4.48 Psychosis
The Royal Ballet and Opera
- Date night
- Great for groups
- Date
- Sat, 17 Oct 2026
- Time
- 19:15
- Venue
- Royal Opera House
- City
- London
- Tickets
- See booking site
You'll be taken to the ensemble's official site.
Summary
The Royal Ballet and Opera performs Philip Venables’ operatic adaptation of Sarah Kane’s final play at the Royal Opera House.
Why it's fantastic
This harrowing adaptation of Sarah Kane’s final play strips away traditional artifice to explore the raw reality of a mind under siege. You will find yourself completely submerged in a visceral soundscape that captures the uncompromising intensity and dark poetry of the original text within this historic auditorium.
Our guide to this performance
What you'll hear
In this production, you will hear a modern operatic adaptation of Sarah Kane’s final play by composer Philip Venables. The work departs from traditional narrative structures, instead presenting a soundscape that mirrors the fragmented and intense nature of the source text. You should listen for how the vocal lines and orchestration interact to evoke the specific psychological state described in the original play. The performance is shaped by an uncompromising focus on internal experience, moving through sections that vary from stark silence to dense, percussive layers of sound. We recommend paying close attention to the way the language is treated; the libretto retains the dark poetry and raw emotional directness of the play, translated here into a contemporary musical language that feels both visceral and immediate. It is a work designed to challenge the boundaries of what opera can communicate, focusing on the internal landscape rather than external action.
Who's performing
The Royal Ballet and Opera performs this contemporary work at its home base in Covent Garden. The company is recognised internationally for maintaining a vast repertoire that spans heritage classics and rigorous new commissions. While the ensemble is steeped in the traditions of the nineteenth century, it frequently champions modern composers and experimental stagings that test the acoustic and technical possibilities of their London stage. You will hear the house orchestra and singers navigate a score that requires both technical precision and a deep engagement with the modern operatic idiom.
Planning your evening
This performance takes place at the Royal Opera House in London on 17 October 2026. As an opera based on a challenging and serious text, it is suited to those who appreciate contemporary drama and experimental music. The production is staged in the main auditorium, though the intimate nature of the subject matter provides a stark contrast to the grand setting. We do not have a confirmed running time for this specific date, so you should check the venue website closer to the performance for interval details and finish times.
Written by the Bravura editorial team from the ensemble's published programme and venue information. We don't reproduce copy from box-office sites. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.
