Pride of the ROH
Pride of the ROH
Pride of the ROH
Explore the rich contributions made by the LGBTQ+ icons who have helped shape The Royal Ballet and Opera.
Explore the rich contributions made by the LGBTQ+ icons who have helped shape The Royal Ballet and Opera.
Explore the rich contributions made by the LGBTQ+ icons who have helped shape The Royal Ballet and Opera.
If you have any access requirements for your tour, please contact tours@roh.org.uk after booking so we can deliver the necessary arrangements.
Looking to have this tour as private experience for you and your group? Or perhaps you need this tour run in a different language? We offer bespoke private tours to suit you. Find out more about booking private tours.
On the day of your tour, you will receive 10% off in the Royal Ballet and Opera Shop and Royal Opera House café. Simply show your tour ticket at the till, valid on the day of your tour. After your tour, you'll receive an email providing one month's access to RBOStream for £1.00.
Discover more tours, how to get to the tour venues and in-depth accessibility information.
Background
From the enduring legacy of choreographer Frederick Ashton and composer George Frideric Handel, who challenged traditional gender boundaries, to the vibrant history of queer performers in Covent Garden, this tour immerses you in the transformative moments that have advanced LGBTQ+ representation in the performing arts.
Discover the trailblazing figures who have been part of The Royal Ballet and Opera’s history; from the first female composer to be awarded a Damehood in England, a proud lesbian who defied gender norms in music, to a ballerina whose career faced upheaval after performing a masculine character in drag. Delve into riveting tales like Rudolph Nureyev’s dramatic 1961 defection from Russia and his legendary partnership with Dame Margot Fonteyn.
During this 75-minute tour, explore how composers and choreographers have pushed the boundaries of gender roles on stage for centuries, from cross-dressing characters in ballets to the enduring tradition of trouser roles in operas.
This tour is available all year round. New dates are added on a rolling basis. Please check back in the coming months for updated availability.
Important information about your tour
- The meeting point for this tour is the Ground Floor cloakroom of the Royal Opera House.
- Latecomers will not be admitted.
- As the Royal Opera House is a working theatre each tour provides a unique experience and content may vary according to what spaces are available on the day.
- We may be using headsets on our tours, so you don’t miss any important information from our guides. All equipment is fully sanitised after each tour. You can use your own headphones if you wish. Please note headphones need to have a standard jack connection to be used with our devices.
- Contact-free bag checks will be in operation when you enter the building.
Access
This tour takes you through different areas of the Royal Opera House, including long corridors, stairs, escalators and lifts. The flooring is also different depending on where you are in the building – some floors are smooth and tiled or wooden, some are carpeted.
Because we are a working theatre, there are areas that won’t always be available to us, which means each tour will take a different route. The spaces we travel through can sometimes be busy and loud.
Our tour guides use descriptive language which helps to paint a picture for blind and partially sighted visitors.
Please get in touch at boxoffice@roh.org.uk after booking to let us know your access requirements so we can make sure you have the best experience on your visit. We can help plan the tour if you require step-free and wheelchair access, if you prefer to avoid areas with views from a height, if you need to use the hearing loop or if you need to take regular breaks. Unfortunately, our hearing loops aren't compatible with Bluetooth.
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The Royal Ballet and Opera is a charity and relies on your support. No matter the size, every gift is critical to our work and helps us to secure the future of ballet and opera.
Your donation will enable us to keep extraordinary work on our stages, inspire the next generation and support the Royal Ballet and Opera's community of artists, technicians and craftspeople.
For people, not profit. Making world class ballet and opera for everyone.
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