Five Reasons to Visit the Royal Albert Hall

The Royal Albert Hall is well known for its concerts and proms in South Kensington. The hall seats over 5,000 people. Albert proposed the project in 1841 to enlighten the broader public, countering centuries of reserving arts for the elite. It faces the Albert Memorial across Kensington Gore.

Cirque du Soleil

This entertainment company from Canada has held many premiers and reruns at the Albert Hall since its debut with Saltimbanco in 1996.

Main attractions include Alegria, Dralion, Varekai, and more recently, Totem and Kooza.

National Ballet

The English National Ballet has staged memorable classic performances in the Royal Albert Hall since 1998. The Kensington-based company is one of the four major ballet companies in Britain. Some of the memorable performances include Swan Lake. Romeo & Juliet and The Sleeping Beauty.

Festival of Remembrance

The Festival of Remembrance takes place on the Saturday preceding Remembrance Sunday. Originally the event featured World Requiem by John Foulds. Displays, prayers, and performances by the armed forces later came onto the itinerary.

Highlights include the Honour the Covenant campaign where military covenants are honoured by the government. This is to garner public support, medical support for covenants, and the consideration for Gurkhas to settle in Britain.

There are two shows daily. The matinée show is open to the public, while the evening show is reserved for members of the Royal British Legion and their families.

Tennis

The ATP championship has been hosted at the Royal Albert Hall since 1971.

This annual event is hosted to celebrate retired champions who are no longer in the mainstream.

The event includes competitive tournaments, nostalgic reminisces of earlier tournaments, and two wild card entries by participants.

These entries may include players from mainstream tennis. The global tour by the champions ends at the Royal Albert Hall with the AEGON Masters Tennis gala.

Films, Orchestras, Premieres

Apart from the regular events, the Albert Hall hosts several film premieres and orchestral events. Premiere highlights include The Queen of Sheba and various James Bond films. Others include The Lord of Rings Trilogy, Star Trek and Titanic.

The Royal Albert Hall is home to hundreds of performances each year.

Besides this other activities include exhibitions, music sessions for kids, live musicals and jazz events. There are also charity events such as the Teenage Cancer Trust, educational events such as the Education and Outreach programme, and social events like the Royal Coffee Mornings, accompanied by live musical performances.

The Council of the Corporation manages the hall, which is the trustee body. It is staffed by chief executives and CFOs appointed by them. Check out what’s happening before you head out for a fun-filled day!

Address: Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AP

Tel: 0207 589 8212

Website: www.royalalberthall.com

Nearest tube station: High Street Kensington

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