Insights

Watch on Stage

Join us for this Season of Insights, which includes exclusive talks, masterclasses and in-conversations with a variety of special guests. Insights are programmed regularly so check back for more information.

Upcoming opera and music Insights

The stage is set to look like a neon-lit dirty kitchen filled with boxes of Lucky Charms cereal. A character wearing a green faux-fur coat, baggy taupe-coloured trousers, a pink baseball cap and white 60s style framed sunglasses sit on the counter pouring milk into a large bowl containing cereal. Below them sits another performer wearing a black puffer jacket, shorts, a black baseball cap and sunglasses. They are sitting against an open fridge. Another performer looks to be asleep on the floor with a blanket covering them over.

Linbury Theatre
Opera and music

Insights: Last Days

Join composer Oliver Leith and librettist/co-director Matt Copson in discussion of their acclaimed opera Last Days, which returns to the Linbury Theatre following a sold-out run.

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Linbury Theatre
Opera and music

Insights: Masterclass with Ermonela Jaho

Soprano Ermonela Jaho leads this singing masterclass with Jette Parker Artists.

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A performer wearing a bucket on their head and ragged clothes stands in the centre surrounded by dozens of small children, also wearing ragged and dirty clothes.

Clore Studio
Opera and music

Insights: Boris Godunov

Join cast and creatives as they explore Richard Jones’ acclaimed staging of Mussorgsky’s brooding opera.

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The Soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen wears her long blonde hair down and stares at the camera wearing a black jacket.

Clore Studio
Opera and music

Insights: Masterclass with Rachel Willis-Sørensen

Soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen leads a masterclass with artists from National Opera Studio.

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The conductor Antonio Pappano sits on a chair behind a music stand. He holds a baton in his right hand. The opera director Barrie Kosky sits next to him.

Linbury Theatre
Opera and music

Insights: In Conversation with Antonio Pappano and Barrie Kosky

Stephen Fry leads Antonio Pappano and Barrie Kosky in conversation as they discuss the themes and inspirations behind the third chapter of Wagner's Ring cycle, Siegfried.

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The tenor Allan Clayton is performing as Peter Grimes in The Royal Opera’s Peter Grimes. He is barefoot, lying on the stage dressed in dirty yellow fishing overalls, a dark blue plaid shirt and a navy beanie hat, as though he is asleep. Fishing nets are draped over his body like a blanket. Behind him a chorus of performers stands in darkness holding torches.

Clore Studio
Opera and music

Insights: Discovering Britten

Join cast and creatives from The Royal Opera's productions of Turn of the Screw and Peter Grimes in discussion of the works by Benjamin Britten.

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A group of nine people in formal attire pose against a backdrop of hanging fabrics in various colours.

Clore Studio
Opera and music

Insights: Three Chamber Operas

Join the Jette Parker Artists as they prepare to bring their annual performance to the Linbury Theatre Stage.

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A chorus of singers stand on a stairs on a stage with their arms raised in the air, they are holding up a book with has a gold star embossed on the front. At the centre front, a character wearing red trousers lunges forward holding their chest. Behind them on the stairs leading up are two others, one has their right arm in the air holding up what looks like a knife. The character behind them leans on a crutch.

Clore Studio
Opera and music

Insights: Samson et Dalila

Ahead of the return of Richard Jones’ vibrant production of Camille Saint-Saëns’ opera, cast and creatives explore this biblical epic of faith and loyalty.

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A white woman in an off-the-shoulder, ivory satin gown stands against a dark, smoky background. Her long, wavy hair falls loosely over her shoulders, and she gazes softly forward with a pensive and exhausted expression, illuminated by gentle, diffused light. The air is thick with what looks like battle smoke. The woman represents Elvira in Richard Jones’ production of I Puritani.

Clore Studio
Opera and music

Insights: I puritani

Join cast and creatives from Richard Jones’ new production of I puritani as they discuss Bellini's final opera.

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Upcoming ballet and dance Insights

Resident Choreographer of The Royal Ballet Wayne McGregor stands with his right hand to his chin in the centre of a dance rehearsal studio. Dancers around him are artistically blurred as if in movement.

Clore Studio
Ballet and dance

Insights: Woolf Works

Join Royal Ballet dancers and coaches as they rehearse for the return of Wayne McGregor’s Woolf Works.

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The dancer Jessica Ferretti wears a brown, black, green and orange floral dress, black tights, heeled jazz shoes and a red flower holding up long ponytailed hair. She holds a pose where she squats with her legs bent at the knees and her hands are on both thighs. Flanking her either side are dancers in couples holding tight to one another. Some are wearing the same dress, and some are wearing black pinstripe trousers and black vests.

Clore Studio
Ballet and dance

Insights: American Modern Dance

Explore the rich history of American modern dance in this special Insight which celebrates upcoming performances by York Dance Project, Paul Taylor Dance Company and The Royal Ballet.

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Ten ballet dancers stand in a bare studio, each wearing different types of rehearsal dance clothes. They are performers in The Royal Ballet’s Ballet Black.

Clore Studio
Ballet and dance

Insights: Ballet Black – 25 years

As Ballet Black celebrates 25 years, join cast and creatives for this special Insight exploring Cassa Pancho's dynamic company.

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Two people wearing all black clothing sit on the floor of a wooden paneled room – one wears a long leather jacket. The top half of the room is light coloured panel and the bottom half is dark coloured paneling. The image is black and white and is from a press shoot for Sol León and Paul Lightfoot’s production So are We at The Royal Ballet.

Clore Studio
Ballet and dance

Insights: So Are We – León and Lightfoot

Join dancers and creatives behind So Are We: León and Lightfoot in conversation about this exciting and stirring mixed programme which comes to the Main Stage in June.

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Upcoming In rehearsal

Main Stage
Opera and music

Insights: The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House in Rehearsal – Rigoletto

16 March 2026

Join Sir Mark Elder as he leads members of the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House in a rehearsal of Verdi's Rigoletto.

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The Royal Ballet Dancer Fumi Kaneko performs in the centre of the stage of The Royal Opera House to an audience that are visible from the back of the stage. She launches herself into the air with her right leg straight ahead and her toes en pointe and her left leg behind her to create a line. Her right arm is stretched outwards above her shoulders and her left arm stretched out behind to follow the same line shape as her legs. In front of her stands a

Main Stage
Ballet and dance

The Royal Ballet Class on Stage

Get a glimpse into the daily life of the dancers of The Royal Ballet as they take class on the Main Stage.

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A photograph of a ballet dancer sitting on the floor of a ballet studio as another person stands behind them

Multiple venues
Ballet and dance

Insights: The Royal Ballet in Rehearsal

5 February - 5 May 2026

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Watch on Stream

Watch previous Insights, rehearsals and more behind-the-scenes content on Royal Ballet and Opera Stream.

An actor playing Tosca in Oliver Mears’ production of Tosca stands in a dramatic red gown against a marble-textured wall. Her hands are pressed above her head and her body angled towards it, while parts of the wall appear to be cracking around her. A strong diagonal shadow casts across the wall, adding depth and tension to the composition. The setting is abstract and theatrical, with cool-toned lighting contrasting against the flowing red fabric.

Online only
Opera and music

Stream Tosca (2025): Insights

Cast and creatives discuss Oliver Mears' bold new production of Tosca.

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A flatlay on a light brown wooden surface of 4 images of the same person in different styles: the first is a painted style and they wear their long brown hair down, the second is a black and white photograph with their hair up, the third is a retor-style photograph with 70s brown tones and the fourth is an image of the same person on a smart phone screen.

Online only
Opera and music

Stream The Makropulos Case (2025): Insights

Cast and creatives discuss Katie Mitchell's new production of Janáček’s haunting and enigmatic masterpiece.

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10 ballet dancers stand on a blue-set stage holding their right arms in the air. In the centre, there are 5 dancers and either side of hte stage are three dancers - all are wearing skirts. The dancer at the front is being held by the waist by another dancer wearing blue trousers and top.

Online only
Ballet and dance

Stream Insights: Patricia Neary, Balanchine and The Royal Ballet

This special Insights event celebrates Patricia Neary’s long association with The Royal Ballet.

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two dancers embrace under a light. Their shadows are behind them and are coloured pink green and yellow

Online only
Ballet and dance

Stream Ballet to Broadway: Insight

This special Insight brings together creatives and dancers of The Royal Ballet to discuss Ballet to Broadway.

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Become a Friend for early access to Insights tickets and more behind-the-scenes content and exclusive content from the Royal Ballet and Opera.

Become a Friend

Discover more about our productions through a variety of talks, workshops and events, showcasing the world-class artists and creators working on stage and behind the scenes at the Royal Opera House.

Events include open rehearsals, in-conversations, pre-performance talks, behind-the-scenes demonstrations, and interactive workshops.

Supporters

Insights are generously supported by The Paul Hamlyn Education Trust

Opera Insights in partnership with

Principal Partner, The Royal Opera