Un ballo in maschera - Royal Ballet and Opera at Royal Opera House

The Royal Ballet and Opera bring Verdi's Un ballo in maschera to the Royal Opera House on 30 November, the first of a run that continues through 18 December. It's a brand-new production and the Royal Opera debut of German director Philipp Stölzl, whose work has spanned cinema, theatre and music videos for Pavarotti, Madonna and Mick Jagger. Costumes are by Antony McDonald.

Verdi drew the opera loosely on real history: the assassination of Sweden's King Gustav III (1746-1792) by the nobleman Jacob Johan Anckarström, a death the fortune-teller Madame Ulrica Arvidsson is said to have predicted. The plot follows Gustavo, a powerful man in love with Amelia, the wife of his closest friend Renato, whose jealousy and political intrigue drive the story towards a masked ball, a gunshot and a death. It's sung in Italian with English surtitles and runs about two hours and 50 minutes, including one interval.

The cast features Charles Castronovo, Malin Byström, Aleksei Isaev, Anita Rachvelishvili and Kseniia Nikolaieva, with Jakub Hrůša conducting. The production sits within the Royal Ballet and Opera 2026/27 season, which centres on bold reinterpretations of classics and new creations.

Performances run from 30 November to 18 December, on Monday and Wednesday evenings at 7:00 PM and 7:30 PM. Tickets range from £12 to £318, with the lower end being young RBO prices for selected performances. The venue is The Royal Opera, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London WC2E 9DD.