Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

The Orchestra accompanies The Royal Opera and The Royal Ballet on the Main Stage under the music direction of Antonio Pappano (The Royal Opera) and Koen Kessels (The Royal Ballet). 

The Orchestra is renowned worldwide for its outstanding musicians, and the distinguished roster of international conductors with whom it has played. In 2019 they won ‘Opera Orchestra of the Year’ in the International Opera Awards. They have also toured with The Royal Opera to Japan and performed at venues including Symphony Hall (Birmingham), Cadogan Hall and the Vienna Konzerthaus 

The Orchestra accompanies performances that are streamed all over the world, including through cinema screenings and broadcasts. They appear on many CDs and DVDs including Pappano’s acclaimed studio recording of Tristan und Isolde with Plácido Domingo and Nina Stemme. 

The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House was founded in 1946 when the Royal Opera House reopened after World War II.

First Violins

Magnus Johnston
Concert Master

Magnus Johnston

Sergey Levitin
Concert Master

Sergey Levitin

Vasko Vassilev
Principal Guest Concert Master, by arrangement with Trittico

Vasko Vassilev

Melissa Carstairs
Associate Concert Master

Melissa Carstairs

Peter Schulmeister
Associate Concert Master

Peter Schulmeister

Florence Garel
Assistant Concert Master

Florence Garel

Kaoru Yamada
Sub Principal

Kaoru Yamada

Helen Briscoe

Helen Briscoe

Ailsa Hunter

Ailsa Hunter

John Lovell

John Lovell

Katherine Wilson

Katherine Wilson

David Hanesworth

David Hanesworth

David Butler

David Butler

Mark Greensill

Mark Greensill

Amelia Conway-Jones

Amelia Conway-Jones

Jonathan Hartley

Jonathan Hartley

Second Violins

Anna Blackmur
Section Principal

Anna Blackmur

Jan Schmolck
Section Principal

Jan Schmolck

Soh-Yon Kim
Principal

Soh-Yon Kim

Naori Takahashi
Principal

Naori Takahashi

Marion McGowan
Sub Principal

Marion McGowan

Simon Horsman

Simon Horsman

Kathryn Spencer

Kathryn Spencer

Stuart James

Stuart James

Helena Roques

Helena Roques

Ksenia Berezina

Ksenia Berezina

Chloe Boireau

Chloe Boireau

David Chadwick

David Chadwick

Kirsten Shlomowitz

Kirsten Shlomowitz

Violas

Amelie Roussel
Section Principal

Amelie Roussel

Konstantin Boyarsky
Principal

Konstantin Boyarsky

Judith Busbridge
Principal

Judith Busbridge

Rebecca Brown
Sub Principal

Rebecca Brown

Emmanuella Reiter

Emmanuella Reiter

Duncan Commin

Duncan Commin

Lucy Yendole

Lucy Yendole

Felicity Matthews

Felicity Matthews

Cellos

Hetty Snell
Principal

Hetty Snell

Gundula Leitner
Sub Principal

Gundula Leitner

Andrew Gunn
Sub Principal

Andrew Gunn

Liubov Ulybysheva

Liubov Ulybysheva

Tim Hewitt-Jones

Tim Hewitt-Jones

Mark Bethel

Mark Bethel

Lauren Steel

Lauren Steel

Tessa Seymour

Tessa Seymour

Rhydian Shaxson

Rhydian Shaxson

Double Basses

Tony Hougham
Section Principal

Tony Hougham

David Peller
Principal

David Peller

Simon Hetherington

Simon Hetherington

Simon Hallett

Simon Hallett

Martin Vigay

Martin Vigay

Catharina Feyen

Catharina Feyen

Flutes

Katherine Baker
Section Principal

Katherine Baker

Margaret Campbell
Section Principal

Margaret Campbell

Katharine Constable
Sub Principal

Katharine Constable

Piccolos

Christopher Green
Co-principal

Christopher Green

Philip Rowson
Co-principal

Philip Rowson

Oboes

Chris Cowie
Section Principal

Chris Cowie

Margaret Tindale
Sub Principal

Margaret Tindale

Cor Anglais

Alan Garner
Principal

Alan Garner

Clarinet

James Burke
Section Principal

James Burke

Matthew Glendening
Section Principal

Matthew Glendening

E-flat Clarinet

Fergus Morrison
Principal

Fergus Morrison

Bass Clarinet

Marina Finnamore
Principal

Marina Finnamore

Bassoons

Andrea De Flammineis
Section Principal

Andrea De Flammineis

Sarah Andrew
Sub Principal

Sarah Andrew

Horns

Philip Munds
Section Principal

Philip Munds

David Pyatt
Section Principal

David Pyatt

Huw Evans
Principal

Huw Evans

Roger Montgomery
Principal

Roger Montgomery

Richard Bissill
Sub Principal

Richard Bissill

Jonathan Durrant
Sub Principal

Jonathan Durrant

Richard Kennedy
Sub Principal

Richard Kennedy

Trumpets

Nicholas Betts
Section Principal

Nicholas Betts

David Carstairs
Sub Principal

David Carstairs

John Shaddock
Sub Principal

John Shaddock

Cornet

Daniel Newell
Principal

Daniel Newell

Trombones

Lindsay Shilling
Section Principal

Lindsay Shilling

Michael Hext
Sub Principal

Michael Hext

Robert Holliday
Sub Principal

Robert Holliday

Bass Trombones

Patrick Jackman
Principal

Patrick Jackman

Keith McNicoll
Principal

Keith McNicoll

Tuba

Michael Levis
Principal

Michael Levis

Timpani

Russell Jordan
Section Principal

Russell Jordan

Chris Ridley
Associate Principal

Chris Ridley

Simon Archer
Principal

Simon Archer

Percussion

Henry Baldwin
Section Principal

Henry Baldwin

Simon Archer
Principal

Simon Archer

Nigel Charman
Principal

Nigel Charman

Nicholas Ormrod
Principal

Nicholas Ormrod

Harps

Emma Granger
Co-principal

Emma Granger

Lucy Wakeford
Co-principal

Lucy Wakeford

Orchestra Director

Helen Dunne

Orchestra Manager

Claire Bayliss

Assistant Orchestra Managers

  • Helena Archer
  • Kirsten Cross

Orchestra Administration and Project Coordinator

Rebecca Newman

Management Accountant

Fabio Lodato

Orchestra Production Manager

Ross Hendrie

Orchestra Operations Manager

Nick Burke

Assistant Orchestra Operations Managers

  • Chloe Miller
  • Bethany Wickens

Music Library Managers

  • Julie Cook
  • Tony Rickard

Music Librarians

  • Hannah Gray
  • Robin Gordon-Powell
  • Emma Syrus

Music Librarian/Music Library Assistant

Arianne Bennett

Overture: Orchestra Mentorship

18-25? Sign up to be part of our mentorship programme.

We are offering young musicians the opportunity to be mentored by a member of the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House.

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Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation, a charitable company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales (Company number 480523) Charity Registered (Number 211775)