Latest news with #OliverMears
Telegraph
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Palestine protester ‘banned from performing at Royal Opera House'
In an interview with Novara Media, a Left-wing outlet, Perry claimed: 'Oliver Mears came and said to me, very aggressively, 'You will never work for the Opera House ever again.' I responded, 'I don't give a flying f---.'' Perry had been hired as a freelance by the Royal Opera House, which said the protest was unauthorised and undermined its position of political impartiality. The dancer explained the protests, saying: 'I chose to do my demonstration during my curtain call, a moment for myself. I chose to make it about something bigger than me.' Perry reasoned that opera audiences are 'the ones with power and influence to be able to help' civilians suffering in the Israel-Hamas conflict. Performer complains of media 'mockery' The dancer also complained that the Right-wing media are 'trying to make a mockery of me'. After the protest, The Telegraph identified Perry as the person responsible and that the performer was a DJ and 'queer dance artist' who prefers they/them pronouns. They were educated at the Tring Park School for the Performing Arts in Hertfordshire, which charges up to £16,000 per term for boarding. Other former pupils include Dame Julie Andrews and Daisy Ridley, the Star Wars actress. Tank top protest at musical Perry recently wore a tank top with the slogan 'Free Palestine' to a London performance of Cabaret, which is set in Berlin during the rise of the Nazis in the early 1930s. In a social media post about the show, Perry wrote: 'In this particular version, we are reminded of how regimental political systems, such as extreme nationalism, and fascism, oppress and eradicate individualism, whilst also segregating people leaving them voiceless, expressionless and helplessly in control by their oppressors. 'I believe we are currently living in similar times.'
Daily Mail
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Pro-Palestine protester who staged demonstration at Royal Opera House during curtain call is 'queer dance artist' who attended £48k-a-year school
A pro-Palestine protester who caused a scene at the end of a Royal Opera House performance has been reportedly identified as a self-described 'queer dance artist'. Daniel Perry, a privately educated performer who attended the £16,000-per-term Tring Park School for the Performing Arts, has worked as a dancer since 2013, according to an online biography. The artist - who uses 'they/them' pronouns - caused a scene during the curtain call of Il Trovatore on Saturday as they unfurled the Palestine flag on stage. Perry could be seen resisting a furious attempt by a man identified as Royal Opera director Oliver Mears to yank the flag out of their hands. They pull the flag back towards them, sending Mr Mears stumbling, as Perry's fellow performers awkwardly side-step out of the way of the carnage. The protesting performer then stands with the flag as - in video seen from another angle - a woman appears to remonstrate with them from behind a curtain. Self-described as a 'queer dance artist', Perry has privatised their social media accounts, one of which features the transgender, pride and Palestinian flags alongside a watermelon emoji - a symbol of pro-Palestine protest. A post earlier this month seen by MailOnline showed them standing outside the musical Cabaret in London's Charing Cross in a vest daubed with the slogan 'Free Palestine'. In the caption, they compared the events of the play - which charts the rise of the Nazi party in Germany through the lens of a Berlin cabaret club - to current events. They previously performed as a dancer in an earlier run of the play alongside Eddie Redmayne and Jessie Buckley, as well as West End productions of Mary Poppins and Carousel, according to a biography. An online CV suggests they also worked on a number of cruise lines as a dancer, and appeared in a straight-to-DVD gangster film and a TV advert for crisps. 'I decided to make this top and wear it as a reminder to myself, and to those around me, of the themes of the show and its relevance to our current times,' they wrote. 'I am so disappointed in an industry that I have worked in for over 10 years. Where is your support for those who need our help?' They also called for a boycott of Coca-Cola, which has been a target of the so-called 'boycott, divest, sanctions' movement targeting businesses that continue to trade with Israel amid its war with Hamas in Gaza. Perry is reported by The Telegraph to have been hired as a freelancer for the Royal Opera's latest run of Il Trovatore - a four-part opera composed by Verdi - which ended on Saturday night. A witness said the dancer unfurled a Palestinian flag during the opera's curtain call. They said: 'Someone from the opera house/company came on stage from the wings to try to remove the flag from the cast member who wrestled it back and refused to give it up during Il trovatore.' It remains unknown whether they have been reprimanded for their on-stage protest. The Tring Park School for the Performing Arts in Hertfordshire charges up to £16,000 per term for boarding, or around £48,000 a year. Its alumni include Dame Julie Andrews and Star Wars actress Daisy Ridley. Perry has called for a boycott of businesses that continue to trade with Israel such as Coca-Cola, and compared the events of Cabaret to current events in Gaza Opera fan Stephen Ratcliffe, who was also watching the production, on X added: 'Controversy at end of Trovatore @rbo_org tonight when an extra/chorus member unfurled a Palestinian flag. 'Off stage manager tried to grapple with him but he held his ground. Bet he won't be working there again.' Royal Ballet and Opera - which counts the King as its patron - says the protest was 'spontaneous and unauthorised' and was 'not in line with our commitment to political impartiality'. It has previously staged concerts in solidarity with Ukraine, featuring performers who fled to Britain in the wake of Russia's 2022 invasion. A spokesman 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.'
Al Arabiya
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Arabiya
Scuffle on stage at London opera as performer unfurls Palestinian flag
London's Royal Opera House on Sunday condemned as 'wholly inappropriate' the actions of a performer who held up a Palestinian flag onstage at the end of a performance. Video footage posted online shows a brief scuffle at the edge of the stage as a figure dressed in a shirt and tie unsuccessfully attempts to stop the performer. A performer at the Royal Opera House unfurls a Palestinian flag during the curtain call of Saturday's performance of Il trovatore in Covent Garden, London Oliver Mears, Director of Opera at the Royal Opera House, tries to grab the flag from the performer He fails epically — Armchair Analyst (@ArmchairAn4lyst) July 20, 2025 The incident in the British capital on Saturday during the curtain call came on the closing night of an 11-night run of Il Trovatore, a four-act opera by Giuseppe Verdi. 'Extraordinary scenes at the Royal Opera House tonight,' a person who claimed to have been in the audience posted on X. '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.' A spokesperson for the Royal Ballet and Opera in London's Covent Garden said the 'display of the flag was an unauthorized action by the artist.' The incident comes after numerous artists including Kneecap, Bob Vylan, Wolf Alice, and Amyl and The Sniffers offered messages of support for people in Gaza at this year's Glastonbury festival. Police are still investigating duo Bob Vylan, whose frontman led a chant against the Israeli army at the festival. Kneecap's Liam O'Hanna, known by his stage name Mo Chara, has also been charged with a 'terror' offence over alleged support for banned organizations Hamas and Hezbollah in connection with an earlier performance.
Metro
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Opera cast member unfurls Palestine flag during curtain call on London stage
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A performer used a curtain call to wave a Palestinian flag on the stage of the Royal Opera House. The protest took place at the end of a performance of Giuseppe Verdi's il Trovatore on Saturday night, while the rest of the cast were taking their bows and receiving applause. Footage of the incident showed ROH's director of opera Oliver Mears step out on to the stage and mount an unsuccessful attempt to grab the green, white and red flag from the dancer. Other staff members standing in the wings are seen shouting messages to the actor involved. The move has been condemned as 'completely inappropriate' by the operators of the theatre theatre, who said they strive for political impartiality. One spectator 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.' Musician and Opera enthusiast Stephen Ratcliffe wrote on X: 'Controversy at end of Trovatore @rbo_org tonight when an extra /chorus member unfurled a Palestinian flag. Off stage manager tried to grapple with him but he held his ground. Bet he won't be working there again.' An ROH spokesperson said the display was a spontaneous act by the artist which was not approved by the theatre and was 'completely inappropriate for a curtain call'. More Trending They 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.' The show was the last in a series of 11 performances of Adele Thomas' production of il Trovatore at the opera house, the BBC reported. Verdi's four-act opera sees troubadour Manrico go head to head with rival Count di Luna for their lover Leonora's heart, while a devastating curse threatens to put an unexpected spin on events. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Dozens more Palestinians 'shot dead by Israeli troops while seeking aid' MORE: Three women arrested on terror charges after van driven into defense factory MORE: Over 70 arrests at UK protests after Israel kills 59 Palestinians
Times
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Royal Opera director: ‘I've absorbed London's energy'
I f Oliver Mears, director of opera at the Royal Opera, had to compose a work about London, what would it focus on? 'The housing crisis,' he jokes. 'I suppose that wouldn't be very sexy, would it … something about how it's the greatest city on earth?!' Since taking his role at the Royal Opera House in 2017, Mears has overseen a diverse repertoire that combines timeless classics — a new staging of Verdi's Rigoletto — with bold, contemporary works, including the world premiere of George Benjamin's Lessons in Love and Violence. His passion for storytelling, combined with his drive to make opera more inclusive and embrace technological advances, has firmly established him as one of Britain's most visionary artistic leaders. His acclaimed production of Semele runs until July 18, and preparations are in progress for the next season. Mears reflects on what makes London such a vital source of inspiration, where to find the best and most affordable classical music, and what lies ahead for the industry in the capital.
