Keeping it real, opera style 🎼 Verismo, meaning ‘realism’ in Italian, is an operatic genre that revolves around the lives, loves and struggles of ordinary people. 👂 Listen out for the raw and visceral style of vocal singing in operas like Pagliacci. #TheRoyalOpera #Verismo #OperaNotes #Opera

Finding beauty in the stillness ❤️ Few tunes in opera give the shivers quite like 'Una furtiva lagrima', a moment of quiet beauty amid the mayhem of Donizetti's operatic rom-com L'elisir d'amore. Here, Liparit Avetisyan delivers a heartbreakingly beautiful performance from The Royal Opera's 2023 production – available to watch wherever you are on Royal Ballet and Opera Stream. #TheRoyalOpera #Opera #Donizetti #LElisirDAmore

"Conflicted, brutal and romantic" or "iconic, perfect and convoluted" 🤔 How would you sum up Verdi's Il trovatore? We caught up with Michael Fabiano and Rachel Willis-Sørensen to find out more about Verdi's opera of obsession and superstition, and dig a little deeper into their characters Manrico and Leonora. 🎟️ Il trovatore is on our Main Stage until 22 March, and then again in July - head to the link in our bio to book your tickets. #TheRoyalOpera #IlTrovatore #Opera #Verdi

The smallest adjustments can make the biggest difference 👀 Join Royal Ballet dancers Harry Churches and Francisco Serrano as they rehearse for Crystal Pite's Light of Passage, with Guest Répétiteur Deirdre Chapman coaching the choreography. 🕯️Light of Passage is on our Main Stage until 12 March. #TheRoyalBallet #LightOfPassage #CrystalPite #Ballet

A timeless tale of love and heartbreak 💔🦢 Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake premiered on this day in 1877, and remains to this day one of the best-loved works in the classical ballet canon. ▶️ Watch Marianela Núñez and Vadim Muntagirov in The Royal Ballet's 2018 production on Royal Ballet and Opera Stream now, from the comfort of your own home. #TheRoyalBallet #SwanLake #Tchaikovsky #Ballet

A round of a-paws for some of our latest visitors! 👏🐾 We recently welcomed some very good girls to tour our ballet studios and watch a rehearsal of Il trovatore - say hello to Becky, Pippie and Vicki 🐕‍🦺 This visit was part of their puppy training with @guidedogsuk - Jo Thorn, Puppy Development Advisor for Guide Dogs explains: ‘During their life as a guide dog, the pups will find themselves in all sorts of new situations. Being able to experience different establishments like the Royal Opera House when they’re young means that they’ll have the tools they need to adapt quickly and stay inquisitive when they are working dogs.’ The puppies also met Principal dancer Reece Clarke, who says: ‘My dog is a huge part of my life and I was so thrilled to be part of this Guide Dog Puppy training day. As a performer it’s so important to me that as many people as possible have access to our work and to experience the magic of live theatre’ 🏛️ We want everyone to have the best experience with the Royal Ballet and Opera, whether they are attending a performance or event, watching on Royal Ballet and Opera Stream or using our building - find out more about our Access Scheme via the link in our bio. #RoyalBalletAndOpera #GuideDogsUk [Video description: Video opens with a Guide Dogs volunteer walking with a guide dog in training outside the Royal Ballet & Opera. Guide dogs in training Becky, Pippie and Vicki, with their puppy raisers, visit the Royal Ballet & Opera as part of their guide dog training to associate them to new situations, sights, and sounds in a safe and calm way. The pups meet Principal Dancer Reece Clarke and staff at the theatre, then go on to watch a rehearsal show in a controlled environment]

"A dance career is not something that belongs to other dimensions or realities. It is a way of living, my way of living." Ahead of her upcoming performances in the Linbury Theatre, we spoke to Natalia Osipova about the special programme that will reveal more of the celebrated breadth and depth of her artistry and dramatic intensity 🩰 Visit our free exhibition documenting Natalia in rehearsal for this programme of modern classics and a contemporary premiere, in the Linbury Foyer now. #NataliaOsipova #TheRoyalBallet #Ballet

Medieval madness ⚔️ Verdi's Il Trovatore tells a dark tale of obsession and superstition, as an all-consuming curse threatens to overwhelm the story. The costumes in our upcoming production combine mayhem and medieval lore to bring Verdi's opera to life. Head behind the scenes with our talented team to find out how they are made 🧵 Costumes designed by Annemarie Woods #TheRoyalOpera #IlTrovatore #Costume #Verdi

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus!🌻 We're wishing a Happy St David’s Day to all our Welsh followers today! Here's a performance of 'O! Na byddai'n Haf o hyd', sung by Ryan Vaughan Davies from our Jette Parker Artists Programme, accompanied by Florent Mourier. #TheRoyalOpera #StDavidsDay #DyddGŵylDewi #Opera

Managed to get the hang of Manège? 🎠 Steps taken ‘en manège’ refers to dancers travelling around the stage in a large circle, just like a carousel – hence the name! 📢 Let us know what you'd like to learn about next! #TheRoyalBallet #Ballet #KnowYourSteps #Manege

Design 🤝 function The set for The Royal Opera's production of Puccini’s Turandot proves that a beautiful stage doesn’t come at the expense of practicality and functionality. Join us behind the scenes as our production manager Colin Maxwell explains how the set brings the story to life in this dazzling production. 🎟️ Turandot returns to the Main Stage on 19 March #TheRoyalOpera #Turandot #Opera #Puccini

"It was the greatest reward to feel like I'd found her" Principal dancer Francesca Hayward reflects on performing Manon in Kenneth MacMillan's dramatic ballet, and discusses highlights from her incredible career with The Royal Ballet in the latest episode of our Spotlight On series. ▶️ Watch wherever you are now on Royal Ballet and Opera Stream - sign up today via the link in our bio #TheRoyalBallet #FrancescaHayward #Ballet

A set full of secrets and surprises 🪄🤫 Come behind the scenes for a set tour of our brand new opera Festen, where things aren’t always what they seem… #TheRoyalOpera #Festen #BehindTheScenes #Backstage #Theatre #Opera

Swan Lake with a side of popcorn? Yes, please 🍿 The Royal Ballet's production of Tchaikovsky's heartbreaking tale of love, treachery and forgiveness will be screening in cinemas around the world from Thursday 27 February. 🎞️ Have you got your tickets yet? Head to the link in our bio to find a screening near you. 🎥 Yasmine Naghdi and Matthew Ball #TheRoyalBallet #SwanLake

No expiry date? No problem 🍰 The Royal Opera's Festen centres around a 60th birthday party, and what’s a party a celebratory meal? We went backstage with our props team to find out how they make fake food that looks good enough to eat 🎂 #TheRoyalOpera #Festen #Opera #BehindTheScene #Backstage #Theatre

Why do The Royal Ballet love performing Romeo and Juliet so much? Well, we let our cast explain what it means to them… 💕 🎟️ The timeless love story returns to the the Main Stage on Tuesday 4 March. 🎥 Yasmine Naghdi and Matthew Ball #TheRoyalBallet #RomeoAndJuliet #Ballet