Giustino Tickets

Royal Opera House (Covent Garden), London, Great Britain

All photos (4)

1 / 4

Available Dates: 7 - 18 Oct, 2025 (8 events)

Important Info

Type: Opera

City: London, Great Britain

Sung in: Italian

Titles in: English

Ticket delivery: E-Tickets

E-tickets: Print at home or at the box office of the event if so specified. You will find more information in your booking confirmation email.

Can I choose my seats?

You can only select the category, and not the exact seats.
If you order 2 or 3 tickets: your seats will be next to each other.
If you order 4 or more tickets: your seats will be next to each other, or, if this is not possible, we will provide a combination of groups of seats (at least in pairs, for example 2+2 or 2+3).

Cast

Performers

Choose the date to see the peformers

Overview

The heroics of youth. The dangers of experience. Handel’s fantastical opera comes to life in this new production, directed by Joe Hill-Gibbins and conducted by La Nuova Musica’s Musical Director, David Bates.

Born into a lowly station, the young Giustino dreams of greatness. When he's visited by the Goddess of Fortune and saves a damsel from a terrifying beast, he thinks his destiny's arrived. But at court, Giustino is soon plunged into a dangerous adult world of political intrigue and sexual jealousy. Will his dream of greatness prevail?

With music of dazzling inventiveness and a fantastical story, Handel’s Giustino is a rarely-seen wonder of the operatic repertoire. This production, which continues our exploration of Handel's Covent Garden works, marks the first staging on the original site (and the first UK professional staging) since the opera's premiere in 1737. In a new staging which explores the journey from the bravery of youth to the complexities of adulthood, British theatre and opera director Joe Hill-Gibbins (The Marriage of Figaro, English National Opera and Ghosts, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse) joins forces with conductor David Bates who leads Baroque ensemble La Nuova Musica in this co-production with The Royal Opera.

A Covent Garden History

This production of Giustino is the latest instalment in the The Royal Opera’s series of Handel’s Covent Garden works, following in the footsteps of recent productions of Alcina, Jephtha, Theodora and Susanna. Giustino was first performed in Covent Garden in 1737, during Handel’s decades-long association with the British capital. The original cast featured a star-studded lineup of the premier singers of the day, including two castrati, Domenico Annibali and Gioacchino Conti, whose vocal prowess was showcased in virtuosic arias.

Musical highlights

With its story of seascapes, palaces and mythical monsters, Giustino would have demanded some of the most advanced theatrical technology of Handel’s time – and the music he composed matches it in vibrancy and daring. The unusual overture features an extended oboe solo (written for the virtuoso instrumentalist Giuseppe Sammartini) that almost turns into a concerto in its own right, and vocal fireworks abound, as heard in Giustino’s heroic aria, ‘Se parla nel mio cor’, and Anastasio’s valiant ‘Un vostro sguardo’.

Who was the real Giustino?

In 450 AD, Justin I was born into a humble peasant family. Thanks to his military successes, he rose through the army’s ranks, becoming commander of the Imperial Guard. At the (then considerable) age of 68, he was made Eastern Roman emperor from 518–527, and founded a dynasty that lasted for three further generations.

History

Premiere of this production: 23 January 1723, Teatro Capranica, Rome

Giustino (also known as Anastasio) is a 1724 opera by Vivaldi to a libretto by Nicolò Beregan. The opera was composed for the 1724 carnival season in Rome and premiered at the Teatro Capranica.

Venue Info

Royal Opera House (Covent Garden) - London
Bow St, Covent Garden

The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in London and Great Britain. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet, and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House.

The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet, and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. Originally called the Theatre Royal, it served primarily as a playhouse for the first hundred years of its history. In 1734, the first ballet was presented. A year later, Handel's first season of operas began. Many of his operas and oratorios were specifically written for Covent Garden and had their premieres there.

The current building is the third theatre on the site following disastrous fires in 1808 and 1856. The façade, foyer, and auditorium date from 1858, but almost every other element of the present complex dates from an extensive reconstruction in the 1990s. The main auditorium seats 2,256 people, making it the third largest in London, and consists of four tiers of boxes and balconies and the amphitheatre gallery. The proscenium is 12.20 m wide and 14.80 m high. The main auditorium is a Grade I listed building.

The Royal Opera, under the direction of Antonio Pappano, is one of the world’s leading opera companies. Based in the iconic Covent Garden theatre, it is renowned both for its outstanding performances of traditional opera and for commissioning new works by today’s leading opera composers, such as Harrison Birtwistle, Mark-Anthony Turnage and Thomas Adès.

The Royal Ballet is one of the world’s greatest ballet companies. Under the directorship of Kevin O’Hare, the Company unites tradition and innovation in world-class performances at our Covent Garden home.

The Company’s extensive repertory embraces 19th-century classics, the singular legacy of works by Founder Choreographer Frederick Ashton and Principal Choreographer Kenneth MacMillan and a compelling new canon by Resident Choreographer Wayne McGregor and Artistic Associate Christopher Wheeldon.

The Orchestra performs in concerts of their own, including performances at the Royal Opera House with Antonio Pappano. They have also performed at venues worldwide including Symphony Hall (Birmingham), Cadogan Hall, the Vienna Konzerthaus and on tour with The Royal Opera.

Members of the Orchestra play an active role in events across the Royal Opera House, including working with the Learning and Participation teams. The Orchestra accompanies performances that are streamed all over the world, including through cinema screenings and broadcasts. They appear on many CDs and DVDs including Pappano’s acclaimed studio recording of Tristan und Isolde with Plácido Domingo and Nina Stemme.

The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House was founded in 1946 when the Royal Opera House reopened after World War II.