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Opera

UR_

The Royal Ballet and Opera

  • Date night
  • Great for groups
Date
Sat, 29 May 2027
Time
19:45
Venue
Royal Opera House
City
London
Tickets
See booking site
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You'll be taken to the ensemble's official site.

Summary

The Royal Ballet and Opera presents UR_ at the Royal Opera House, London.

Why it's fantastic

Icelandic composer Anna Thorvaldsdottir is celebrated for creating haunting sonic landscapes that seem to breathe and shift like the natural world. Director Netia Jones brings this intimate chamber opera to life in a fresh production that explores the deep, visceral connections between human emotion and the environment.

Good to know

When to clap
Clap (or 'bravo!') after big arias and at the end of each act

Our guide to this performance

What you'll hear

For this production, we see the Royal Opera House stage transformed by the distinctive soundscapes of Icelandic composer Anna Thorvaldsdottir. As you listen to this chamber opera, you will notice how the music avoids traditional melodic lines in favour of textured, organic shifts in sound that mirror the natural world. The work is designed to feel as though the environment itself is breathing alongside the performers. You should listen for the delicate interplay between the instrumentalists and the singers, where the boundary between human voice and orchestral timbre often blurs. The evening is shaped around themes of deep emotion and our visceral link to the planet, presented through a lens that is both intimate and expansive. Rather than a linear narrative, the performance offers a series of shifting atmospheric states, inviting you to reflect on the relationship between the self and the vast, often unseen forces of nature that surround us.

Who's performing

The Royal Ballet and Opera is the resident company of the Royal Opera House, known for its extensive history of staging both cornerstone classics and challenging new works in London. While the company frequently mounts large-scale productions, this staging of a chamber opera highlights their commitment to intimate, contemporary storytelling. Netia Jones directs this production, bringing her experience in creating visual worlds that complement complex modern scores. The ensemble is recognised for technical precision and its ability to navigate the demanding textures of twentieth and twenty-first-century music, often bridging the gap between traditional operatic forms and experimental performance art.

Planning your evening

The performance takes place at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London. As a chamber opera, this production offers a more concentrated and atmospheric experience than the grander spectacles often associated with this venue, making it an interesting choice if you are curious about how modern composition interacts with live staging. There is no formal dress code required for your visit; most attendees opt for smart-casual attire. The specific running time and information regarding the language or the use of surtitles have not yet been confirmed for this run. We recommend checking the final cast and timing details closer to the date of your visit.

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.

Programme

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