Inside London’s Royal Ballet and Opera season 2026
The Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, is set for a huge 2026 season that brings together contemporary work and classic masterpieces across ballet and opera. Performed in one of the world’s most celebrated theatres, the programme spans large-scale productions on the Main Stage and more intimate performances in the Linbury Theatre. From bold new works by leading choreographers to iconic operas reimagined for modern audiences, The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera continue to define London’s cultural scene. With tickets starting at just £9, here is your guide to the unmissable performances of 2026.
The Royal Ballet
Woolf Works
#FLODown: Wayne McGregor’s award-winning triptych translates the inner worlds of writer Virginia Woolf into movement. Set to an original score by Max Richter, the ballet draws on Mrs Dalloway, Orlando and The Waves, capturing Woolf’s stream-of-consciousness style through fluid, emotionally charged choreography.
Date: 17 January – 13 February 2026. Location: Main Stage, Royal Opera House. Price: from £52–£176. Book now
Artists of The Royal Ballet in Giselle ©2021 ROH. Photographed by Alice Pennefather. Artists of The Royal Ballet in Giselle ©2021 ROH. Photographed by Alice Pennefather
Giselle
#FLODown: A defining work of Romantic ballet, Giselle tells a story of love, betrayal and forgiveness that moves between the human and supernatural worlds. Peter Wright’s classic production is paired with Adolphe Adam’s evocative score and atmospheric designs by John Macfarlane.
Date: 14 February – 20 March 2026. Location: Main Stage, Royal Opera House. Price: from £10–£224. Book now
World Premiere
Wayne McGregor – Alchemies
#FLODown: This ambitious mixed programme centres on the world premiere of a new ballet by Wayne McGregor, presented alongside Yugen and Untitled, 2023. These works showcase McGregor’s collaborative approach, blending choreography with visual art, fashion, lighting and powerful contemporary music.
Date: 18 April – 6 May 2026. Location: Main Stage, Royal Opera House. Price: from £7–£125. Book now
Artists of The Royal Ballet in Wayne McGregor's Untitled, 2023 ©2023 Alice Pennefather
So Are We – León and Lightfoot
#FLODown: Two company premieres introduce the work of acclaimed choreographers Sol León and Paul Lightfoot to a British ballet audience. Featuring Shoot the Moon and Salle de Dance, this programme is defined by a distinctive movement language that is fluid yet precise, restrained yet emotionally charged.
Date: 11 – 20 June 2026. Location: Main Stage, Royal Opera House. Price: from £7–£125. Book now
Barrie Kosky's production of Wagner's Siegfried, The Royal Opera ©2024 Sebastian Nevols
The Royal Opera
New Production
Siegfried
#FLODown: The third chapter of Wagner’s Ring cycle returns to Covent Garden in a major new production conducted by Antonio Pappano and directed by Barrie Kosky. With Andreas Schager making his Royal Opera debut in the title role, this epic opera combines heroic drama with moments of lyricism and mythic intensity.
Date: 17 March – 6 April 2026. Location: Main Stage, Royal Opera House. Price: from £59–£425. Book now
Rigoletto
#FLODown: Verdi’s tragic opera explores power, cruelty and the devastating consequences of vengeance. Mark Elder returns to the work that marked his Royal Opera debut, leading a distinguished cast in Oliver Mears’ darkly elegant production.
Date: 25 March – 23 April 2026. Location: Main Stage, Royal Opera House. Price: from £13–£322. Book now
New Production
The Turn of the Screw
#FLODown: Benjamin Britten’s unsettling chamber opera is brought to the Linbury Theatre in a new staging that heightens its psychological tension. Focusing on fear, guilt and moral ambiguity, this intimate production draws the audience deep into its chilling atmosphere.
Date: 26 March – 6 April 2026. Location: Linbury Theatre, Royal Opera House. Price: from £35. Book now
Jette Parker Artists – Three Chamber Operas
#FLODown: This triple bill presents works by three women composers, offering rare insight into different musical voices and perspectives. The programme explores themes of love, loss and ambition, including the world premiere of a new chamber version of Elena Langer’s Four Sisters.
Date: 1 – 9 May 2026. Location: Linbury Theatre, Royal Opera House. Book now
Jette Parker Artists ©2025 Sebastian Nevols
RBO/SHIFT
#FLODown: A four-day festival curated by Associate Director Netia Jones, RBO/SHIFT examines the evolving relationship between opera and technology. With a focus on artificial intelligence, the festival explores how innovation is reshaping creative practice and performance.
Date: 4 – 7 June 2026. Location: Linbury Theatre, Royal Opera House. Price:TBC. Book now
New Production
I puritani
#FLODown: Vincenzo Bellini’s bel canto masterpiece is brought to life in Richard Jones’ compelling new staging, starring Lisette Oropesa as the devoted and vulnerable heroine Elvira, and Francesco Demuro as her courageous lover. With virtuosic coloratura passages and ethereal, otherworldly arias, Bellini’s score fills I puritani with emotional depth, exploring both the tenderness of true love and the anguish of loss. Conductor Riccardo Frizza makes his debut with The Royal Opera.
Date: 30 June – 19 July 2026. Location: Main Stage, Royal Opera House. Price: from £13–£280. Book now
