Royal Opera House escapes cutbacks as it unveils new programme

At a time when many opera houses are still struggling from the effects of the 2008 financial crisis, the Royal Opera House looks a model of stability. There are few signs of the cutbacks endured by companies in the US or the more troubled parts of Europe and no high-profile resignations, as at English National Opera down the road.

Wednesday's announcement of the 2015/16 season was very much business as usual. The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet and visiting companies will stage more than 60 works. Twelve productions from Covent Garden - six operas and six ballets - will be relayed live to cinemas in 35 countries as part of the ROH Cinema Season.

Unveiling the plans for The Royal Opera, Kasper Holten, director of opera, said the programme "shows us the breadth of what opera is and can be". A total of eight new productions on the main stage and a creditable number of new works across different venues suggests no last-minute trimming of budgets.

The most substantial artistic statement comes with the premiere of Morgen und Abend by Austrian composer Georg Friedrich Haas, a co-commission with Deutsche Oper Berlin.

This is the first of the full-scale new works by leading international composers announced shortly after Holten's arrival at the Royal Opera. The series will culminate in four major premieres in 2020.

The programming inspired by the theme of Orpheus continues with three further productions - notably Gluck's Orphee et Eurydice, which will open the season, conducted by John Eliot Gardiner and with chorographer Hofesh Shechter directing his first opera. For this production students will be offered standing places in the orchestra pit at £10.

Two operas new to Covent Garden will be performed: Enescu's masterpiece Oedipe and Chabrier's high-spirited romp L'Etoile. Other highlights include new productions of Musorgsky's Boris Godunov with Bryn Terfel in the title role and Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor with soprano Diana Damrau.

Introducing the ballet programme, Kevin O'Hare, director of the Royal Ballet, talked of "a season of dramatic new ballets". In particular, he singled out a new Carmen from Cuban dancer Carlos Acosta, who will be following up his Don Quixote as choreographer in 2013. This will be one of four premieres, including Frankenstein, a first full-length narrative ballet by Liam Scarlett; and new one-act ballets from Wayne McGregor and Christopher Weeldon. The 2015/16 season will be the first time the entire Royal Ballet choreographic team will present new works.

With an eye to the future, the company also launched a Young Choreographers Programme. The first participant will be Charlotte Edmonds, who will be mentored by senior members of the company over the next 12 months.

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