Royal Ballet and Opera and The Metropolitan Opera join forces with new cinema collaboration
By the Royal Ballet and Opera
Thursday 5 December 2024
For the first time, the Royal Ballet and Opera and The Metropolitan Opera are joining forces for their cinema seasons on their respective home turfs, giving more audiences in both the UK and US the opportunity to see much loved opera and ballet productions from each world-leading company.
The first-of-its kind collaboration will increase the reach of each company to hundreds more cinemas. As a result of this partnership, the Royal Ballet and Opera will broadcast The Met’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia to a larger number of screens in the UK than are currently carrying The Met's cinema season. The Met Opera’s will broadcast The Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker in the US. Both productions will be broadcast to more than 500 cinemas.
“We’re absolutely delighted to be working with The Metropolitan Opera to improve access to some of the world’s best ballet and opera. This first of its kind partnership will unlock audiences on both sides of the Atlantic, so even more people can enjoy performances from our world-class Companies in their own hometowns.”
Over the holidays, US audiences will be enchanted by The Royal Ballet’s festive classic, The Nutcracker. This much-loved production was recorded in 2023 and will be screened in US cinemas, just in time for Christmas, on 22 and 23 December 2024. The cast includes Royal Ballet Soloists Sophie Allnatt as Clara and Leo Dixon as her enchanted Nutcracker/Hans-Peter. The Sugar Plum Fairy and her Prince are performed by Royal Ballet Principal dancers Anna Rose O’Sullivan and Marcelino Sambé.
On Tuesday 3 June 2025, UK audiences will be transported to the sun-drenched streets of 18-century Seville as Bartlett Sher’s witty production of Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia comes to the big screen. The Met Opera’s stellar cast features former Royal Opera Jette Parker Young Artist, Aigul Akhmetshina (Rosina), Jack Swanson (Count Almaviva) in his Met debut, Andrey Zhilikhovsky (Figaro), Peter Kálmán (Dr. Bartolo) and Alexander Vinogradov (Don Basilio), all under the baton of Giacomo Sagripanti.
“This partnership will result in more opera lovers in the UK enjoying the Met and more ballet lovers in the US enjoying The Royal Ballet, a positive development for both of our companies.”
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