Royal Opera House London, England
Listed Building Data
Royal Opera House has been designated a Grade I listed building in England with the following information, which has been imported from the National Heritage List for England. Please note that not all available data may be shown here, minor errors and/or formatting may have occurred during transcription, and some information may have become outdated since listing.
- List Entry ID
- 1066392
- Listing Type
- listed building
- Grade
- I
- Date Listed
- 9 January 1970
- Name
- ROYAL OPERA HOUSE
- Location
- ROYAL OPERA HOUSE, BOW STREET WC2ROYAL OPERA HOUSE, FLORAL STREET WC2
- District
- City of Westminster
- County
- Greater London Authority
- Grid Reference
- TQ 30362 81019
- Easting
- 530362.0000
- Northing
- 181019.0000
Listed Building Description
Text courtesy of Historic England. © Crown Copyright, reprinted under the Open Government License.
TQ 3080 NW and 3081 SW CITY OF WESTMINSTER BOW STREET, WC2 59/22 ;72/ 5 9.1.70 Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
G.V. I
Opera house. Rebuild of 1857-58 by E.M. Barry. Stucco and stone, slate roof. Monumental Augustan classicism tinged with Italiante. Front 7 bays wide. Imposing, pedimented, giant Corinthian hexastyle portico raised on tall rusticated podium now with foyer doors but originally a porte cochere. The flanking bays are framed by coupled giant pilasters and contain on portico level niches with statues of Melpomene and Thalia by Rossi whilst behind the portico is a long and partially altered bas relief frieze by Flaxman salvaged from Smirke's theatre of 1808-9. Prominent crowning cornice and panelled parapet surmounted by urn finials. The balcony level of portico has had a later C.19 crush bar conservatory inserted. Return elevations articulated by plain giant pilasters above podium. Very fine interior and auditorium with few alterations to Barry's scheme, horse-shoe tiers beneath saucer dome on elliptical arches and pendentives, enriched proscenium, the sounding board with relief ornament; rich plasterwork etc. Stage retains most extensive installation of Asphaleria machinery in London: 1899-1902 by Edwin O. Sachs. Present building the successor of Theatres Royal and Operas since 1731, still under Royal patent. Stuccoed extension in same style to west with fly tower, 1980.
Survey of London; Vol. XXXV.
Listing NGR: TQ3036281019
