Month of Sundays Festival for a fiver in November
The Royal Opera House is throwing open its doors every Sunday in November for an immersive new festival programme at just £5 per person. Exclusive pop-up opera and ballet performances will animate the new Royal Opera House spaces; upcycling workshops will transform props of the past; and dance workshops will help you to limber up before you fall down the rabbit hole with Alice to drink tea at the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. Each weekend, audiences are encouraged to feel something new, with a unique range of daytime events and activities for all ages.
Sunday 4 November, 11am – 1.30pm and 2.30pm – 5pm, £5 per person
Everyone is welcome to participate in one of the upcycling craft workshops and watch demonstrations from the Royal Opera House’s backstage creative teams, learning theatre-craft skills including wig-making and make-up artistry. Performance highlights on the day include a programme of dance duets by choreographers Hubert Essakow, Alexander Whitley and Richard Chappell, and a screening of an excerpt of Unspoken Spoken, a film directed and choreographed by Fin Walker for Candoco Dance Company.
Sunday 11 November, ROH Remembers, 2.30pm – 5pm, £5 per person
Make poppies for Remembrance Sunday, take part in a family-friendly tea dance and visit a sound installation featuring the voices of Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev, two of the most celebrated dancers in The Royal Ballet’s history. Performances will explore artistic responses to World War I: members of the Royal Opera Chorus will perform Arvo Pärt’s Magnificat and George Butterworth’s The Lads in their Hundreds; and dancers from New English Ballet Theatre will perform an extract from Wayne Eagling’s new ballet Remembrance. There will also be the opportunity to see Royal Ballet dancers rehearsing Alastair Marriott’s latest work The Unknown Soldier, ahead of its November world premiere. Dance films will also feature, including Young Men by BalletBoyzand The Sun is God by Alice Pennefather.
Sunday 18 November 11am – 1.30pm and 2.30pm – 5pm, £5 per person
Kids will love exploring opera and ballet costumes worn by famous performers past and present, or watching a pop-up retelling of Verdi’s La traviata to discover the tragic love story of Violetta and Alfredo. Everyone from tiny tots to adults can enjoy a concert from Billy’s Band, featuring members of the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. There will also be an open rehearsal of Wayne McGregor’s acclaimed ballet Infra featuring Royal Ballet dancers.
Sunday 25 November 11am – 1.30pm – 2.30pm – 5pm, £5 per person
Get to know characters from the Royal Opera House’s past, including The Royal Ballet’s founder Ninette de Valois, Frederick Gye, who was manager of the Royal Opera House in Victorian times, and others – all are brought to life by actors and theatre director Anna Morrisey. Visitors will be treated to performances by members of the Royal Opera Chorus, Youth Opera Company and The Royal Ballet School. Other performances include work being created for The Royal Ballet’s Draft Works this Season and a new work from Charlotte Edmonds, made in collaboration with artist Hugo Dalton and Royal Ballet dancer Joseph Sissens.
Sunday 25 November, ROH Late 6pm – 9.30pm, £5 per person
ROH Late brings the Month of Sundays Festival to a close on Sunday 25 November with a pub quiz hosted by Impact Dance’s Artistic Director and choreographer Hakeem Onibudo, with the chance to share a cuppa at the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party and watch performances from Lost Dog dance theatre company.
To book tickets for the Month of Sundays Festival visit roh.org.uk/functions/month-of-
The Royal Opera House events programme is generously supported by The Mohn Westlake Foundation.