We are delighted to announce an exciting new partnership between The Royal Ballet and Opera and The Metropolitan Opera, who are joining forces to bring Il Barbiere di Siviglia, the final opera of The Met: Live in HD24/25 Season, into the Royal Ballet and Opera’s 24/25 Cinema Season!
This is the first time that the two leading opera companies in the world are partnering on their in-cinema offering and is an opportunity for RBO loyal audiences to see the Met’s world-class, critically acclaimed production of Il Barbiere di Siviglia, which is sure to be a blockbuster.
A fan-favourite opera by Rossini, Il Barbiere is also ideal for new audiences. The Met production will feature highly theatrical staging under the direction of renowned theatre and opera director, Olivier Award nominee and Tony Award-winner, Bartlett Sher. It is one of the most accessible, entry-level operas and has consistently generated excitement with new audiences.
Barbiere’s casting will also make it a must-see for the RBO’s loyal cinema audiences – Aigul Akhmetshina was in the RBO’s 2024 Carmen (as well as in the Met’s production of the same in 2023/24), which was the RBO’s highest-performing opera title in the 2023/24 cinema and on-stage seasons. Andrey Zhilikhovsky starred as Marcello in the RBO’s 2022 La bohème.