Pure drama: Pelléas et Mélisande performed at the Royal Opera House
Last summer, with its auditorium empty, the Royal Opera House joined TikTok. Since then, the account has amassed over five million likes and nearly 400k followers. TikTokers around the world used the video-sharing app’s “Duet” feature to sing along with a viral clip of Diana Damrau’s Queen of the Night aria, while individual snippets of Mozart and Puccini have received thousands of likes.
The Royal Opera House (ROH) has been trying to attract a younger and more diverse audience for several years, with initiatives such as school matinees, a Young ROH programme, and discounted tickets for 16-25 year-olds. Now, this accessibility drive has received a boost on TikTok. Young followers post comments such as “I love opera TikTok” and “Watching this incredible lady perform the aria inspired me to learn it for my school project, it was incredibly difficult but I did it!”