Royal Ballet & Opera to Collaborate with The Metropolitan Opera for Cinema Broadcasts

The transatlantic collaboration will broaden the offerings available in both the UK and the USA

The UK's Royal Ballet & Opera (RBO) and The Metropolitan Opera have announced that they will join forces for cinema broadcasts, with each company using the other's cinema partner to expand audience access to cinema releases of operatic performances.

RBO’s cinema partner Trafalgar Releasing is set to broadcast The Met’s performance of Il Barbiere di Siviglia to a much larger number of UK cinemas than currently have access to Met performances — and the Met's American cinema partner, Fathom, will broadcast The Royal Ballet’s performance of The Nutcracker. Both releases will be available in more than 500 cinemas.

Bartlett Sher’s production of Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia will be available on June 3, 2025. The 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.

The Nutcracker will be broadcast on 22 and 23 December, in keeping with its Christmas theme. The 2023 recording of a 1984 production features Royal Ballet Soloists Sophie Allnatt as Clara and Leo Dixon as the Nutcracker, while the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Prince are performed by Royal Ballet Principal dancers Anna Rose O’Sullivan and Marcelino Sambé.

"We’re absolutely delighted to be working with The Metropolitan Opera to improve access to some of the world’s best ballet and opera," said Alex Beard, CEO of the RBO. "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."

"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," said Peter Gelb, general manager of the Met.

(Photo courtesy: Metropolitan Opera)