Behind-the-scenes-tour of the Royal Opera House

Some 20 ES members came along to the fascinating behind-the-scenes tour of the Royal Opera House. Tour guide James was in charge and, with headphones in place, we explored the non-public areas of this extraordinary building. The massive backstage and the equally massive operation which is undertaken to produce the highest-quality productions are truly awesome. Rehearsal studios, costumes, production workshops, auditorium; nothing was off limits. It was a 75-minute tour-de-force: an eye-opener onto what happens behind the velvet curtain.