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Classical Music

Opera and Ballet

The world-famous Royal Opera House is home to the excellent Royal Opera and the Royal Ballet. However, despite some attempts to cut the price, ballet and opera tickets are still often fairly expensive and perhaps more accessible are the performances by the English National Opera. If you are in London between June and August, check out Opera Holland Park which is a summer season of outdoor opera, performed under a large canopy in Holland Park, which presents a selection of well-known and more adventurous operas performed by internationally-acclaimed singers and the City of London Sinfonia.

Address: Covent Garden, WC2
Tel: +44 (0)20 7304 4000
Nearest Tubes: Covent Garden
Web: www.royalopera.org
English National Opera
Address: London Coliseum, St Martin's Lane, WC2
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7632 8300
Nearest Tubes: Charing Cross, Leicester Square
Web: www.eno.org
Address: Holland Park, W8
Tel: +44 (0)845 230 9769
Nearest Tubes: Holland Park, Kensington High Street
Web: www.operahollandpark.com

The Royal Albert Hall stages huge concerts across a broad range of music genres, along with London's annual musical highlight, the summer series of the Proms. Large-scale concerts are staged at the Royal Festival Hall, home of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, whilst the Barbican is home to the London Symphony Orchestra. To hear impeccable chamber music and solo recitals, music connoisseurs should head for the traditional but friendly surroundings of the Wigmore Hall.

Address: Kensington Gore, SW7
Tel: +44 (0)20 7589 8212
Nearest Tubes: South Kensington
Web: www.royalalberthall.com
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Tel: +44 (0)20 7840 4200
Nearest Tubes:
Web: www.lpo.co.uk
London Symphony Orchestra
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7588 1116
Web: www.lso.co.uk
Wigmore Hall
Address: 36 Wigmore Street, W1
Tel: +44 (0)20 7935 2141
Web: www.wigmore-hall.org.uk