The building is located in the centre of Sweden's capital, Stockholm, in the borough of Norrmalm, on the eastern side of Gustav Adolfs torg across from the former Arvfurstens Palats, now the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

The original Stockholm Opera House, the work of architect Carl Fredrik Adelcrantz, was commissioned by King Gustav III, a strong adherent of the ideal of enlightened absolutism and, as such, was a great patron of the arts.

Construction began in 1775, and the theatre was inaugurated on 30 September 1782 with a performance of the German composer Johann Gottlieb Naumann's Cora och Alonzo.

It was in the foyer of the opera house where the king met his fate: during a masquerade on 16 March 1792, he was shot by Jacob Johan Anckarström and died 13 days later.

It is a majestic neo-classical building with a magnificent gold foyer (Guldfoajén) and elegant marble grand staircase leading to a three-tiered auditorium somewhat smaller than the old theatre.

Famous singers who have been part of the opera's ensemble have included Jussi Björling, Gösta Winbergh, Nicolai Gedda, Peter Mattei, Jenny Lind, Birgit Nilsson, Elisabeth Söderström, Fritz Arlberg, Anne Sofie von Otter, Katarina Dalayman and Nina Stemme.

Past general managers of the Royal Swedish Opera have included Birgitta Svendén, who served in the post until her retirement in 2022.

[3] In November 2020, the company announced the appointment of Michael Cavanagh as its next artistic director, effective in the summer of 2021, with an initial contract of 5 years.