January 2019

The Royal Opera House opens the Linbury Theatre, the West End’s newest and most intimate venue

© ROH, 2018. Photographed by Luke Hayes.

This Thursday, 17 January, the Royal Opera House’s Linbury Theatre, the West End’s newest and most intimate venue, opens with its first live performance. Extensively redesigned and refurbished as part of the ROH’s Open Up project, London’s latest state-of-the-art theatre will open with TRIOConcertDance, a mixed programme of contemporary choreography. Performed by Alessandra Ferri, and Bruce Levingston, TRIOConcertDance features a series of UK premieres, and showcases the Linbury Theatre as ’s new innovative and international stage for dance.

In February, The Royal Opera presents the world premiere of The Monstrous Child in the Linbury Theatre, a new opera by British composer Gavin Higgins and best-selling author Francesca Simon. Inspired by

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Norse mythology, and incorporating innovative puppetry and design inspired by the Nordic landscape, this theatrical spectacle is sung in English and stars British-Spanish mezzo-soprano Marta Fontanals-Simmons. Celebrating the Linbury Theatre as The Royal Opera’s intimate stage for contemporary storytelling, this opening production presents a new story for audiences in a fresh and imaginative way.

Also in February, The Royal Ballet performs for the first time in the Linbury Theatre, presenting New Work New Music, a mixed programme of world premieres set to contemporary music never used before for dance. With work from internationally renowned choreographers including Aletta Collins, Goyo Montero and Juliano Nunez performed by Royal Ballet dancers including Marianela Nuñez, Lauren Cuthbertson and Marcelino Sambé, this mixed bill offers audiences a unique opportunity to experience a series of world premieres in a new and intimate , devised by international, world-class artists and presented as part of The Royal Ballet’s ongoing commitment to creating dance of the future.

Other programme highlights presented during the Linbury Theatre’s opening season include Handels’ Berenice, a collaboration between The Royal Opera and London Handel Festival, and The Diary of One Who Disappeared, Muziektheater Transparant’s unique staging of Janáček’s song cycle, directed by Ivo Van Hove. These productions further establish the Linbury Theatre as a flagship, international stage for chamber scale opera and a platform for in demand artists from around the world.

Visiting dance companies presenting work in the Linbury Theatre during 2019 include Ballet Black, Introdans and Cas Public, and in June the inaugural Young Talent Festival encompasses work from Rambert 2 and The , emphasizing the importance of talent development through flagship, cross-company collaboration on this new West End stage.

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. For further information or image requests please contact Katharine Morgan For images, please click here

TRIOCONCERTDANCE

17, 18, 19, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26 January at 7.45pm 20* and 27 January at 4pm #ROHtrio * post-show talk

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Generously supported by

Co-produced by AF DANCE LLC, The Joyce Theater’s Stephen and Cathy Weinroth Fund for New Work, The Jerome Robbins Foundation and Natalia and Veronica Bulgari

NEW WORK NEW MUSIC

6, 8, 9 February at 7.45pm 9 February at 2.45pm #ROHnewworknewmusic Generous philanthropic support from Sue Butcher April \ March by David Sawer is co-commissioned by BBC Radio 3 and the Royal Philharmonic Society Drummond Fund

THE MONSTROUS CHILD

21, 22, 27, 28 February and 2 March at 7.30pm 24 February and 3 March at 2pm #ROHmonstrous Suitable for ages 8+ Generous philanthropic support from The Clore Duffield Foundation, Hamish and Sophie Forsyth, The John S Cohen Foundation, Mr Stefan Sten Olsson and Mr John Tierney, The Taylor Family Foundation, the Contemporary Music Circle and The Royal Opera House Endowment Fund

About the Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House’s aim is for many more people to enjoy and engage in exceptional ballet and opera. As The Royal Ballet, The Royal Opera and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, we bring together the world’s most extraordinary ballet and

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opera artists in more than 500 performances every year: live events that thrill, move and excite, and that transport people to other worlds though music, dance and theatre.

About the Royal Opera House Open Up project We believe that opera and ballet should be experienced by everyone, and our Open Up project will make the Royal Opera House a daytime destination, open every day from 10am. The new bars, cafés, restaurants, unique front of house displays will transform these dedicated new spaces, welcoming everyone to our revitalised home. We will run a brand new programme of daytime events, activities and festivals for people of all ages and the brand new Linbury Theatre will become the West End’s newest, most intimate theatre, showcasing the best of our art forms and providing a wealth of innovative world premieres, co-productions and collaborations.

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