The Susie Sainsbury Theatre

The Royal Academy of Music is one of the world’s most prestigious fonts of learning for young musicians. Susie Sainsbury has served on its governing body for over 25 years, and was closely involved in the fundraising and development of a new state-of-the-art theatre and recital hall.

Gatsby’s Trustees approved grants totalling £6.5m, with additional grants given by Susie’s own charity, Backstage Trust, towards the development of the Susie Sainsbury Theatre. The Theatre was opened by the Princess Royal in March 2018. Within a year of opening, the Theatre and the Angela Burgess Recital Hall (which was built at the same time) had housed 124 external performances. It also won several national architecture awards – including the 2018 RIBA London Building of the Year, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Tourism and Leisure Award 2018 and the Architects’ Journal Retrofit of the Year.

During its first year, the Theatre produced a major production of Jonathan Dove’s Flight performed by Royal Academy Opera. This was followed by a production of This is the Hour, during which students performed iconic numbers from Claude-Michel Schönberg’s most famous musicals, before his appointment as Visiting Professor of Musical Theatre was formally announced in July 2018.

There have been many other notable productions over the past few years. Royal Academy Opera staged Semele, directed by Olivia Fuchs and conducted by Laurence Cummings, which was a sell-out and very favourably reviewed in the musical press. Students also performed a double bill of Iolanta and L’enfant et les sortilèges, which was particularly memorable. The Junior Academy, Rambert School and RADA Youth Company collaborated on a production of The Soldier’s Tale. And then there was Vision Fugitive, a film by pianist Ivan Moshchuk and director of photography Andy Staples, captured and choreographed in a single, uninterrupted shot.

As well as productions, the Theatre has seen important moments including the graduation of the Musical Theatre students – in a ceremony featuring a keynote speech from honorary Royal Academy of Music member Imelda Staunton.

The Susie Sainsbury Theatre continues to provide world-class facilities for students, as well as for outreach and community activities. For those who pass through its doors, it’s a portal to a future musical career.