The restoration of the monarchy in 1660 had a profound effect on cultural life in London. After a period of Puritan restrictions during the Commonwealth period, theatres and the performing arts began a renaissance of sorts that played out to a general public more than happy to receive them.
These acts were not given free rein to speak as they pleased, however. King Charles II granted letters patent to two particular men, Thomas Killigrew and William Davenant, that gave them the exclusive right to maintain legitimate theatres in the capital. This meant that only designated companies and venues could legally perform serious spoken drama in the city.
It also meant that musical acts and performances were considered to be a less prestigious art form and would struggle to find a venue that could bring them to audiences.
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The Theatre Royal
When the curtain rose for the first time at The Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, in 1732, it duly followed this order that had stood for decades. The architect Edward Shepherd had created a beautiful example of a Georgian theatre stage that could comfortably hold around 2500 people across multiple levels. Tellingly, the acoustics here were designed for the spoken word with no real consideration for the incredible sounds that were soon to follow.
Handel Takes the Stage
In December 1734, a production of Oreste by the renowned composer George Frideric Handel took place at The Theatre Royal and changed everything. This was the first time that opera had been performed here or anywhere in the area, and it marked the beginning of an era that is still going strong after almost 300 years.
Handel swiftly moved his entire operatic company to The Theatre Royal soon after and his production of Ariodante in 1735 officially began Covent Garden’s first-ever opera season.
Grand Opera Rises From The Ashes
After Handel’s death, the theatre remained an important part of Covent Garden’s repertoire, but it was often at the mercy of fluctuating tastes. Spoken word plays and melodrama were in fashion and the theatre’s owners were often forced to cater to them at the expense of any real operatic innovation.
In the early hours of 20th of September 1808, a huge blaze took hold of the Theatre Royal that reduced it to a pile of ruins. Almost immediately, plans for a new theatre in its place were drafted and the Prince of Wales laid the foundation stone at the end of that same year. It was clear that this neighbourhood and its residents were keen to hold on to their status as one of London’s premier cultural destinations.
Importantly, the new theatre that rose from the ruins was created with music in mind. Just 40 years later, it was renamed The Royal Italian Opera and its position as a dedicated opera house with royal patronage and international prestige was finally cemented. Works from the Grand Opera titans of Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti and Verdi would now regularly ring out across its rafters.
More Flames. More Drama. More Resilience
In 1856, a second fire completely tore through the Royal Italian Opera. Once again, immediate plans were created to replace it as quickly as possible to ensure that its status and position amongst Europe’s elite venues were preserved. The opening evening for the new theatre and the performance chosen made a huge statement in response to this message. Les Huguenots by Giacomo Meyerbeer was perhaps the most ambitious operatic spectacle of the 19th century, stretching over five acts with a large chorus and complicated staging. The gauntlet had well and truly been laid down.
The Royal Opera House
In 1892, the name of the theatre was officially changed to The Royal Opera House. By now, a broader repertoire was being produced here, with work from Wagner and Mozart adding more drama and scale. The name reflected this venue’s evolving specialism for the operatic arts in England, and it quickly became a rival to the established opera houses of Vienna, Paris and Milan. Following World War II, a permanent national operatic company was established through The Royal Opera that would add value through long-term artistic planning and regular seasons.
The Modern Era Calls
A major redevelopment at the end of the 20th century was carried out to ensure the legacy of this enduring operatic institution. It created new rehearsal studios, expanded the public spaces and safely connected everything to the historic auditorium of 1858.
Four tiers of private boxes and balconies combine with a gallery-level amphitheatre to house over 2200 seats in front of a huge stage. The facilities at The Royal Opera House are the envy of arts venues all over the world, with state-of-the-art stage machinery and costume and scenery workshops that are essential for productions of the biggest scale and complexity. It now stands proudly as a celebration of Victorian architecture with the ghosts of three centuries represented in its essence, and the support of modernity at its back. A Grade I-listed status seems perfectly appropriate for what is the most complete remaining structure anywhere in the world from its era.
The Metropolitan Opera in New York, La Scala in Milan and the Vienna Staatsoper are perhaps the only places on the planet that would count amongst this venerable venue’s peers. Far from entering its finale ultimo, The Royal Opera House is ready for the next act to begin.
