The ROH remains very much in operation, and tickets are still sought after in many cases. In 1995, £213 million reconstruction took place, demolishing much of the original, and in 2014 the ROH embarked on the Open Up project in order to make the foyer and entrances more accessible and inviting. Major renovation projects were undertaken in order to modernise and stabilise the fabric of the building. In 1892, the Theatre Royal Covent Garden was formally renamed the Royal Opera House and began to offer a much wider variety of opera and ballet.ĭuring the First World War the building was requisitioned as a furniture repository, and during the Second World War it was briefly used as a dance hall. Eventually, the third Theatre Royal to stand on the site opened in 1857: shortly afterwards, the Royal English Opera company moved to Covent Garden, making the theatre its permanent home. The second incarnation of the theatre lasted only 50 years before it too was lost to fire. In 1808, the first incarnation of the Theatre Royal burned to the ground following a devastating fire. In 1734, both ballet and opera began to be performed at the theatre, marking the start of a long and illustrious tradition: Handel regularly had seasons at the Theatre Royal and specifically wrote pieces to be performed there. The first theatre on this site was the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, which was awarded letters patent by King Charles II in 1662: however, it was only actually built in the 18th century, following the financial success of The Beggars’ Opera. The new Theatre Royal opened in 1732 with a production entitled The Way of the World. Home of the Royal Opera and the Royal Ballet, Covent Garden’s Royal Opera House is one of England’s most iconic performing arts venues, and has an illustrious history.

Royal opera house shop