Royal Ballet and Opera caves in to pro-Palestine activists and halts Israel show

Telegraph

8 hours ago

The Royal Ballet and Opera has caved in to pro-Palestine activists and cancelled a planned production in Israel.
A 2026 run of Tosca in partnership with the Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv will no longer go ahead because of pressure from staff.
It comes after Daniel Perry, a 'queer dance artist' and alumnus of a £48,000-a-year dance school, pulled out a Palestinian flag during a curtain call at the Royal Opera House last month.
The Royal Opera, part of the newly combined Royal Ballet and Opera (RBO), which receives public funding from the Arts Council, condemned the stunt at the time as inappropriate and contrary to its commitment to political neutrality.
Following the on-stage protest on July 19, the RBO faced internal pressure from staff, who demanded the cancellation of the Tosca production.
Almost 200 staff signed a letter to Sir Alex Beard, the RBO's chief executive, calling the curtain call protest an 'act of courage and moral clarity'.
The letter demanded that the RBO 'withholds our productions from institutions that legitimise and economically support a state engaged in the mass killing of civilians'.
Announcing that the production would be cancelled, Sir Alex said: 'I am appalled by the crisis in Gaza and recognise the deep emotional impact this has had across our community and wider society.
'On this issue, we acknowledge and respect the full range of views held by our staff, artists and audiences.'
He added that following Mr Perry's on-stage stunt, which Oliver Mears, the director of the Royal Opera House, attempted to end by snatching at the Palestinian flag, the RBO would review its stance on political messaging.
Sir Alex added: 'The events at the curtain call on July 19 were without precedent. We have reflected carefully and reviewed our internal protocols. We always endeavour to act with integrity and compassion.
'We want our stage to remain a space for shared cultural appreciation, free from individual political statements.'
Sir Alex went on to refer to Ukraine, saying: 'Our support for Ukraine was aligned with the global consensus at the time. As the world's geopolitics have become more complex, our stance has changed to ensure that our actions reflect our purpose and values.'
The RBO has not confirmed whether this means that further pro-Palestine protests will be tolerated, or if pro-Ukraine messaging will be limited to ensure neutrality.
The RBO's decision has been welcomed by pro-Palestine activists.
Artists for Palestine, which has lobbied for cultural institutions to sever ties with Israel, said: 'This is a welcome breakthrough for institutional accountability – and a victory for grass-roots organising. Across the cultural sector too many institutions, faced with genocide, have opted for silence or worse.
'The RBO staff's open letter is an essential ethical uprising against this refusal to speak out.'