Rome Opera Tickets
Get a taste of Italian cultural life by enjoying the opera in Rome: how to get your tickets, prices, how to get there... In this article I tell you everything you need to know about your visit to the Opera Theatre.
The vibrant red velvet, the famous golden dome with frescoes by Annibale Brugnoli and a majestic Murano chandelier with 27,000 drops of glass are the essential elements for an evening of opera full of passion and feeling. Don't be fooled by its sober façade, the Opera House houses a dream space for you to enjoy the best operas in the world in style.
Keep reading this article to find out how to buy your tickets, how to get to the theatre, what to see in the surrounding area... I'll tell you all the details so you can enjoy this essential plan that stands out among all the things to see and do in Rome.
How much do tickets to the Opera Theatre cost?
Forget about having to save up for a whole year to enjoy the best opera performances. The Teatro dell'Opera offers affordable tickets for all budgets, with seats ranging from €22 to €160.
The difference in price from one ticket to another is due to the seat chosen (the last rows of the gallery are the cheapest and the first rows of the stalls the most expensive), and the number of performances of the work.
The same play on its opening day can cost between €4 and €35 more than at subsequent performances. But don't worry about the sound, as the theatre is built in the shape of a horseshoe to act as a resonance chamber, so whatever seat you choose you can hear the opera in all its glory.
Ticket prices for the ballet vary in the same way as for opera performances, but prices are slightly cheaper, ranging from €20 to €100 for the best seats at the premiere of the performance.
Enjoy a 25% discount:
To bring opera and ballet to all audiences, the theatre offers a 25% discount on tickets to young people under 25, students under 30 and those over 65 years of age.
Don't forget to bring a valid ID to benefit from this discount. This reduction cannot be applied to premieres or balcony or gallery seating.
Take advantage of the Opera Card:
If you are an opera lover and plan to attend regularly, the Opera Card can be your great ally.
With a price of 10€ for adults and 5€ for young people under 25, you can enjoy 10% discounts on your tickets to the Opera House and the Terma de Caracalla (not including premieres and balcony and gallery seating), 30% discounts on tickets to the Roman Philharmonic Academy, among others.
Check the website of the Rome Opera for the other benefits of the Opera Card. You can purchase your card at the theatre's box office.
Subscribe to the Opera Theatre:
Have you fallen in love with opera, ballets, and all their performances? Don't worry, because the Teatro de la Ópera has different subscriptions available so that you don't miss any of its works.
Choose the option that best suits your preferences, the complete opera, weekends or if you prefer ballet performances.
How to get tickets for the Opera Theatre:
If the opera is on your agenda during your visit to Rome, don't leave tickets to the last minute, as even if you can buy them at the box office they tend to sell out quickly.
Here are the different options for you to buy your tickets without any problem online, at the theatre box office or to book them remotely.
Buy your tickets at the box office
If you are in Rome and you prefer to have your tickets in hand, go to Piazza Beniamino Gigli, 1, to buy your tickets. The ticket office is open Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm and Sunday from 9 am to 1 pm. Please note that the ticket office will be closed on public holidays.
You can pay for your tickets:
- In cash.
- With a non-transferable bank transfer to the Rome Opera Theatre Foundation.
- By cheque to the Rome Opera Theatre Foundation (you must have your identity card with you at all times).
- By credit and debit card: American Express, Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, BankAmericard, CartaSi, Diners.
If the tickets are for performances on the same day, come to the Opera House one hour before or up to 15 minutes after the start of the performance.
Buy your tickets online
If you prefer to buy your tickets online in advance to avoid queues or surprises, you can go to their website and see all available performances, seats, dates, etc.
Buy or book your tickets by phone:
You can also buy your tickets by telephone on 06 48160255. Remember that this number is an Italian line and commissions may be charged when calling from abroad, and you will have to enter the country code.
Tickets purchased by telephone must be collected at the box office 48 hours before the performance.
How to get to the Opera House
Located in Piazza Beniamino Gigli 7, in the old Esquilino district, the Opera Theatre is easily accessible by public transport.
If you have the Roma Pass you will have free access to all public transport (metro and buses) in Rome for as long as your card is active.
Please note that transfers to airports and regional trains are not included. You can also purchase the Omnia Card to benefit from free public transport.
To the Opera House by metro
One of the fastest ways to get around Rome is by metro. To get to the Rome Opera House I recommend you take line A to the Repubblica Teatro Dell'Opera stop, which is located next to the theatre.
You can buy tickets at the metro stations and also at the tobacconists and kiosks marked with a blue sign with a T on it. For more information, check out this guide on how to use the metro in Rome.
All the options for getting there by bus
Depending on where you are in the city you can take different bus lines, here I show you all the available routes.
However, if you plan to go by bus to the theatre, I recommend you to go with enough time, as the waiting time between buses can reach up to 20 minutes or more.
- From Via Nazionale: H, 40, 60, 60, 64, 70, 71, 170, 116T
- From Via Depretis: 70, 71
- From Via Cavour: 16, 75, 84, 150 (public holiday), 360, 590, 649, 714
- From the train station (Stazione Termini): 16, 38, 75, 75, 86, 90, 90, 217, 310, 360, 649, 714
By taxi from anywhere in the city
The closest taxi rank to the Rome Opera House is 6645, undoubtedly the most comfortable option for travelling.
The perfect car park if you come by car
If you prefer to travel in your own vehicle, don't worry about parking, as the theatre offers a 50% discount at the Garage Mediterraneo car park. Go to Calle Massimo D'Azeglio 12 and leave your car under complete security and surveillance.
Visit the Historical and Audiovisual Archive of the Opera Theatre
More than 11,000 set design sketches, photographs of performances, 84,000 costume pieces, audios, videos and much more await you in this magnificent catalogue that brings together all the historical documentation of the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma. If you are passionate about opera you cannot miss this encyclopaedic collection, more than 100 years of history of artistic memory in an archive open to the public for you to enjoy the events that have taken place since the opening day of the theatre in 1880.
Tips and recommendations for visiting the Opera House
To enjoy a night of opera in style, I bring you all the recommendations and information you need so that nothing catches you by surprise:
- Remember that it is forbidden to film or photograph the performances, so any photographic or video equipment will be stored in the theatre's wardrobe. The use of mobile phones in the auditorium is also prohibited. Focus on enjoying this unique experience and put your 5 senses into the play, it's sure to be an evening you won't forget.
- For most performances you can dress casually, but for the opening or premiere nights, be prepared with your best clothes because it will be a movie event.
- Keep an eye on the time and don't be late, as entry to the stalls and numbered seats in the gallery or balconies is forbidden once the performance has begun.
- The Rome Opera House has a superb café which features a detailed menu by Alba Esteve Ruiz, known as the Marzipan Chef of Rome. In this restaurant you can enjoy an exquisite dinner or snack with hot and cold dishes to pick up during the break of the performance or before the event. Please remember that all food and drink must be kept in the assigned areas and not brought with you to the show. If you prefer to have lunch or dinner outside the theatre I recommend you take a look at this restaurant recommendation for a wide variety of delicious dishes to choose from.
Opening hours of the Rome Opera House:
Opera never sleeps in the eternal city. The Rome Opera House's performance schedule runs all year round, but to add to the beauty and delve even deeper into Roman life, if you travel to Rome during the summer months, you'll find that performances are held at the Baths of Caracalla.
Visiting the Baths of Caracalla, one of the most majestic thermal centres of antiquity, is almost a must if you travel to Rome.
Despite being built between 212 and 216, today we can still enjoy its great brick walls and enormous vaults, making it an idyllic place to enjoy the opera on summer nights.
The Baths of Caracalla have been the setting for major operas since 1930, and nowadays they also host various festivals and dance and music performances. Tickets can be purchased from the Rome Opera House website
. Opera or ballet times depend on the different performances available.
What to do in the area around the Opera House:
On your visit to the Opera House be sure to visit the Esquilino district for a full day out in Rome.
This district was home to personalities such as Cicero, Horace and Maecenas and despite not being one of the most popular places in the city of Rome, it holds precious relics such as the Ecstasy of Saint Teresa and the Cornaro Chapel in the Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria or the finger of Saint Thomas in the Church of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme.
One of the main attractions of this part of the city is the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, one of the seven main basilicas of Rome. Santa Maria Maggiore is one of the four Major Basilicas of Rome and the only one to retain its original 5th century Paleo-Christian floor plan and mosaics.
You can also stroll through Piazza della Repubblica and see the Nayades Fountains and the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martyri.
In the heart of the Esquilino is Piazza Vittorio Emanuele. It was built in 1870 and here you can stroll through the gardens of Nicola Calipari, see the remains of a Roman fountain from the 3rd century AD, see the Porta Magica built by Massimiliano Palombara (the only surviving gate of the five that were built in Villa Palombara).
Rome is full of majestic monuments and buildings. Visiting the city 's best squares is something you should not forget to include in your itinerary.
Finally, I recommend
Rome is home to one of the new 7 wonders of the world, the Colosseum, making it one of the main tourist destinations for any traveller who wants to experience the wonderful Italian cultural life, and therefore, finding the perfect time in terms of capacity is a bit tricky.
As a personal recommendation, try to book your opera tickets as far in advance as possible. Although you can buy your tickets for same-day performances at the theatre box office, this is a risky option.
Similarly, if you prefer to wait until the summer months and visit the opera at the Baths of Caracalla, it is best to book them in advance, as despite the hot summer months, many tourists come to enjoy the summer dance, music and opera festivals.
Remember that with the Roma Pass or Omnia Card you can visit the city with free tickets or great discounts. Take a look at the different options to see which one best suits your needs.
If you've run out of tickets to visit the Rome Opera House, don't worry, as the capital of Italy brings opera to every corner of the city.
The Palazzo Santa Chiara or the Basilica of San Paolo Intramuros are other places where you can go to enjoy music in all its splendour. If you prefer an open-air concert, head to Rome's Terrazza Borromini near Piazza Navona to enjoy Puccini, Rossini and Verdi over an aperitif.
You can also book tickets for an opera concert at the Waldensian Church, located in the heart of Rome, an idyllic place to enjoy a recital of the best tenors and sopranos of the Opera de Camera.