Queen Letizia of Spain began the weekend by traveling to Bilbao to preside over the premiere of the opera Il Trittico, marking the first time the Spanish Royal House attended an opera of the Bilbao association in its 71 years of existence. Accompanied by King Felipe VI, the royal couple resumed their activities after making headlines with the unveiling of impressive portraits by Annie Leibovitz, commissioned by the Bank of Spain.
This was the first time King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia presided over a performance of the Asociación de Amigos de la Ópera. They attended the third representation of ‘Il Trittico’ by Giacomo Puccini, directed by Paco Azorín, with Pedro Halffter leading the Orquesta Sinfónica de Navarra. The opera is a trilogy of three short operas inspired by the Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri, evoking a succession of allegories to hell, purgatory, and heaven, and is a tribute to Puccini, commemorating the centenary of his death.
Royal Style
Opera nights are occasions for dream looks from Queen Letizia, and once again this happened in Bilbao. For the opera performance, she chose a look featuring a cream-colored shirt dress with pleated relief, a reinterpretation of this garment conceived in the most festive possible way, including sequins. The outfit was a two-piece set in an ivory tone designed by Teresa Helbig, featuring a shirt-style model with long sleeves, lapel collars, front button closure, and a midi-length pleated skirt.
The grace of this ensemble lies in its fabric. The dress stands out for its delicacy, even in the way it incorporates sequins into the design. The outfit has a notable detail that makes it different and gives it a festive character, featuring embroidered pleating with matching sequins at the neckline, skirt, and collars, generating a very flattering shine effect, even adorning the shirt collar and the cuffs of the puffed sleeves. The sequins run along the shirt collar, the closed cuffs of the long sleeves, and the entire front of the outfit, adding light but remaining subtle and elegant.
The design enhanced Queen Letizia’s figure and ended in a pleated skirt, adding fluidity to her look, while the sequin straps added a festive air despite the sober color. The chromatic harmony that pervades the entire look is what makes it a one hundred percent elegant choice. Those who are not very fond of gold but seek a vibrant tone for the holidays, albeit more subtle and demure, should try this special ivory.
Who Designed the Look?
Teresa Helbig, the designer of the outfit, is a Barcelona-based fashion designer who was awarded the National Fashion Design Award last year. This is not the first time Teresa Helbig has dressed Queen Letizia; she has done so on several occasions. The outfit belongs to the Wet Ballet Spring/Summer 2025 collection by Teresa Helbig, which debuted at New York Fashion Week and is decorated with sequins, adding brightness to Queen Letizia’s face and energizing her image. The Wet Ballet collection is inspired by the art of movement as an intrinsic manifesto of the human being since its appearance on Earth and explores the fusion of body and soul as a universal language.
Queen Letizia complemented her outfit with sensible high-heeled shoes of the same color, showcasing her beloved heels at a more sensible height. She continued her preference for comfortable footwear with open-heeled patent kitten heels, opting for backless shoes in a nude patent color with a “chupete” heel that adorns just the right amount without taking any prominence away from the dress. To complete her look, her handbag completed the total styling.
The hairstyle allowed her earrings to be seen, which were a model from the Valencian brand Sure Jewels. Queen Letizia debuted earrings from the jewelry store Sure, whose headquarters in Alfafar were also damaged by the floods, making it clear once again her continuous support for the victims of the DANA, a weather disaster. As Queen of Spain, Letizia enhances the craftsmanship of Spanish brands and effectively helps to give visibility to Valencian brands.
During her visit to citizens affected by the floods, Queen Letizia assured them that she would not forget them. She has kept her promise by showcasing the work of fashion companies from the Valencia region. She arrived in Bilbao with a much simpler but very special look from a Spanish brand, continuing her support for Valencian brands affected by the DANA by wearing designs from these brands to give them visibility.
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia are passionate about music, particularly opera, and they do not miss the opening of the season at the Teatro Real each year. Queen Letizia always showcases her most applauded outfits at the opera, wearing her finest attire and presenting a high, gala, and nighttime look, as she has demonstrated at many premieres at the Teatro Real in Madrid. Along with the Princess of Asturias Awards, opera nights are favorites for the monarch’s styles.
