The Britten Theatre is one of London’s best-loved opera venues. Its responsive acoustics and intimate auditorium are appreciated by performers and audiences alike.
The theatre, named after Benjamin Britten, a former student of the RCM, was designed by Sir Hugh Casson in the style of an Italian opera theatre with a proscenium arch, orchestra pit and counterweight flying system. The theatre boasts a lighting rig of intelligent LED fixtures and an additional stock of lighting available to hire.
With excellent technical facilities, the theatre is in regular use as the focus of the thriving RCM Opera Studio and hosts 3 full staged operas annually. It also hosts a variety of instrumental performances, including a chamber music series and concerts by the RCM Big Band. It benefits from an orchestra pit for 80 musicians, a Steinway grand piano, four dressing rooms, a seating capacity of 394, as well as its own bar and foyer; The Ruth West foyer.
The Britten Theatre’s simple elegance, responsive acoustics, and intimate tiered auditorium make it the perfect space for opera, music, theatre and ballet performances. With extensive technical facilities and support from our experienced Britten Theatre technicians and RCM Studios team, the theatre is also the perfect venue for lectures, product launches, presentations and conferences.
