Parts of the Opera House are amazing; the glass orangery bar on the first floor, the ceiling of the main auditorium & some friendly staff in the shop. Sadly however this is where the good bits end!

When making a booking; The seat finder lists any view obstructions & armrest availability & includes a guide photo of the view; but it fails miserably to inform about the lack of ventilation in the amphitheater (cheap seats) leading to inhumane temperatures which actually caused a young lady to collapse with heat exhaustion during the first act!

As for the particular show “Madama Butterfly” it was riddled with negatives; Poor production value, nothing to woo or wow the audience, a dull lack lustre production with unremarkable scenery & costume awash with a depressing sea of unimaginative 50 shades of beige. The disappointment continued with a plethora of orchestral blunders particularly from the drums & further diminished by the stifling heat in the auditorium.

I have had the privilege to attend a diverse array of West End (& regional) productions, musicals, plays & operatic performances & none were as poorly produced as this version of Madama Butterfly - even a production with 1 actor, minimal props, no orchestra & no music was more visually & audibly stimulating than this! Equally, I have yet to experience such a poor environment, lack of air & inhospitable temperatures the Opera House delivers - even in far more humble venues!

Save yourself the discomfort & money: visit a street performer in Covent Garden - it’ll be better, more visually appealing & more comfortable than a visit to the Royal Opera House. Such a disappointment.