What’s On
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Exhibitions
Free
Tim Noble & Sue Webster: Love and Hate at Firstsite
Thursday 09 November 2023 - Tuesday 30 September 2025
In this presentation, seven light sculptures by Noble & Webster illuminate areas of the Firstsite building with pops of glimmering colour.
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Free
Acorn Village: 50 Years
Saturday 26 April - Sunday 07 September 2025
Discover the inspiring 50-year journey of Acorn Village, told through a rich collection of artworks created by artists with learning disabilities.
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Free
YAK: Culture of Curiosities
Saturday 21 June - Sunday 12 October 2025
YAK: Culture of Curiosities curated by our Young Art Kommunity (YAK) showcases how young people use the Internet to portray themselves and the world around them.
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How To Train Your Dragon (Parent & Baby)
Friday 11 July 2025
11:30 am
More times available
On the isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup stands apart in How to Train Your Dragon.
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The Last Journey
Friday 11 July 2025
2:30 pm
More times available
Filip Hammar takes his dad on a road trip through Europe with his best mate Fredrik Wikingsson in The Last Journey.
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Jane Austen Wrecked My Life
Friday 11 July 2025
5:30 pm
More times available
A desperately single bookseller, finds herself forced to fulfil her dreams to make her love life better in Jane Austen Wrecked My Life.
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Origami Workshop
Friday 11 July 2025
7:00 pm
More times available
In our Origami Workshop, Lu Yu will guide you step by step through the creation of specific origami shapes in this ancient art form!
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Decorate a Wine Glass with Posca Pens
Friday 11 July 2025
7:00 pm
Learn how to decorate a wine or pint glass with Posca pens in our Decorate a Wine Glass with Posca Pens workshop!
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Firstsite Fabulous Fridays
Friday 11 July 2025
7:00 pm
More times available
Immerse yourself in a world of unlimited creativity at our monthly Fabulous Fridays with unique workshops, art, tasty treats and great films!
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Boozy Brushes
Friday 11 July 2025
7:30 pm
More times available
Join Sirena Hart for Boozy Brushes at Firstsite – our New Multi-Art, Drag entertainment painting class extravaganza!
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Tornado
Friday 11 July 2025
8:00 pm
More times available
Set in the rugged landscape of 1790’s Britain, Tornado (played by model-songwriter Koki,) finds herself caught in a perilous situation.
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Tornado (Captioned)
Saturday 12 July 2025
5:30 pm
Set in the rugged landscape of 1790’s Britain, Tornado (played by model-songwriter Koki,) finds herself caught in a perilous situation.
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Getting Started with Drawing
Sunday 13 July 2025
10:00 am
Join us in Getting Started with Drawing, a relaxed drawing workshop, to explore different drawing techniques and materials.
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How To Train Your Dragon (Captioned)
Sunday 13 July 2025
2:00 pm
More times available
On the isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup stands apart in How to Train Your Dragon.
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Colchester Library Rhymetimes at Firstsite
Wednesday 16 July 2025
More times available
While Colchester Library is closed for refurbishment, weekly Baby & Toddler Rhymetimes are continuing at Firstsite.
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Free
MiniCLIP Colchester
Wednesday 16 July 2025
MiniCLIP – a free weekly music club for young people age 11 to 14 at Firstsite Colchester, on term time Wednesdays from 4 – 5pm.
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Tornado (Relaxed)
Wednesday 16 July 2025
2:00 pm
Set in the rugged landscape of 1790’s Britain, Tornado (played by model-songwriter Koki,) finds herself caught in a perilous situation.
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Free
YAK | Young Art Kommunity
Thursday 17 July 2025
Young Art Kommunity (YAK) is Firstsite’s young-people peer led group which organises events and activities within the gallery and in the wider community.
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Mini Movers & Makers Toddler Group
Thursday 17 July 2025
10:00 am
This brand new artist-led toddler group provides a safe and fun environment for children under 5 and parents/carers to be curious and explore interactive, sensory storytelling and experiment with a range of art activities and materials.
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Elio (Parent & Baby)
Friday 18 July 2025
11:15 am
More times available
Elio struggles to fit in until he is transported by aliens and becomes the chosen one to be Earth’s galactic ambassador!
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How To Train Your Dragon
Friday 18 July 2025
1:45 pm
More times available
On the isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup stands apart in How to Train Your Dragon.
Find out moreCinema
From Hilde With Love (Captioned)
Friday 18 July 2025
4:30 pm
Inspired by a true story, against the backdrop of a torn country, From Hilde, With Love is a powerful tale of love and resistance.
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Free
Opening Celebration | Voyager 2000: Worldbeing & Wonder?
Friday 18 July 2025
Be among the first to experience our new summer show – Voyager 2000: Worldbeing & Wonder?! Join us for a lively evening opening event and meet some of our artists, hear from our Programme team behind this special exhibition and enjoy the company of like-minded individuals.
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28 Years Later
Friday 18 July 2025
8:00 pm
More times available
It’s been 28 Years Later since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, and now, still in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine…
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Free
Voyager 2000: Worldbeing & Wonder?
Saturday 19 July - Sunday 05 October 2025
What does it mean to grow up autistic in a digital world? Voyager 2000: Worldbeing & Wonder invites you on a sensory, emotional, and digital journey through art, technology, and the world we build online – shaped by the perspectives of autistic and disabled people.
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Watercolour Saturdays with Justine Moss
Saturday 19 July 2025
10:00 am
More times available
Explore the materials, techniques and colour theory used to develop your watercolour paintings in this relaxed social session.
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Elio (Relaxed)
Saturday 19 July 2025
11:00 am
More times available
Elio struggles to fit in until he is transported by aliens and becomes the chosen one to be Earth’s galactic ambassador!
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Life Drawing with Justine Moss – all levels
Saturday 19 July 2025
1:30 pm
More times available
Whether you’re a beginner or experienced, gain confidence in drawing the figure, with these tutored life drawing sessions.
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Elio (Captioned)
Saturday 19 July 2025
1:45 pm
More times available
Elio struggles to fit in until he is transported by aliens and becomes the chosen one to be Earth’s galactic ambassador!
Find out moreCinema
28 Years Later (Relaxed)
Saturday 19 July 2025
4:30 pm
It’s been 28 Years Later since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, and now, still in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine…
Find out moreCinema
From Hilde With Love
Saturday 19 July 2025
7:30 pm
More times available
Inspired by a true story, against the backdrop of a torn country, From Hilde, With Love is a powerful tale of love and resistance.
Find out moreCommunity and Partners
Free
Art in the Community
Tuesday 22 July 2025
More times available
Art in the Community sessions are for people who use creativity to improve their well-being, and for recovery from mental and physical issues
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Elio
Wednesday 23 July 2025
11:00 am
More times available
Elio struggles to fit in until he is transported by aliens and becomes the chosen one to be Earth’s galactic ambassador!
Find out moreCinema
How To Train Your Dragon (Relaxed)
Wednesday 23 July 2025
2:00 pm
More times available
On the isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup stands apart in How to Train Your Dragon.
Find out moreCinema
F1 The Movie (Parent & Baby)
Friday 25 July 2025
1:30 pm
In F1 The Movie, Sonny Hayes was Formula 1’s most promising phenom of the 1990s until an accident on the track nearly ended his career.
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The Shrouds
Friday 25 July 2025
5:00 pm
More times available
The Shrouds…Karsh, an innovative businessman and grieving widower, builds a device to connect with the dead inside a burial shroud.
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Hot Milk
Friday 25 July 2025
8:00 pm
More times available
The directorial debut from award-winning screenwriter Rebecca Lenkiewicz, Hot Milk is an intimate exploration of self-discovery, desire…
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F1 The Movie (Captioned)
Saturday 26 July 2025
7:00 pm
In F1 The Movie, Sonny Hayes was Formula 1’s most promising phenom of the 1990s until an accident on the track nearly ended his career.
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F1 The Movie
Sunday 27 July 2025
11:00 am
More times available
In F1 The Movie, Sonny Hayes was Formula 1’s most promising phenom of the 1990s until an accident on the track nearly ended his career.
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Roger Waters This Is Not A Drill Live From Prague – The Movie
Sunday 27 July 2025
3:00 pm
The world’s foremost songwriter presents his vision of a better world in Roger Waters This Is Not A Drill Live From Prague – The Movie
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Free
Holiday Fun: Summer 2025 – Make
Tuesday 29 July 2025
10:00 am - 2:30 pm
More times available
Get making during our Holiday Fun: Make session with a variety of free creative activities at Firstsite this Summer.
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CBeebies Musical: The Great Ice Cream Hunt
Friday 01 August 2025
2:00 pm
More times available
When all the ice creams go missing, Lolly the cow and Pinecone the hedgehog team up in CBeebies Musical: The Great Ice Cream Hunt!
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Decorate a Trinket Dish with Posca Pens
Saturday 02 August 2025
10:00 am
More times available
Come along with the kids to decorate a trinket dish with Posca Pens in our Firstsite Art Fair family workshop!
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Free
The Firstsite Art Fair
Saturday 02 August 2025
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
More times available
The Firstsite Art Fair brings together a diverse range of artists, collectors, art lovers and all who are simply curios about art.
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Drawing with Charcoal
Saturday 02 August 2025
10:00 am
Join Jordan Cook in making quick and playful drawings with charcoal into ambitious and imaginative works of art.
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Portfolio Surgery – Morning Sessions
Saturday 02 August 2025
11:00 am
More times available
Book a one-on-one session at our free Artist Portfolio Surgery, where an industry expert will provide professional guidance.
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Portfolio Surgery – Afternoon Sessions
Saturday 02 August 2025
12:30 pm
More times available
Book a one-on-one session at our free Artist Portfolio Surgery, where an industry expert will provide professional guidance.
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Amadeus (4K Restoration)
Friday 08 August 2025
7:00 pm
More times available
Amadeus (4K Restoration) is the incredible story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, told by his peer and secret rival Antonio Salieri.
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Boozy Brushes – Paint in Pairs
Friday 08 August 2025
7:30 pm
Join Sirena Hart at Firstsite for Boozy Brushes a multi-art, Drag entertainment painting class extravaganza where you can paint in pairs!
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Colchester Record Fair
Saturday 30 August 2025
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
More times available
Browse the stalls and grab yourself a bargain – or perhaps something a little rarer at the Colchester Record Fair at Firstsite.
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André Rieu’s 2025 Maastricht Concert: Waltz the Night Away!
Saturday 30 August 2025
4:15 pm
More times available
Step into a night of music, romance, and celebration this summer from the stunning Vrijthof Square with André Rieu’s Waltz the Night Away!
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National Theatre Live: Inter Alia
Thursday 04 September 2025
7:00 pm
More times available
Oscar-nominated Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl, Saltburn) is Jessica in the much-anticipated, Inter Alia, from the team behind Prima Facie.
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Folk & Bespoke Artisan Craft Market
Saturday 06 September 2025
10:00 am - 3:00 pm
More times available
Have a handmade shopping day. The people in your life deserves something special and for a totally unique gift, you cannot beat handmade.
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Introduction to Collage
Friday 12 September 2025
10:00 am
Sociable, creative and fun Introduction to Collage Workshop where you’ll learn new techniques, unwind and have a delicious lunch together.
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Next to Normal
Sunday 14 September 2025
2:00 pm
More times available
Tony® and Pulitzer prize winning show from Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey. Next to Normal explores themes of family and illness, loss and grief.
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The Royal Opera: Tosca
Sunday 05 October 2025
2:00 pm
Tosca and Cavaradossi live for each other and their art. When Cavaradossi helps a prisoner, a deadly enemy is made in The Royal Opera: Tosca
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MET Opera Live: La Sonnambula
Saturday 18 October 2025
5:45 pm
Nadine Sierra summits another peak of the soprano repertoire, sleepwalking her way into audiences’ hearts in MET Opera Live: La Sonnambula.
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National Theatre Live: Mrs. Warren’s Profession
Thursday 23 October 2025
7:00 pm
More times available
Imelda Staunton joins forces with Bessie Carter, in the incendiary moral classic National Theatre Live: Mrs. Warren’s Profession.
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Exploring Watercolour with Simon Carter
Friday 24 October 2025
10:00 am
More times available
Explore the art of watercolour with internationally exhibited contemporary artist Simon Carter in Exploring Watercolour with Simon Carter!
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Radiohead X Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror
Friday 31 October 2025
8:00 pm
Pairing classic silent movies with epic rock music to bring a unique big screen experience with Radiohead X Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror!
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Drag Life Drawing with Sirena Hart
Saturday 01 November 2025
6:00 pm
More times available
A one-of-a-kind life drawing class, where your tutor and model will offer multiple poses in fantastical settings.
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Customise your Clothes with Posca Pens
Friday 07 November 2025
7:00 pm
Learn how to transform your old clothes into wearable vibrant art with Posca pens in our Customise your Clothes with Posca Pens workshop!
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MET Opera Live: La Bohème
Saturday 08 November 2025
5:45 pm
With its enchanting setting and spellbinding score, the world’s most popular opera is timeless and heartbreaking in MET Opera Live: La Bohème.
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The Royal Ballet: La Fille mal gardée
Sunday 09 November 2025
2:00 pm
Lise, the only daughter of Simone, loves the young Colas, but her mother has better plans in The Royal Ballet: La Fille mal gardée.
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Exhibition on Screen: Caravaggio
Saturday 15 November 2025
5:00 pm
More times available
Mystery, intrigue, beauty, passion, murder – shine a new light on Caravaggio in this dramatic biography…Exhibition on Screen: Caravaggio
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John Cleese Packs It In
Sunday 16 November 2025
2:00 pm
1 85-year-old Man, 5 Countries, 16 Cities, 23 shows, 6 weeks. Will he make it home … or is this the end of the road? John Cleese Packs It In
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MET Opera Live: Arabella
Saturday 22 November 2025
5:45 pm
Strauss’s elegant romance brings the glamour and enchantment of 19th-century Vienna in the sumptuous production, MET Opera Live: Arabella.
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National Theatre Live: The Fifth Step
Thursday 27 November 2025
7:00 pm
More times available
After years in a 12-step programme of Alcoholics Anonymous, James becomes a sponsor to newcomer Luka in National Theatre Live: The Fifth Step.
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The Royal Ballet: Cinderella
Sunday 30 November 2025
2:00 pm
Cinderella’s dreary and dull life changes when she helps a mysterious woman out in The Royal Ballet: Cinderella!
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MET Opera Live: Andrea Chénier
Saturday 13 December 2025
5:45 pm
Giordano’s passionate tragedy, MET Opera Live: Andrea Chénier stars tenor Beczała as the poet who falls victim to the French Revolution.
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The Royal Ballet: The Nutcracker
Sunday 14 December 2025
2:00 pm
In The Royal Ballet: The Nutcracker, the magician Drosselmeyer needs to save his nephew. Hans-Peter has been transformed into a Nutcracker.
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MET Opera Live: I Puritani
Saturday 10 January 2026
5:45 pm
Experience the first new Met production of Bellini’s final masterpiece in nearly 50 years, MET Opera Live: I Puritani.
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The Royal Opera: La Traviata
Sunday 18 January 2026
2:00 pm
At one of her lavish parties, celebrated Parisan courtesan Violetta is introduced to Alfredo Germont in The Royal Opera: La Traviata.
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National Theatre Live: Hamlet
Thursday 22 January 2026
7:00 pm
More times available
Duty and doubt, surrounded by power and privilege, National Theatre Live: Hamlet dares to ask the ultimate question – you know the one.
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R.E.M. X Buster Keaton’s Sherlock Jr.
Sunday 08 February 2026
2:00 pm
Pairing classic silent movies with epic rock music to bring a unique big screen experience with R.E.M. X Buster Keaton’s Sherlock Jr.!
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The Royal Ballet: Woolf Works
Sunday 15 February 2026
2:00 pm
Virginia Woolf defied literary conventions to depict rich inner worlds – her startling and poignant reality in The Royal Ballet: Woolf Works.
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The Royal Ballet: Giselle
Sunday 08 March 2026
2:00 pm
The Royal Ballet: Giselle, has fallen in love with Albrecht. When she discovers that he is an unavailable nobleman, she falls in despair.
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Exhibition on Screen: Turner and Constable
Saturday 14 March 2026
5:00 pm
More times available
Celebrating the 250th anniversary of their births, Exhibition on Screen: Turner and Constable explores their intertwined lives and legacies
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MET Opera Live: Tristan und Isolde
Saturday 21 March 2026
3:45 pm
The electrifying Davidsen tackles one of the ultimate roles: the Irish princess Isolde in MET Opera Live: Tristan und Isolde.
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The Royal Opera: Siegfried
Sunday 05 April 2026
2:00 pm
Raised by a scheming dwarf and unaware of his true family origins, a young man embarks on an epic journey in The Royal Opera: Siegfried.
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The Royal Opera: The Magic Flute
Sunday 26 April 2026
2:00 pm
Princess Pamina has been captured. Her mother, tasks the young Prince Tamino with her daughter’s rescue in The Royal Opera: The Magic Flute.
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MET Opera Live: Eugene Onegin
Saturday 02 May 2026
5:45 pm
After debuting in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, Grigorian returns as Tatiana, the lovestruck young heroine in MET Opera Live: Eugene Onegin.
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Exhibition on Screen: Frida Kahlo; the Making of an Icon
Sunday 24 May 2026
2:00 pm
More times available
Frida Kahlo is a phenomenon. She is arguably the world’s favourite female artist in Exhibition on Screen: Frida Kahlo; the Making of an Icon.
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MET Opera Live: El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego
Saturday 30 May 2026
5:45 pm
MET Opera Live: El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego, a magical-realist portrait of Mexico’s painterly power couple Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.
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