Royal Opera House - Bow Street, London, UK
N 51° 30.795 W 000° 07.335
30U E 699675 N 5710829
The 19th century Royal Opera House, designed by E M Barry, is located on the south west side of Bow Street at the junction with Floral Street in London's Covent Garden. It is the home of the Royal Opera and Royal Ballet
Waymark Code: WMMX2G
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 11/18/2014
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The Virtual Globetrotting website tells us:
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in the London district of Covent Garden, one of the foremost opera houses in the world. The large building, often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", is the home of the Royal Opera, the Royal Ballet and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House.
The current building is the third theatre on the site. The façade, foyer and auditorium date from 1858, but almost every other element of the present complex dates from an extensive reconstruction in the 1990s. The Royal Opera House seats 2,268 people and consists of four tiers of boxes and balconies and the amphitheatre gallery. The proscenium is 12.20 m wide and 14.80 m high.
The building is Grade I listed with the entry at the English Heritage website telling us:
Opera house. Rebuild of 1857-58 by E.M. Barry. Stucco and stone, slate roof. Monumental Augustan classicism tinged with Italiante. Front 7 bays wide. Imposing, pedimented, giant Corinthian hexastyle portico raised on tall rusticated podium now with foyer doors but originally a porte cochere. The flanking bays are framed by coupled giant pilasters and contain on portico level niches with statues of Melpomene and Thalia by Rossi whilst behind the portico is a long and partially altered bas relief frieze by Flaxman salvaged from Smirke's theatre of 1808-9. Prominent crowning cornice and panelled parapet surmounted by urn finials. The balcony level of portico has had a later C.19 crush bar conservatory inserted. Return elevations articulated by plain giant pilasters above podium. Very fine interior and auditorium with few alterations to Barry's scheme, horse-shoe tiers beneath saucer dome on elliptical arches and pendentives, enriched proscenium, the sounding board with relief ornament; rich plasterwork etc. Stage retains most extensive installation of Asphaleria machinery in London: 1899-1902 by Edwin O. Sachs. Present building the successor of Theatres Royal and Operas since 1731, still under Royal patent. Stuccoed extension in same style to west with fly tower, 1980.