London's Royal Opera House
Historic Building, Cultural Center, Home to Great Artists
The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (known as ROH), is one of London's great treasures. It has survived two disastrous fires, two world wars and numerous other disturbances. Its history is as fascinating and colorful as anything presented on its stages.
Pasture becomes Urban Space
Covent Garden was originally Convent Garden - land farmed by the monks of Westminster Abbey. In 1632, Inigo Jones built the first public square in Britain there for the Earl of Bedford, with support from King Charles I. The famous fruit and vegetable market started in 1649, but the Opera House's history didn't begin until 1732.
It was built on the profits from a hit musical, The Beggar's Opera. Actor/manager John Rich used his share to build a new theatre, the first on the site. The Theatre Royal Covent Garden opened on 7 December 1732 with Congreve's satire The Way of the World. For the first hundred years it focused on drama. It was especially renowned for its pantomimes, which were presented at Covent Garden until the Second World War. The last Covent Garden panto played to packed houses in the winter of 1938/9.
Handel brings Opera to Covent Garden
Georg Frideric Handel was the first composer to bring opera to the Theatre Royal Covent Garden. From November 1734, Handel seasons and premieres (including the London premiere of The Messiah) were regular features at the theatre, and he installed his own organ there. The great man was so fond of Rich that on his death in 1759 he left the organ to him. It remained in pride of place onstage until the theatre and its contents were completely destroyed by fire in 1808.
Rising from the Ashes with a New Repertoire
Rebuilding began the same year, with the Prince of Wales (later George IV) laying the foundation stone on 31 December. Less than a year later, on 18 September 1809, the new Theatre Royal Covent Garden reopened with an unusual double bill - Shakespeare's Macbeth and a musical, The Quaker. Georgian audiences had eclectic tastes. A night at the opera in Jane Austen's time also included serious drama, ballet, light music and acrobats. Seat prices were raised to pay for the rebuilding, but audiences rioted until they were reduced.
A Return to Opera
It wasn't until 1846 that the Theatre Royal gave its allegiance to opera once again. It was completely remodelled. A famous Italian company moved in, changing the house name to the Royal Italian Opera. It reopened in 1847 with a gala performance of Rossini's Semiramide. Disaster struck when the theatre was again destroyed by fire in March 1856. It re-opened on 15 May 1858, this time with Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots.
Hard Times and Revival
The ROH acquired its current name in 1892. The first half of the 20th century was not its finest hour. It was requisitioned during World War I for storage, and later used for cabaret, lectures and tea dances. During World War II it was a popular dance hall.
Peacetime saw a revival of the arts in Britain, and the ROH was reopened in 1946 with a performance of Tchaikovsky's ballet Sleeping Beauty. Opera returned later the same year and the two companies shared the house, an arrangement that continues to this day.
Rising like a phoenix from the ashes of its turbulent past, the ROH was again transformed in a rebuilding programme from 1996-1999. Reopening on 4 December 1999, it's a state-of-the-art theatre offering facilities for major productions as well as much to interest daytime vistors. Drop in when you're in London.
Sources and further reading
Survey of London volume 35 - Hermione Hobouse (ed), pub. Continuum, Athlone, 2004
The Royal Opera House Covent Garden - Clive Boursell, pub. Michael Joseph, London, 1982
A History of the Royal Opera House - Andrew Saint, pub. Hamish Hamilton, London, 1982
In and Around Covent Garden magazine, pub. In and Around Limited, London, 1992-
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