Anna Netrebko returns to Royal Opera House in Tosca after six-year hiatus

Renowned soprano Anna Netrebko is set to return to London's Royal Opera House after a six-year absence, starring in a new production of Puccini's Tosca to inaugurate the 2025-26 season. Directed by Oliver Mears, the production reimagines the opera in a modern, war-torn Rome.

Netrebko will perform in Tosca from 11 to 21 September 2025, alongside Freddie De Tommaso and Gerald Finley. This engagement marks her first performance at Covent Garden since April 2019, when she starred in Verdi’s La Forza del Destino.

Jakub Hrůša’s first season as music director

The upcoming season also introduces Jakub Hrůša as the new Music Director of the Royal Opera House, succeeding Antonio Pappano. His tenure will begin with Tosca and continue with the company premiere of Janáček’s The Makropulos Case on 4 November 2025. He will also conduct a revival of Britten’s Peter Grimes on 5 May 2026.

Netrebko’s Additional Engagements

Beyond Tosca, Netrebko will also star in four performances of Puccini’s Turandot from 15 to 23 December 2025. Her 2025-26 season at Covent Garden will conclude with a recital on 24 June 2026.

Season Highlights and Notable Productions

The Royal Opera House’s 2025-26 season will feature several new main-stage productions, including:

• Handel’s Ariodante (9 December 2025)

• Wagner’s Siegfried (17 March 2026)

• Bellini’s I Puritani (30 June 2026)

Additionally, Speranza Scappucci will begin her tenure as Principal Guest Conductor with a revival of Verdi’s Les Vêpres Siciliennes, opening on 19 September 2025.

A Significant Moment for Opera

Netrebko’s return to London follows a period of absence from several major stages. While her planned performances in Nabucco at the Royal Opera House in January 2022 were cancelled due to European travel restrictions, she has continued to perform at leading opera houses worldwide.

As the 2025-26 season approaches, anticipation builds for Netrebko’s Covent Garden comeback and Hrůša’s debut as Music Director, marking a new chapter for the Royal Opera House.