The Royal Opera’s 2017/18 Winter Season continues with David Alden’s new production of Rossini’s Semiramide – the first time Rossini’s last opera written for Italy has been staged by the Company and the first time the work has been staged at Covent Garden since 1887. Joyce DiDonato returns to The Royal Opera in the virtuoso title role, appearing alongside Daniela Barcellona, Lawrence Brownlee and Michele Pertusi/Mirco Palazzi.

Mark-Anthony Turnage’s latest opera Coraline is given its world premiere by The Royal Opera at the Barbican. Based on Neil Gaiman’s much-loved story, Turnage’s operatic adaptation is his second Royal Opera commission and follows 2011’s internationally-acclaimed Anna Nicole. Coraline is directed by Aletta Collins and features British sopranos Mary Bevan and Robyn Allegra Parton sharing the title role, and British mezzo-soprano Kitty Whately in her Royal Opera debut as Coraline’s Mother/Other Mother. Sian Edwards conducts all performances, with musicians from Britten Sinfonia.

Following the success of Monteverdi’s Orfeo in 2015, The Royal Opera returns to the Roundhouse for John Fulljames’s new production of The Return of Ulysses. Christian Curnyn conducts the Early Opera Company Orchestra, Thurrock Community Chorus, young participants from the Roundhouse and a cast including Roderick Williams and Christine Rice as Ulysses and Penelope.
Australian director Barrie Kosky returns to The Royal Opera to direct Bizet’s Carmen, following his widely-acclaimed Royal Opera debut with Shostakovich’s The Nose in 2016. New to The Royal Opera, this production of Carmen gives Bizet’s ever-popular opera a fresh airing, incorporating music that Bizet omitted from the opera at its premiere, and giving a new voice to the opera’s endlessly fascinating central character. Jakub Hrůša and Christopher Willis conduct two casts, led by Anna Goryachova and Gaëlle Arquez in the title role.

The Royal Opera performs three revivals during the Winter Season, including two productions by David McVicar. His classic staging of Verdi’s Rigoletto returns, with Alexander Joel conducting two excellent casts led by Dimitri Platanias in the title role, and featuring Michael Fabiano and Ivan Magrì as the Duke of Mantua and Sofia Fomina and Lucy Crowe as Gilda. David McVicar’s gripping production of Richard Strauss’ Salome also returns, featuring Malin Bystrom and Michael Volle as Salome and Jokanaan, and conducted by Music Director of the Komische Oper Berlin Henrik Nánási. Our third revival is Jonathan Kent’s much-loved staging of Puccini’s Tosca, conducted by Dan Ettinger and Plácido Domingo. Featuring two, sometimes three casts, led by Adrianne Pieczonka, Angela Gheorghiu and Martina Serafin as Floria Tosca, the revival sees Joseph Calleja sing the role of Mario Cavaradossi with The Royal Opera for the first time and Gerald Finley make his role debut as Baron Scarpia.

The Royal Opera House Live Cinema Season continues in Winter 2017/18, with performances of Rigoletto, Tosca and Carmen being relayed live to cinema around the world on 16 January,
7 February and 6 March 2018 respectively.


SEMIRAMIDE Gioachino Rossini
19 November at 3pm | 22, 25 and 28 November and 4, 8, 13 and 16 December at 6.30pm

RIGOLETTO Giuseppe Verdi
14, 21 and 23 December and 4, 6, 11, 13 and 16* January at 7.30pm | 19 December at 12 noon* | *ROH Live Cinema relay

SALOME Richard Strauss
8, 12, 17, 21, 23, 26 and 30 January at 8pm

THE RETURN OF ULYSSES Claudio Monteverdi
10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 19 and 21 January at 7.30pm
Roundhouse, Chalk Farm Road, London, NW1 8EH

TOSCA Giacomo Puccini
15, 18, 24, 27 and 31 January and 3, 7*, 19, 22 and 26 February at 7.30pm | 21 January at 12.30pm | 17 February at 1.30pm | 3 March at 12 noon | *ROH Live Cinema relay

CARMEN Georges Bizet
6, 10, 14, 20, 23 and 27 February and 3, 6*, 8, 12 and 16 March at 7pm | 16 February at 12 noon | *ROH Live Cinema relay

CORALINE Mark-Anthony Turnage
29 and 31 March and 3, 4, 5 and 7 April at 7pm | 31 March and 7 April at 2pm
Barbican Theatre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS

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