Royal Opera House Thurrock Community Chorus adds its voice to help get everyone in on the act
Members of the Royal Opera House Thurrock Community Chorus travelled to Covent Garden on Thursday 20 September to help celebrate as the Royal Opera House opened the doors to its transformed new home after an extensive three year construction project.
64 members of the ROH Thurrock Community Chorus performed in the Paul Hamlyn Hall to open an evening event, singing to special guests invited to see the new spaces. They performed I Arrive, a piece they premiered at the Windrush celebrations at Tilbury Port recently. It features opera choruses from three very well-known operas: Fuoco di Gioia from Otello and Chorus of the Scottish Refugees from Macbeth, both written by Verdi and the Prisoners’ Chorus, from Beethoven’s Fidelio. These three pieces weave together to create a story of arrival in a new place.
The event marked the opening to the public of inviting new entrances, extended foyers and terraces, a new café, bar and restaurant in the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. With these new facilities, together with an extensive programme of ticketed and free daytime events, activities and festivals for people of all ages, the Royal Opera House is now, for the first time, open to the public every day from 10am.
At the heart of this project is a brand new Linbury Theatre, the West End’s newest and most intimate theatre, providing an additional world-class stage for The Royal Ballet, The Royal Opera and a host of internationally celebrated artists and partners. In its inaugural Season, the Linbury Theatre showcases an astonishing range of work, from classics of the 18th century to 21st-century world premieres, with 25 per cent of seats priced at £25 or less.
Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House, Alex Beard, said:
“We are always delighted to have the Royal Opera House Thurrock Community Chorus perform in Covent Garden, and particularly so as we open the doors to our transformed home. Our brand new entrances, extended foyers and terraces, new café, new bar and restaurant, Linbury Theatre, refurbished Clore Studio as well as extensive programme of daytime events, activities and festivals, make the Royal Opera House London’s newest day time destination. Open every day from 10am, we want as many people as possible to experience our art forms and get a taste of the remarkable creativity at play here.”
The elegant, newly created spaces will be brought alive with a year-round day time programme of events, activities and festivals giving a taste of the Royal Opera House: from the mastery of backstage theatrecraft, to guest artist performances and immersive events. The new front of house displays will include stunning costumes charting some famous moments in the history of The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera. The new exhibitions and displays illustrate the creative skills of the Royal Opera House’s craftspeople working at The Bob and Tamar Manoukian Construction Centre and Production Workshop in Purfleet.
