Royal Opera House, Opera house in South Mumbai, India

The Royal Opera House is a two-level stone facade on Charni Road in South Mumbai, built in a mixed classical design blending European and Indian detailing. A six-columned pediment carries the inscription "Royal Opera House" and a relief of three women playing harp, violin and cello, topped by four marble children. The upper level has four arched shuttered windows with small balconies; the lower level has three large arched doorways.

Conceived in 1908 by entertainer Maurice Bandmann and coal broker Jehangir Framji Karaka, the Royal Opera House was inaugurated in 1911 by King George V while still under construction and completed in 1912, with additions until 1915. It hosted operas, plays and later Hindi film premieres, was modified for film screenings in 1935, and closed after its last public event, a 1993 fashion show. Restoration began in 2008 and it reopened on 21 October 2016 with a recital by soprano Patricia Rozario.

The name reflects royal connections from colonial times and remains in use today. Visitors see the main auditorium with its gilded decorations and chandeliers when attending performances or joining guided tours.

The auditorium seats 575 people over three levels: 242 in the stalls, 172 in the first balcony and 161 in the curved second balcony. There is no lift, so the first and second balconies are reached only by stairs. Sightlines vary by row, with the rear rows of the second balcony partly restricted.

This building is the only working opera house in the country, still showing original ceiling paintings and baroque details from 1912. The restoration preserved many of the original materials and techniques from the construction period.