Performer launches Gaza flag protest on Royal Opera House stage
A spokesperson said: "The display of the flag was spontaneous and unauthorised action by the artist."It was not approved by the Royal Ballet and Opera and is not in line with our commitment to political impartiality."One cast member standing at the top of the stage is seen in videos of the incident silently displaying a large Palestinian flag, at one point shaking it gently.While the audience continues to applaud the performance, a man from the stage wings is seen attempting to wrestle the flag away from the cast member but they resist and hold on to it for the remainder of the curtain call.Other officials stood in the wings can then be seen shouting messages to the cast member.
One member of the audience posted on X: "Extraordinary scenes at the Royal Opera House tonight."During the curtain call for Il trovatore one of the background artists came on stage waving a Palestine flag. "Just stood there, no bowing or shouting. Someone off stage kept trying to take it off him. Incredible."The identity of the cast member is unclear, but Il trovatore has now finished its 11-night run at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.The protest comes as the war between Israel and Gaza continues, with a ceasefire yet to be struck.
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BBC News
23 minutes ago
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When it comes to the unruly world of rock, shocking behaviour is rarely frowned upon. Just the opposite. 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We were planning to release it there, but it died beforehand. So rather than waste it, I bit its head off."You should have seen their faces. They all went white. They were speechless." The ringmaster of rock excess Ozzy, of course, had a reputation to uphold. After all, this was the man who'd been thrown out of Black Sabbath because, even by rock's astronomically lax standards, his drink and drug consumption was considered too while his encounters with bat and dove may not have seemed cricket to many, they - with helpful dollops of exaggeration - added significantly to Ozzy's outrageous undoubtedly gave him even greater publicity and notoriety, helping his solo career to skyrocket like a bat out of even though he might not be guilty of every misdemeanour that was attributed to him over the years, there's little doubt that he reached heights (or depths) that other rock stars never dared to meant that he was seen as the undoubted ringmaster of rock excess - a career defining reputation that stayed with him right to the end.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
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