£10m grant to Royal Opera House leads first wave of giving by Julia Rausing Trust
The newly created Julia Rausing Trust has announced a £10 million donation to lead its first wave of funding. The Royal Opera House will use the grant to fund major upgrades across its staging and lighting to improve the environment for artists and the audience.
This includes replacing the current production lighting rig, which has been in use for 25 years, having been used up to 16 hours a day and often seven days a week. The new contemporary lighting will be a significant upgrade, enabling designers to work with the latest, best in class equipment. Additionally, specialist lighting known as ‘ballet booms’ used to illuminate dancers on stage will be upgraded, to bring the infrastructure for shows into the 21st century.
Finally, the stage curtain will also be replaced after 25 years. It will weigh approximately 1.6 tonnes and measure 12m by 18m. The new curtain will recognise His Majesty, King Charles III, as Patron of the Royal Opera House with the inclusion of his personal cipher on the curtain.
The Royal Opera House was an organisation which Julia Rausing had previously supported through her philanthropy, giving £12.5 million in 2023 as headline sponsor for the opera and ballet seasons over five years, recognising the importance of supporting the UK’s world class artistic companies.
Alex Beard, Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House said:
“Julia Rausing was a dedicated patron and true lover of the arts, and we are extremely thankful for this generous grant in her memory, which will be providing vital funds needed to help us renew our stage infrastructure to deliver the state of the art facilities that our artists deserve and allow our audiences to continue to enjoy performances in our beautiful Grade I listed building in Covent Garden.”
“This gift is in addition to an annual fixed contribution that The Julia and Hans Rausing Trust has pledged over five years, which supports our two artistic companies, our ability to build the audiences of the future and our work in schools and communities up and down the country.”
In its first round of funding, the Julia Rausing Trust has a particular focus on charities and organisations in arts and heritage, which was an area of expertise and passion for Julia Rausing.
Hans Rausing said: “Julia’s love for the arts was self-evident. She enjoyed a highly successful career in the arts and subsequently brought her expertise to supporting national arts charities that benefit millions every year.”