Performer unfurls Palestinian flag during curtain call at Royal Opera House in London
A performer holding a Palestinian flag touched off a brief scuffle on stage at the Royal Opera House in London as cast members were taking their bows following the season's final performance of 'Il Trovatore.'
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Images posted on social media show what appears to be a member of the chorus holding the unfurled flag in front of his chest while the lead singers bask in the audience's applause on Saturday night.
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🎥 Performer unfurls Palestinian flag in Royal Opera House protest
(Credit: sydcas/X) pic.twitter.com/gAifyUBnsp
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) July 20, 2025
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'The display of the flag was an unauthorized action by the artist,' the opera company said in a statement on Sunday. 'It was not approved by the Royal Ballet and Opera and is a wholly inappropriate act.'
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'Il Trovatore,' which translates as 'The Troubadour,' is an 1853 opera by the Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi. Director Adele Thomas' production reinterprets the story of desire and an all-consuming curse, the opera said.
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