Philanthropic engagement
By making a philanthropic gift to the Royal Ballet and Opera you will be providing vital support for our work, helping us to secure the future of ballet, opera, dance and music.
The Royal Ballet and Opera relies on many individuals, companies, Trusts and Foundations to make our work possible.
Philanthropy from individuals supports our community of dancers, singers, musicians, craftspeople and theatre technicians and enables our artistic companies to continue to go from strength to strength. The Royal Ballet and Opera and its artistic companies present around 500 performances every year that challenge, inspire and transport hundreds of thousands of audiences via our two world-class theatres in Covent Garden and through cinema relays across the United Kingdom and internationally. By supporting the Royal Ballet and Opera you can play an important role in ensuring we can continue to perform the ballet and opera you love.
Our Learning and Participation programme plays a vital role in enabling wider access to ballet and opera, and in building and diversifying the art forms. Recognising our global reach and leadership role within the UK arts sector, it is the ambition of the Royal Ballet and Opera to be a leader in environmental sustainability and to act as a catalyst for positive change in this field.
We are committed to reaching net zero emissions by 2035. We are able to do this, thanks in part, to the great generosity of so many valued Royal Ballet and Opera philanthropists.
The Royal Ballet and Opera continues to face financial challenges, including a substantial real-terms cut in our Arts Council of England funding, inflationary pressures and geo-political instability. However, we are determined to remain at the heart of the cultural life of the nation, maintaining and expanding our reputation for excellence. We are able to do this with the generous support of many donors.
We warmly invite our philanthropists to get closer to the work and artists of The Royal Ballet and Opera and deepen their knowledge of the art forms by joining us for special events throughout the Season*, featuring our artistic leadership teams and some of the brightest stars from the worlds of ballet and opera.
We also welcome the opportunity to discuss more bespoke levels of involvement.
Support a Circle
The Aria Circle
The Aria Circle is a new philanthropic initiative that brings together opera lovers for a series of events each Season. With exclusive insights into The Royal Opera’s work, involvement in the Circle serves to deepen knowledge and enjoyment of the Company. In the 2024/25 Season, the Aria Circle will support George Frederic Handel’s Semele - a new production staged by Director of The Royal Opera Oliver Mears.
Supporters will be offered a unique programme of involvement, including access to private working rehearsals, conversations with artists and an evening around a performance of Festen.
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For more information or to join the Aria Circle, please contact Laura Giacobbe at laura.giacobbe@roh.org.uk or call +44 (0)20 7212 9728.
The Fonteyn Circle
Named after Prima Ballerina Assoluta, Margot Fonteyn, this philanthropic initiative brings together a community of ballet lovers who are at the heart of supporting The Royal Ballet. In the 2024/25 Season, the Fonteyn Circle’s generosity will be acknowledged towards the performances of Onegin.
Supporters will enjoy exclusive engagement that illuminates the extraordinary world of The Royal Ballet on stage and behind-the-scenes. From access to private stage rehearsals, intimate in-conversation evenings, opportunities to meet and speak with members of the Company and celebrations around performances.
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For more information or to join the Fonteyn Circle, please contact Michael Adamson at michael.adamson@roh.org.uk or call +44 (0)20 7212 9648.
The Maestri's Circle
The Maestri’s Circle is a philanthropic initiative which brings together music lovers who wish to learn more about the extraordinary work of four conductors: Music Director Designate of The Royal Opera Jakub Hrůša, Music Director of The Royal Ballet Koen Kessels, Principal Guest Conductor Designate Speranza Scappucci and Maestro Antonio Pappano.
Supporters of the Circle are offered a unique programme of involvement, including access to private working rehearsals, an evening of conversation with our Maestri and a celebratory evening around a performance
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For more information or to join the Maestri’s Circle, please contact Laura Giacobbe at laura.giacobbe@roh.org.uk or call +44 (0)20 7212 9728.
The Wagner Circle
The Wagner Circle is a philanthropic initiative that brings together Wagner lovers for a series of events each Season. With exclusive insights into The Royal Opera’s work, involvement in the Circle serves to deepen knowledge and enjoyment of the one of the most significant figures in opera.
Supporters will be offered a unique programme of involvement, including access to private working rehearsals, conversations with artists and an evening around a performance of Die Walküre.
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For more information or to join the Wagner Circle, please contact David Bean at david.bean@roh.org.uk or call +44 (0)20 7212 9175.
Young Philanthropists
Join the Young Philanthropists
The RBO Young Philanthropists is a philanthropic initiative that brings together a community of young opera and ballet lovers in support of exceptional music and dance. In the 2024/25 Season, RBO Young Philanthropists’ generosity will be acknowledged towards The Royal Opera’s new production of The Tales of Hoffmann.
Supporters will be offered a unique programme of involvement, including access to private working rehearsals, conversations with artists and Creative Teams and a celebratory evening around a performance of Ballet to Broadway: Wheeldon Works.
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For more information or to join the Young Philanthropists, please contact David Bean at david.bean@roh.org.uk or call +44 (0)20 7212 9175.
At Home Series
The At Home Series offers philanthropists the opportunity to host and meet international artists at a series of intimate discussions in the comfortable setting of private central London homes.
In four events across the Season, supporters of this philanthropic initiative will deepen their involvement with the Royal Ballet and Opera and expand their knowledge of our art forms by hearing from the artists who grace our Covent Garden stages.
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For more information please contact Callum Shaw at callum.shaw@roh.org.uk or call +44 (0)20 7212 9398.
Support a Production
Supporting a production is an incredible opportunity to get closer to favourite ballets and operas, whilst helping us to continue presenting world-class heritage and contemporary works. Through philanthropic giving, production supporters can enjoy seeing the lifecycle of a production, from the initial conception through to curtain down. Involvement includes invitations to a specially-curated series of events, as well as bespoke opportunities to meet with artists and members of the creative teams and visit our technical departments.
Donors can also support a specific role in an opera or ballet. Role supporters enjoy a tailored programme of involvement around their chosen role, including invitations to watch studio and stage rehearsals as artists prepare for performances.
Production Syndicates
Our Production Syndicates offer groups of like-minded supporters the opportunity to come together and be a part of their favourite production.
Syndicate supporters are invited to attend events such as design and music insights, conversations with artists and post-performance celebrations with members of the cast, creative and technical teams, all of whom offer a real insight into how the elements of a production come together.
Support an Initiative
Learning and Participation
The arts have unique powers to inspire people, to make connections between people and to unlock creativity in all aspects of people’s lives. The Royal Opera House demonstrates this every night on our stages, in cinemas and via Royal Ballet and Opera Stream. We also highlight the importance of art to people’s lives in classrooms and in community groups across the country.
Our Learning and Participation programme has for many years played a vital role in enabling wider access to ballet and opera, and in building and diversifying the art forms. For more information please contact Laura Giacobbe.
Environment and Sustainability
It is the ambition of the Royal Ballet and Opera to be a leader in environmental sustainability and to act as a catalyst for positive change in this field. Recognising our global reach and leadership role within the UK arts sector, we embrace our responsibility and obligation to reduce our impact on the environment and we aim to engage with our audiences, staff, suppliers and partners to raise awareness about sustainability issues.
The Royal Ballet and Opera is committed to reaching net zero emissions by 2035.
You can find out more about the sustainable practices we have in place to make our building, operations, productions and staffing more sustainable in our Environmental Policy.
We welcome philanthropic support for this area of our work. For more information please contact Jessica Rigby.
American Friends of Covent Garden
Join the American Friends of Covent Garden
If you are based in the USA, or are a taxpayer in the USA, you can join the American Friends of Covent Garden (AFoCG). A not-for-profit organisation that raises visibility and provides support for the Royal Ballet and Opera, the AFoCG brings together lovers of ballet and opera – individuals, philanthropists, entrepreneurs, foundations and corporations from across America and around the globe – to enjoy and support the arts, cultural, educational and Learning and Participation programmes of the Royal Ballet and Opera.
American Friends, Patrons and philanthropists receive a variety of benefits in acknowledgment of their support and our philanthropic initiatives, above, are also available to those supporting the AFoCG. Through grants awarded to the Royal Opera House three times a year, the AFoCG supports productions, often co-productions with opera houses or ballet companies around the world. The AFoCG also help to enable our educational, outreach and talent development programmes.
The AFoCG is a 501(c)(3) organisation, so all donations made by US taxpayers are tax-deductible to the full extent provided by the IRS.
*Events are subject to change.
Payments to Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation, a charitable company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales (Company number 480523) Charity Registered (Number 211775). VAT Registration No. 769 377565.
Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation, a charitable company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales (Company number 480523) Charity Registered (Number 211775)