A cast member at the Royal Opera House unfurled a Palestinian flag on stage during the curtain call of Il trovatore on Saturday night, prompting a tense standoff with backstage staff and mixed reactions from the audience.
As applause filled the central London venue on the final night of Verdi’s 11-show run, video footage captured the moment a performer held aloft a large Palestinian flag, briefly shaking it before a man from the wings attempted take it away. As seen in the video of the incident, the cast member held firm, remaining silent as fellow performers looked on, some seemingly unaware of the protest playing out behind them.
Officials in the wings could be seen shouting at the protester, who kept their gaze forward. The Royal Ballet and Opera later condemned the act, calling it “completely inappropriate for a curtain call” and “a spontaneous and unauthorised action by the artist.” A spokesperson added, “It was not approved by the Royal Ballet and Opera and is not in line with our commitment to political impartiality.”
Audience reactions were divided. Some reportedly booed while others cheered, though it remains unclear whether the latter was in response to the protest or the overall performance. “A really powerful moment,” said London resident Magdalini Liousa, calling the artist “brave.” In contrast, another attendee, Christopher from Glossop, said the protest “spoiled the atmosphere at the end of a brilliant performance.”
The identity of the cast member remains unconfirmed, and no disciplinary action has yet been announced.
The performance marked the closing night of a run already mired in backstage criticism. Hours before the curtain rose, Spanish baritone Juan Jesús Rodríguez, who played Count di Luna took to social media with a scathing statement about the production.
“NO ONE has the right to break anyone’s harmony,” he wrote, before criticizing both the direction and working conditions. He described the physical challenges of the staging, including oppressive heat from his costume and dangerous set design. “We singers have had to overcome the challenge of not falling down the stairs or, in my case, not suffering syncope.”
Rodríguez also took aim at conductor Carlo Rizzi, accusing him of ignoring the needs of the singers. “Accompanying is already a fiction,” he said.
Having performed Il trovatore in major opera houses worldwide, Rodríguez concluded his remarks by describing the experience as an “attack” on Verdi and the performers. He condemned what he called “mistreatment and abuse of power,” vowing never to work again with director Adele Thomas and Rizzi. “This message seeks justice above all personal interests,” he wrote.
The dual controversy has cast a shadow over the Royal Opera House’s summer season and ignited renewed debate over political expression and artistic leadership in elite cultural spaces.
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