London is one of the world's great centers for classical and popular culture. It has enjoyed a reputation for superb theater since the time of Shakespeare in the 16th century. The variety ranges from the Royal Shakespeare Company at the Barbican Centre and the Royal National Theatre at the South Bank Centre, to the West End's commercial theaters. Major musicals, such as Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera and Cats, dominate the West End scene. Classic and contemporary works are also presented in places such as the Drury Lane Theatre.
The lavish Royal Opera House is the home of the Royal Opera Company and the Royal Ballet, while the English National Opera performs operas in English at the London Coliseum, and the Spitalfields Market Opera brings chamber opera to this East End area. Regular seasons of classical and modern dance are performed by the Royal Ballet, the English National Ballet, the London Contemporary Dance Theatre, the Rambert Dance Company, and several others. The sheer number of symphony orchestras is impressive and includes the London Symphony Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra, as well as smaller ensembles such as the English Chamber Orchestra and the Academy of Saint Martin-in-the-Fields. Some of the most well-known concert halls in the world provide venues for the cornucopia of performances in London. These halls include the large Royal Festival Hall in the South Bank Centre, the Barbican Concert Hall, the splendid iron-and-glass-domed Royal Albert Hall, Sadler's Wells Theatre, and Wigmore Hall, known for its excellent acoustics. Free lunchtime concerts are given in a number of historic churches, such as Saint Martin-in-the-Fields and Saint Mary-le-Bow.
Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
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