Backstage at the Royal Opera House

We reported previously about our visit last year to the Royal Opera House Workshops at Purfleet in Essex.  Initially located on the site of the Olympic Park, the Royal Opera House (ROH) Workshops moved to Becton and finally to their new home set in the High House Production Park at Purfleet in the shadow of the Dartford Crossing but also amongst Grade 2 listed buildings.  The workshops are a partnership with South Essex college.

This whet our appetites and thanks to Rotarian Trevor Bond, Friday May 27, 2016 saw 21 club members, partners and friends visit the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden London for an official back-stage tour. We assembled at the Opera House for a 12.30 start and were given a potted history of the institution and had the busts and pictures of some of its founders and principals over the years, pointed out to us.  Then we were taken on a tour behind the scenes, from the level below the stage to five levels above.  We saw the rehearsal rooms (where we saw dancers preparing for the forthcoming Ballet of Romeo and Juliet), the costume rooms and then even the auditorium.

Finally a view of the back-stage areas from "on-high" and a short video explained and demonstrated how stage scenery is moved around so that the Opera House can have three set changes per performance, and even, different events with different scenery on every day of the week.  Fascinating!

Tour over, a short walk to a local hostelry for a very good meal before returning home.

A great day out.