London, a cultural capital par excellence, is home to exceptional museums and exhibitions. Contemporary art galleries such as the Tate Modern complement more traditional institutions including the National Gallery and the British Museum. Music lovers are equally well served, as the Royal Ballet and Opera alone justifies a journey. This great opera house masterfully balances tradition and modernity, a harmony perfectly illustrated by its Victorian façade and contemporary interior design.

The Royal Opera House presents a 2026–2027 season combining major new productions with powerful revivals.

Among the highlights of the first part of the season are the conclusion of Barrie Kosky’s Ring cycle with Götterdämmerung, a new production of Parsifal directed by Evgeny Titov, and a reimagined Così fan tutte by Netia Jones.

The Linbury Theatre places the spotlight on contemporary creation with Good Sometimes Queen and will host a historic first performance of Les Boréades. The excellence of the Royal Ballet, notably through productions of The Nutcracker and Manon, together with prestigious concerts at the Barbican Centre, will also shape the season.

The second half of the season offers the rare opportunity to experience the complete Il trittico conducted by Speranza Scappucci. Also featured is a concert performance of Bluebeard’s Castle with Elīna Garanča and Christian Van Horn, paired with The Rite of Spring. Following its success at the Salzburg Easter Festival, La Gioconda directed by Oliver Mears returns with Anna Netrebko and Stefan Pop. Finally, Barrie Kosky will present a new staging of Hercules, conducted by Laurence Cummings.