The Royal Opera House has opened the doors to its transformed new home, following a three-year renovation project. At the heart of this is a new Linbury Theatre, which provides an additional stage for The Royal Ballet, The Royal Opera and international artists.
The project includes new entrances, extended foyers and terraces and a new café, bar and restaurant. These new spaces will be brought to life with a year-round programme of daytime events for all ages – from workshops in backstage theatre crafts to performances and exhibits and the return of the popular tea dances – as the building is now, for the first time, open to the public every day from 10am.
In its inaugural season, the new Linbury Theatre will include:
Olivier Award-winning ballerina Alessandra Ferri, American Ballet Theatre Principal Herman Cornejo and pianist Bruce Levingston present TRIOConcertDance, featuring choreography by Demis Volpi, Russell Maliphant, Wayne McGregor, Herman Cornejo, Fang-Yi Sheu and Angelin Preljocaj.
Introdans returns to the UK for the first time in over a decade with the Dutch Masters mixed bill.
Canadian company Cas Public presents the UK premiere of 9, produced in collaboration with Belgian company Kopergietery. Choreographed by Hélène Blackburn, the piece is inspired by Cas Public performer Cai Glover, who overcame a hearing impairment to become a professional dancer.
The inaugural Young Talent Festival, featuring performances from some of the world’s leading junior companies and schools.
In the Clore Studio, Yorke Dance Project presents Playground by Kenneth MacMillan, alongside a new work by Robert Cohan, created as the company celebrates its 20th anniversary. Wayne McGregor, a mentee of Cohan, joins him for a Q&A after the performance.
Looking ahead to the 2019/20 season, The Royal Ballet and Rambert present Aisha and Abhaya, a co-production in association with BBC Films, choreographed by Sharon Eyal. Aisha and Abhaya (meaning ‘Hope and Fearlessness’) is a contemporary fairytale about two sisters seeking refuge from their homeland in a fantastical world, which proves to be riven with familiar troubles and dangers. This new dance work combines film, animation and live performance by Rambert’s extraordinary dancers to tell a compelling parable for our times.