden courtyard and restaurants.

What a beautiful venue this is. Stunning architecture inside and out and such craftsmanship inside. A selection of bars for pre event drinks and restaurants also available. Friendly and helpful staff. The second time I've been here, both times to see Pet Shop Boys. There is something truly magical about it.

A superb ballet, beautifully danced, the production was, as expected, sublime. Costumes were cleaver and depicted the characters without question. This is the 4th time I've had the pleasure of seeing Alice in Wonderland, and it just gets better each time.

Went to see Brian Cox was in the gods was very hot and claustrophobic. Had to change to standing at the back as found it too difficult in the seats. I would recommend taking a fan. The show was good complicated but good the music was great. Would recommend spending a bit more on a lower down seat.

Had lovely cake & Coffee here. Mango& Passion Fruit cake was delicious. Latte was perfect. Went on top floor for drinks, view and atmosphere was amazing.

It's just a spectacular place. Beautiful, historic building. Incredible views from the balcony. Historical pictures, stories and stars from epic shows. The world is fortunate the Royal Opera House lives and Opera and ballet 🩰 can flourish and grow for new audiences.

Great place to be, good facilities and came to see Prof. Brian Cox and was amazing. The orchestra are brilliant. Seats are small but you can pay for more room.

Saw The Nutcracker in December 2023 and ate at the restaurant on the top floor. Both were incredible! Was here in London for two weeks visiting from Chicago and this was some of my favorite food/performances (besides Operation Mincemeat of course)

Huge gift shop & cafe, perfect spot to get opera & ballet related gifts. Many were here purchasing advanced tickets or picking them up. Staff was very informative & helpful.

Had the absolute joy of taking the inaugural 'Ballet Tea and Tour' in conjunction with the upcoming performances of 'Swan Lake' (Spring 2024). Our guide, Freya, was nothing short of a revelation. Her in-depth knowledge of the venue, the history behind 'Swan Lake' and her obvious love of ballet made the tour one of our most memorable group tours of all time-- made all the more charming by her insistence that as our tour was her 'first turn' at this tour we were somehow getting a 'previews' type experience. Far from it, the tour was exceptional due to her obvious preparation for the role. Perfection. The behind-the-scenes peek at ballet build-up was so real we actually had to be told to 'watch out for the real people working' and stay out of their way! Most fortuitous was the great luck we had by arriving at a moment when we could witness an actual rehearsal from the upper balcony-- truly magical. Wow. One small note: the tea experience was average (but did not at all detract from the wonderful experience). Clotted cream in a single-serve container, very basic tea sandwiches and bagged tea-- and no option for champagne (!) (Full disclosure: we are so spoiled that we put high tea at fancy hotels on the top of our list whenever visiting London so snob alert!). And all made right at the end by enjoying a glass of bubbles at the Piazza Terrace with wonderful views of Covent Garden below. Now, if we could somehow figure out how to score tix to the Monday, April 1st performance it would be the best of all time (note that all performances of Swan Lake are already SOLD OUT!!). https://www.roh.org.uk/tickets-and-events/ballet-tea-and-tour-details

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 sparse but adequately satisfying set design and amazingly talented singers all supported by wonderful orchestra. I would go again tomorrow night as this is one of my favorite operas. If you don't know the story do a quick search and of course operas are always tragic and this one is especially so. Go to the venue and if you can see Madam butterfly, all the better:-))

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 it has been a magical and unique experience. I have been here twice since the Fall of 2015. At that time in November, we went to the Royal Ballet Carlos Acosta farewell performance with his ballet Carmen. It was an extraordinary night for an extraordinary artist. We were invited at the curtain calls to be on stage with him. The interior as I remember it with its crimson curtains. The staff very helpful. The bars, ah! the Paul Hamlyn Hall Champagne Bar. On my second visit I pre-paid the drink and got a voucher. There is an app for the bars at the ROH where you can pre-order drinks, food so they are ready at interval. It seems that the whole auditorium goes to the bars at interval. The second visit recently was for the opera. La Traviata. Wonderful, beautiful production well sung by an estelar cast. I cannot wait to go back for more enjoyment in the near future.

Not a review of the opera theater! Enjoy a free walk thru the foyer and supporting bars and restaurants with great views of the arcade and (up the escalator) a 4th-floor view of Covent Garden from the bar, which has lots of window seating and even many padded chairs and benches to sit on. A welcome retreat from all the walking and crowds.

If you're lucky or rich enough to get a ticket, then this is one of the great treats in London. When I was home last year, I was lucky enough to see Der Rosenkavalier. Sumptuous sets, phenomenal singing and fine orchestra. You can dress up or not. Nobody cares. Seats are comfortable and the acoustics are good for most seats. Problem! My 2 tickets were over 500 GBP. That's about $700 so you had better be a big opera fan.

Wow wow and just wow. The building is what an opera house should be. I was granted the luck of being in kid and even luckier being able to attend a ballet here. Never thought this girl from Brooklyn, NY would ever be here. I walk up to the building and I feel it's history and see it's grace and grandeur. Then I enter the facility lines move rapidly and ticket checkers are smiling! Is this real? In the main entry area an usher explains the various areas and helps me get to the coat rack. No cash needed for the coat rack btw. Next I went to the bar area. Wow wow wow. This is epic the grandness of this hall took me to a new place. So much so I decided I needed wine. I went up to a register and discussed my options with the person. I wasn't rushed. He explained the types I drinks and snacks and also that I could pre order for interval to save myself from possible lines and delays. As he was getting my first drink I realized I didn't have my credit cards. So he was nice to cancel my order. I remembered I had Apple Pay with me minutes later so - Yay I asked another bar tender if hey took Apple Pay and they do!!! So I continued to order my three wines one for now and one for each interval. Tasted great BTW simple house rose. The inside of the theatre blew my mind away. This theatre is designed old school with beautiful everything. I sat in the balcony and had an amazing view. My drinks were ready at each interval. I had a great time. I am sure to try to come see more shows here. Maybe next time one level down. I saw a winters tale. Originally a play but made into a ballet in 2014. The show was exquisite. But this review is about the theatre so I am ended here.

While walking around Covent Garden we found the Royal Opera House. The security guard who checked our bag as we entered was so welcoming and friendly. We were able to walk around the lower level where they had a gift shop and a café. The main entrance is on Bow Street. This is home to the Royal Opera and the Royal Ballet. We were able to watch ballet performances on the monitors in the main lobby and to see some costumes on exhibit. We really wish we had time to take a tour, but we did not. We will certainly plan to do this on our next trip.

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 getting to go there and is definitely worth it if you can snag a ticket. Pro tip: You can order food and drinks for intermission- this way you can skip the lines and spend your time relaxing and discussing the show.

One of the most beautiful theaters I've ever been too. You can opt for a dinner prior to the show. Would have been nice if there was a coffeehouse within the premises for heightened senses of sound and vision. They do have a full bar with the best of wines. Check out upcoming shows: http://www.roh.org.uk/

Coming from a family of dancers (everyone but me + dad haha). I still enjoy going to see ballet productions and there is no better place than at the Royal Opera House. It's such a lovely venue! I would recommend sitting higher up so that you can see the full stage. Depending on the production, you can often get tickets for as low as £14, which is really not that expensive if you think about the amount of hours that goes into one production. The venue offers guests the option of pre-ordering drinks and snacks during the interval if that's something you would like. Personally, I think it's a bit rushed and the balcony area where drinks are served gets extremely crowded during the intervals. Never the less I would definitely recommend going to see a show at this venue. The also offer tours, so check their website for more details.

I have just entered my house after seeing La Traviata. I am still in love with the cast and with the opera. My best compliment to everybody in the play. They were amazing. Let's talk about the location. We spent 40£ for the balcony, fair enough! I am very happy with this choice. The opera worth enough and the seats were very good. Partial view? Are you jocking? We could see everything! I really appreciated it. The theatre is amazing. Huge, red and gold, classical, like a fairy tale. I loved it. Everything was organized in a great way, there were signs for everything and it was very clean. It is one of the most beautiful theatre i have ever seen. I still feel like i spent the last 4 hours in a beautiful, elegant (and maybe a little posh) bubble. Go there, definetly!

It's an absolutly unforgettable place. The building itself from inside will make your jaw drop and every ballet production I've seen there was a work of art. Seeing a christmas show at ROH became a sort off tradition for me. This year, despite of not booking a ticket on time I was really fortunate to get a last minute standing ticket on the night. And for only £11 I was lucky enough to be taken into this magical world for another beautiful journey.

The Royal Opera House is a real London gem. My only wish is that it hadn't taken me so many years to see a ballet performed there. I came here with friends to see 'Alice in Wonderland', which unfortunately has just finished it's run. We had seats in the Amphitheatre - it's high up but we were in the middle so had an excellent view, plus I could take in all of the stage easily. When it comes to the performance, I can honestly say I have never seen a show with such impressive sets and so many beautiful costumes. I already love Alice in Wonderland in it's many facets, but this show really does bring out my inner child. It's a truly magical performance and worth going when they perform again in the future. Anyway, enough about the show and on to the venue itself. Located in Covent Garden it's worth knowing there are two entrances. It's well worth going to the Bow Street entrance for your first visit. The beautiful baroque architecture is far more impressive than the low-key entrance located in Covent Garden Piazza. Paul Hamlyn Hall is breathtaking. The champagne bar is the perfect setting for a drink during the interval. I would also quite like to go to the restaurant before a show at some point. It's not cheap (about £60 for a set menu) but it would be a wonderful experience. The main stage itself is gorgeous and really showcase the production. I loved that during one part of Alice a hole opened up in the centre of the ceiling and showered confetti on the Opera Stalls. Fantastic! I noticed some people comment on dress code. I think this is a great place to don your glad rags but I didn't feel under dressed in my work clothes either. I can't wait to go again

Imposing design and great combination of old and new architecture. Enter through the modern entrance and up into the Paul Hamlyn hall with huge central champagne bar. - If you want a bit of pre-opera decadence you can stop here for a glass of champagne and oysters. - A good spot to check out your fellow opera attendees. - Recommend pre-ordering interval drinks at this point, so much better than queuing at the crush bar, literally. You pass from the glass and steel atrium straight into the ornate red and gold main auditorium. Quite a contrast. I was fortunate to snag a ticket for one of the Wagner Ring Cycle operas currently showing. As well as seeing World Class Opera singers the Royal Opera orchestra is also superb. Excellent sets too. It can add up to quite an experience. Yes you can pay a lot for tickets in the best seats but there are always a wide range of ticket prices and you can get very reasonable tickets around £20 if you are prepared to sit right up at the top at the back or have a partial view seat. I say that's great value but watch out, popular productions sell out way in advance. Attending a performance here you can be super smart and 'see and be seen' or be casual, either way it's OK. I like the policy of putting on both traditional productions and more modern operas that push the boundaries too. And of course, it's the home of the Royal Ballet as well. Further plus points go to the website booking process for not adding booking fees or postage onto the ticket price which have become so common at so many other places. What a refreshing change for not having these irritating add ons. They deserve special kudos for that. All adds up to a 5 star experience.

The opera house holds beautiful dreams for young girls who did ballet from a young age. The building is beautiful from the inside, blending modern and classical decor for a classic trip to the ballet. There's several restaurants and bars plus an unmissable balcony over looking the square with views of the London Eye and the Shard. Staff are friendly and in abundance. Drinks are standard price for such an establishment but I do feel signage could be better. The Nutcracker was the show of choice for my mum and I. We were sat row U at the very top but even so, the view was clear and almost perfect, just missing the top of backdrop of the stage. The show was amazing and with the bargain prices Friday mornings have to offer in the website, it's a great trip for anyone!

It doesn't get much better than the London Royal Opera house. I went for the first time to see Gisele and it was everything I expected. Dress code : no particular dress code these days although the general feel is smart. Some people dress up more. Feel free to dress up to make the most of the special occasion, I wore a beautiful dress and it won me compliments from lovely people ! Arrive early for a drink at the bar; there is a champagne bar downstairs and a more relaxed area upstairs with a beautiful view over the champagne bar below. Two glasses of good house wine : £11.50. Would love to go to the restaurant some time; the menu is designed to fit the show you are seeing - nice touch ! We had bought £5 tickets (upper slips) to see what they were worth and although the whole experience was lovely I wouldn't recommend these tickets because you literally only see half the show. They do warn you though, so it's fair enough. I tested a few other seats out after the show and if you want to keep it low in price go for the £10-15 tickets they look like they're pretty good value ! Spend above £50 per person and you are sure to have super seats. Wonderful experience, can't wait to go back ! Hansel and Gretel next !

I went to the ballet Ondine on Friday night and it was such a great experience. The whole place is so luxurious and fancy that it definitely calls for dressing up, otherwise you'll be uncomfortably underdressed all night. The ground floor and mezzanine levels have a while linen tablecloth kind of restaurant and bar, while the upper levels have bars and a less formal dining area. We got some wine at the first interval and a generous glass of red wine was £4.50 which isn't bad. They also had chilled water jugs and cups dotted around the place which I always think is a nice touch. The seating inside is gorgeous too, all red velvet and luxurious. It is a pretty expensive night out but so worth it for a treat, I had a fantastic and really memorable time.

Ok, Truth time now, I am a massive opera nerd. I've loved the ROH ever since I found out they do £10 student tickets (http://www.roh.org.uk/for/rohstudents). So while I was a UCL student I was able to get the £100+ tickets for £10 (valid student ID required). Now I'm no longer a student, I still love the opera and the Royal Opera House. The venue is awe-inspiring, the staff amazing. This time it was to see Puccini's Opera Il Trittico. The opera's were breathtaking, making me cry with emotion. We had £33 tickets that were in the center of the heavens. Unfortunately, sometimes we missed the singing due to the acoustics. Downside: The food is incredibly expensive. If you order it for the interval, you'll be sharing your tiny allocated space with many others.

Even if you don't really like opera, the Royal Opera House is worth a look if you are in Covent Garden. The building has been rebuilt/refurbished several times (last major rework was around 8 years ago) and some parts of the building are stunning. You get brilliant views of Covent Garden and London from the Piazza, and the champagne bar in the Paul Hamlyn Hall is spectacular (drinks not bad either). And if you do like Opera, then try anything to get tickets for a performance; they are like gold dust but worth every effort!

Aida at The Royal Opera House. Verdi composed Aida in 1871 for the opening of the Egyptian National Opera House in Cairo. David McVicar's production returns for its first revival at Covent Garden in impressive style in 2011. With set designs by Jean-Marc Puissant, you are captivated as soon as the music starts and the curtain lifts. Aida tells of a forbidden love between enslaved Ethiopian princess Aida (played wonderfully by Liudmyla Monastyrska who was drafted in after Micaela Carosi withdrew from the role due to pregnancy) and Captain of the Egyptian army, Radames (Roberto Alagna). With the nations at war and with Aida needing the keep her royal connections a secret, the story soon takes a complicated turn. Other productions of Aida are well known for being over the top, with most of the attention focused on set design and costume. David McVicar's production however uses minimal set design and lighting. With all this taking a step into the background, the main performances have the space to really shine through. This includes the fabulous Olga Borodina who plays the Egyptian princess who is also in love with Radames and is determined to find out Aida's secret. The highlight of the whole production was the martial arts inspired dance scene to celebrate the Egyptians victory over the Ethiopians performed along side Giuseppe Verdi's stirring score (conducted by Fabio Luisi). Aida is playing at The Royal Opera House in Covent Garden until April 15th 2011. http://itsnosmallthing.weebly.com

This is where the Orange BAFTA (British Academy Film Awards) takes place. And the BAFTAs are always held, on the second Sunday of February (i.e. the Sunday before Valentine's Day). Tip: Always bring a DSLR camera with and a small umbrella, together with a waterproof/showerproof jacket and/or raincoat. Over the last few years, I've always worn a Barbour wax jacket together with a pair of gloves and a small Fox umbrella. And more importantly, I always take more than one camera with me.

This is the most romantic spot for me in London. The romance of London! A beautiful and transcendent space I go routinely for the Royal Ballet. The coat check is free so make use of it so you are comfortable in your seats and the people are around you are as well. There are a variety of cheap seat options but I think it is best to sit higher on the sides than up in the amphitheatre. I have been about 20 times. The front of the amphitheatre is great for about 18-20£. It's worth every penny. Meet early before for a drink in the first floor bar before the crowds get here and spend the intermission in the top floor looking down at the crowds. Make sure to take a peek at the major chandeliers on the second floor where day concerts and events are hosted. For a special date you can get dinner during the intervals and it's romantic and my dream date haha! Enjoy my favourite spot in London and fall in love with the city!

Royal Opera House is a stunning building hosting amazing & expensive productions of ballet from all over the world! The tickets can be form just £5 up to whatever, making it accessible to everyone. Huge, impressive building with excellent stage views even on the back rows. Quite often ticketed backstage tours run on hourly groups giving the chance to see the stunning building from inside.

The Royal Opera House is a magical place where magical things happen. And as far as I'm concerned, magic warrants 5 stars. It's just a beautiful historic meets modern building, and of course the productions are top notch. I have been for both opera and ballet and have been equally astounded by both. I'm finding it hard to expand upon what I've already said because seriously... magic warrants 5 stars. One quick note to mention. "Partial Obstruction" seats are really actually quite obstructed. I purchased one of these tickets, not directly from the Opera House but on a third party site for Swan Lake thinking "oh, there will probably be a pole in front of my face, so I'll just move my head to the left a bit and be fine." Oh no. I was seated almost directly to the left of the stage and therefore was only able to see about 1/3 of the ballet. But it was a gorgeous 1/3. Lesson learned. Want to spare others of the neck-craning misery.

When the lights up and the applaud fades, we were no rushing out, because it's not the end yet... "Ballet is not only about dance, it's the music, stage, lighting, and many other things..." This is the opera house. Dancers say "I am so inspired by this place." And these emotions are infectious as I vividly recall from the Romeo and Juliet, and the Sleeping Beauty. I was drawn to Rossini's Il Turco In Italia because I like the lightness of being (thinking of Fellini's La dolce vita). Compared with Mozart's Cosi fan tutte, Rossini is always amusing. The desire to be entertaining and to be entertained. It's not just an opera house. The door opens during the day for visitors whether backstage tours, food or exhibitions (the current La traviata one is stunning around Carriage Entranceway, Cloakroom Corridor, Paul Hamlyn Hall). You can also aim for the same day good seat tkts (67 total) if you can get there early in the morning to queue.

One of the most gorgeous opera houses I've been to, inside and out. It was here that I fell in love with opera eight years ago, when I saw my first production, Offenbach's "Les Contes d'Hoffman." I also saw Prokofiev's "Romeo & Juliet" here. Whether you live in London or are visiting for a few days, the Royal Opera House is definitely worth a visit. If you're short on time, try to at least do the tour. Otherwise, try to see an opera or ballet performance and really immerse yourself in the experience of being in this amazing hall, being entertained by some of the world's best singers and dancers.

Amazing. Just Amazing. There is definitely a reason why the Royal Opera and Royal Ballet are regarded as one of the world's foremost companies in their respective genres. It is a great experience whether you are sitting sky high with the angels or right behind the conductor (I've been lucky enough to have done both, unfortunately for my pockets I must admit the orchestral stalls were much better!). But no worries; the £20 plebeian tickets still get you a decent view in the lusciously restored and thankfully air conditioned theatre with good acoustics. Obviously it is totally your bad luck if you get squashed between 2 fat smelly people for a 3 hour performance. Also, this week I saw a woman strip down to her bra in the bright clean (and very numerous, not much queuing!) toilets during the interval. As if I was not already in shock from being squished! So, urm... no need to put on your best if you don't want to then. Not if they are stripping in the loos. An interesting fact: The Paul Hamlyn Hall used to be called the Vilau Floral Hall (and Floral Hall for a short while) but Mr. Vilau forgot to pay his £10 million and thus had name stripped off the hall. Oh the tragedy of it all.

Nothing conveys heart wrenching tragedy so beautifully as the ballet, and it truly is a captivating spectacle. The ROH dancers are such exceptional other worldly creatures, their skills seem to transcend the bounds of human capability. And they are set off perfectly by the spectacular costumes, sets, and music faultlessly rendered by the resident orchestra, all of which conspire to transport you into whichever story is exquisitely unfolding on stage. The venue itself is no understudy, but an awe inspiring palace. From the grand entrance to the ornate ceiling, and the stunning glass architecture of the Paul Hamlyn Hall, it's almost overwhelming. The whole: a study in pure pleasure, and an irrefutable ambassador for the value of the arts.

One of the most gorgeous interiors of a theatre I've ever had the pleasure of seeing firsthand. This place is quintessential glamorous London for me. I've been to two ballets here: 2 years ago to see Romeo & Juliet, and last week to see The Nutcracker. Both were exceptional and magical. You can't peel your eyes away from the stage. We also ate dinner at the Balconies Restaurant before the performance, which was fantastic as well. They definitely have got it down to a science. A wonderful night out for anyone, it doesn't matter who you are.

Absolutely. Amazing. I can't believe I've lived in London for over two years and only just made it to the ROH. Everything about this theatre is exquisite - the interior architecture, the decor, the ballet, music, dancers. What a fantastic experience! Being way up in the amphitheater, you might feel like you're a bit distant from the action but au contraire, it's a great place to be. The bar upstairs is extremely efficient, expertly handling a horde of people within a 20-minute interval like a piece of cake. (Speaking of which, the pineapple upside down cake is goooood.) And from high up, there's also an awesome wall window overlooking the Floral Hall, the view of which will take your breath away. I've passed the ROH so many times while meandering through Covent Garden, but never really understood how amazing it was until my night at the ballet. A night at the opera shall most definitely be my next venture.

So many good memories.....Guillem to Gheorghiu. Fantastico! I saw Claire Bloom here once in the intermission and to this day I regret not going up to her and buying her a glass of champagne.

This place does not dissapoint. Full stop. Royal Ballet is breathtaking, and the ROH is a great venue for it. Opera's not really my thing, but I'm sure I'll be back for one soon, and will update at that point. The cheap/high seats aren't bad at all, excellent acoustics, reasonable ability to see what's going on, etc etc etc.

Beautiful venue - the grandeur of the main auditorium is simply breathtaking. I'm spectacularly lucky and have managed to wangle my way into the best seats in the stalls and circle, and it really is phenomenal. And, though I like to bait my friends by harping on about the price of the top seats (really, you can almost buy property for some of those prices - in London!) but honestly you can get cheap(ish) seats if you're happy to go HIGH. The Floral Hall is gorgeous though (and maybe because I just don't know the venue well enough) I always seem to find getting there and back within the space of the interval something of a struggle. I last saw the dress rehearsal (another great way to get in without having to sell your kidney) of Swan Lake - there's really nowhere like it to see something so magnificent - and it was the perfect way to prepare myself for seeing Black Swan!

If you are a dancer or love ballet, stop in here. If nothing else to grab some of the pamphlets and peek inside the home of the world renowned Royal Ballet. Surreal experience for one former and one aspiring ballerina.

I came here to see the ballet Sylvia. Being here gave me a certain sense of glamour. If you are taking a lady on a date and she likes dance it is a wonderful place to impress. The theatre itself is impressive and most seats give a fantastic view of the stage. It is a great opportunity to dress up in your semi formals and feel posh and extravagant whilst rubbing shoulders with the middle and upper classes. If you are interested in ballet, no excuses get yourself a ticket.

Disaster of an evening. Arrived 7 minutes late for the Nutcracker performance last evening (which started at 7pm rather than the usual 7:30pm). Had treated my mum to the perfect tickets for her birthday and instead she ended up spending it sat in a hallway, forced to watch the WHOLE first Act on a small tv monitor with other "latecomers". Utterly mortifying, entirely humiliating and such a great disappointment from the ROH. Nowhere in the world have I even had this happen and have only ever seen latecomers given entry at the first break in the performance as to not disturb the other guests. The front of house manager, Amanda, and the ROH house, who I contacted whilst sat outside, were all completely unsympathetic and did not agree this would not cause any great disturbance to the performers or the audience members and kept repeating the same scripted message that it would. The frustration, feeling of failure and disappointment for my mum as I tried to recreate our special visits to the ROH together from when I was a child and the astoundingly unsympathetic reaction from Amanda and the ROH was simply overwhelming and I personally spent the whole first act sobbing my eyes out in the staircase (this was compounded by a few personal reasons as to why we were 7 minutes late). Worse £250 ever spent. Thoroughly wasted tickets. Disaster of an evening.

The Royal Opera House is an amazing building, and it is one of the places to go to on a winter's day to listen to some lovely music. Some of the performances here have taken my breath away. Its always such an experience to dress up and go out to Covent Garden, its magical. There is a restaurant and bar inside in a huge glass roofed area. This is such a pleasure to visit, and at a matinee weekend performance, the light in here is simply fantastic. I love some of the shows, and there are often last minute deals as well as some special seats reserved for students in the stalls. The terrace at the top looks out over the Covent Garden piazza, and its worth coming up here just for the view. I hope you have as good a time as I have here!

What strikes me most about the Royal Opera House is its integration into the rest of the square surrounding Covent Garden. The first two times I tried to find it I missed it entirely. But the manner in which one accesses it on a professional and spectatorial basis is stately in a particularly British way, about as far removed from the ostentation of the Palais Garnier in Paris or La Scala in Milan as one can imagine. No, this opera house is orderly and functional, and beautiful all at once, without announcing itself to the heavens unduly. I, for one, am all for it. It takes all kinds. And the acoustics inside the considerably more ornamented house are immaculate, served well by a well-designed structure, allowing the music to soar and not merely its social trappings. Visitors to town are well advised to take a tour and poke around as the performances are quite often sold out well in advance.

Watched The Bolshoi ballet corps perform Taming of the Shrew and Flames of Paris. Enjoyed both. Restricted view seat meant we missed half the dances, however good value for money at £10 a ticket. Unrestricted view seat much more enjoyable and still good value for money. It was great to see Bolshoi performing live after becoming a big fan through "cinema live performances". Curtain calls are almost as long as the performances!

I saw L'Heure Espagnole / Gianni Schicchi today, which was my first time in the ROH, as a nervous opera virgin. I was pleased to find out that it was absolutely fantastic - the venue is incredible, 4 tiers of seats, but very few bad views, I should imagine. The acoustics are, unsurprisingly, astounding. The seats were not at all uncomfortable, the staff were very welcoming and polite - the place was packed. Go, if only to see the Paul Hamlyn Hall Bar, which is very impressive. It's an experience that everyone should have - I'll be going again!

I went here recently to see Alice in Wonderland and I still get pleasant flashbacks when thinking about it. The building is beautiful and everything has a really lovely and pleasant old charm about it. It still retains an orchestra pit and the bars serve a variety of drinks including very good kir royale which to me is the perfect drink for an interval.

Absolutely stunning place to see a show. I went to see Manon, which was an amazing ballet, but unfortunately we had to get Restricted View seats because everything else was sold out, and they were still quite expensive tickets. It was a fun experience being in a balcony box, but literally only seeing a third of the stage was a struggle. I would highly recommend seeing Manon as the dancing is extraordinary, costumes are gorgeous, and setting is beautiful. Really exceptional show and so glad I went, even with partial view. Champagne bar will also set you back at £12/glass but it is a lovely atmosphere.

Magical and Exhilarating!! Any performance here just makes my life so thrilling. Tried to get seats for a lunchtime concert in the Crush Room next weeksold out! You have to get in early. Nutcracker coming soon.

Pointe work and posh nosh headline at the Opera House but it's the magic of the place that means I can't imagine a London year without a visit or two. It is here that I have fallen in love again and again with dance, before and after the refurbishment it's just that before, I was a little more squashed whilst doing so. There really is nothing like jostling into that awesome auditorium and settling down to watch the polite tapping of pointe shoes on the stage and hearing the surge of the orchestra that accompanies. The feeling is the same, whether you pay £8 for a standing ticket, or £80. A world away from hectic London life and yet at once synonymous with the Capital's cultural scene, a night at the Royal Opera House is, to me, pure joy.

To preface this review: experience the building even if you're not into opera or ballet... Right, now that's over with, the Royal Opera House, in Covent Garden, a stone's throw from the tube station and the always-busy piazza is the UK's top opera and ballet house, with the house being used most days of the year, often twice a day. The building, which was significantly renovated and extended in 2000 at a cost of millions, is the jewel in the crown of Covent Garden and has 2 distinct parts, the old part (which is actually the third opera house on the site after the first two burned down) dating from the 1850s, and the modern glass section, which used to be the old Covent Garden market, and opened in its current guise in 2000. This extension gave it some of the best facilities in the world: a huge increase in backstage space, more room for public areas, restaurants, the Paul Hamlyn Floral Hall (simply magnificent open area used for drinks and a communal meeting point) and the outside terrace area near the amphitheatre bar). The restaurants and coffee bar are open for lunch daily from 12-3, which is run by the company Searchys, a high-class caterer which now also runs the restaurants at Kings Cross St Pancras station. I've not eaten here, but passed people eating on the mezzanine area and it looks absolutely splendid! You can also eat here before a performance, with pudding during the interval, and during some parts of the weekend, although it's always best to check. Like I said at the beginning, even if you've no interest in ballet or opera at all, it's well worth coming here for a lunchtime coffee, or even a cheap backstage tour, which run most days. When coming to see a performance, tickets are generally sold months before the event, but with a bit of luck, there may be some left on the day. If not, 76 go on sale at 10am at the Piazza entrance, although for popular performances, I've been in lines that have started way before 6am. There are also a fair few tickets that get returned in the hour before the performance, so they often have a returns queue then too. With regards to price, tickets for the most popular productions in the best seats can cost over £200, however, it's perfectly possible to get very good seats in the Amphitheatre for £30 - cheaper than a football match! Tickets do go as low as £7 or £8, where acoustics are great, but the view is not! Ballets generally cost less than operas, but are also shorter too. All the information about upcoming operas, as well as booking tickets, can be done through the website, http://www.roh.org.uk , where it's generally possible to see the view from your seat as well. Words don't really convey how special the place feels; a mixture of magic and anticipation never fails to give me butterflies before a performance starts: especially since the leading stars of both opera and ballet come here, returning year after year. It's a really special place, not fully describable in words - it's certainly worth a visit, whether from home or abroad - I came once and return time and time again!

There is nothing I can describe with words about the Royal Opera House that will compare to the experience of visiting it yourself. However, I am not objective, as it is one of my favourite places in London, where I have enjoyed many beautiful evenings. The building is beautiful, and you can enjoy a glass of champagne in the grand bar downstairs, or a snack and a coffee in the bar upstairs or a gorgeous dinner in the restaurant. Or go for dinner outside (I'd recommend Cafe des Amis) and you can just wander around the opera house once you are inside. You should also take the time to go onto the terrace on the top floor, overviewing Covent Garden, the best place to sit in Summer. In Summer, it is great to cross Covent Garden after the performance has finished, as there is usually a great atmosphere with Covent Garden pretty empty, except for singers surrounded by small crowds that are singing along. I love joining them whenever I can :) You don't need to attend a performance in order to see the building, as there are tours most of the year. There are also free talks for which you can get tickets online and these are usually before a performance, giving insight about that opera/ballet/etc. However, if you are thinking about attending a performance, here are a few tips: I have been seated on the orchestra stalls, on the grand tier, balcony, ampitheatre, stalls, pretty much everywhere except for the boxes really. And I can say that you pay for what you get, although I find that some areas are quite overpriced. You can get a standing ticket (although I wouldn't recommend standing for over 3h!) for as little as £8 or a seating ticket for £9 or £13 depending on the area. These tickets have restricted viewing but it is a good opportunity to experience opera or ballet for the first time and see if it is something that you would enjoy and therefore pay more for a better seat. It is a great affordable alternative also if you really like it. I, for example, like going to all the operas, and enjoy the music and singing more than the performance itself, so the viewing restriction doesn't bother me that much. But this does depend on the opera as there as some in which the viewing aspect really enhances the overall performance. Now, all I can say is enjoy! :)

Visiting the royal opera house is one of those life changing events in ones life that is never quite forgotten. The grandeur and opulence just cannot be expressed enough in words. Spectacular architecture and acoustics are just one layer of the many magical facets of this legendary place. The staff was delightful, and during intermission do not miss getting a drink at the bar area! Not to mention the royal ballet was flawless...