Latest news with #RoyalBalletAndOpera
National Post
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- National Post
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.' Article content 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. Article content After a few moments, someone backstage tries to grab the flag, but the performer holds onto it and snaps back into place. Article content Article content 🎥 Performer unfurls Palestinian flag in Royal Opera House protest (Credit: sydcas/X) — The Telegraph (@Telegraph) July 20, 2025 Article content '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.' Article content Article content '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. Article content
Sky News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sky News
Scuffle breaks out on stage of Royal Opera House after performer unfurls Palestinian flag
A brief scuffle broke out at London's Royal Opera House after a performer unfurled a Palestinian flag during a show. The incident took place during a performance of Il Trovatore on Saturday. During the final night of the 11-night run of the show, a performer held up the flag on stage. In video footage, shared online, someone backstage could be seen attempting to take it off the performer. The performer grabs it back following a brief scuffle. A spokesperson for the Royal Ballet and Opera said: "The display of the flag was an unauthorised action by the artist. "It was not approved by the Royal Ballet and Opera and is a wholly inappropriate act." The reaction to the flag was mixed, with some people heard applauding and cheering, while another audience member was heard saying "oh my God". One poster on X, who claimed to have been a member of the audience, said: "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." Performers show support for Palestinians A number of performers have shown support for Palestinians amid the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. During Glastonbury Festival, numerous acts offered messages of support during their sets, including Kneecap, Bob Vylan, Wolf Alice, and Amyl And The Sniffers. During her band's set, Wolf Alice singer Ellie Rowsell told the crowd at the Other Stage: "Whilst we have the stage for just a little bit longer, we want to express our solidarity with the people of Palestine. "No-one should ever be afraid to do that." Following their performances, both Kneecap and Bob Vylan faced investigation by Avon and Somerset Police. 2:06 Bob Vylan were widely criticised after leading on-stage chants of "death to the IDF" (Israel Defence Forces). The performance was live-streamed by the BBC, sparking a backlash against the broadcaster - which later issued an apology. The investigation into Kneecap was later dropped, with the police saying there was insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any offence".
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Scuffle on stage at London's Royal Opera House 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. 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 social media. '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 offstage 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 unauthorised action by the artist'.
Arab News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Cast member unfurls large Palestinian flag on London's Royal Opera House stage
LONDON: A cast member unfurled a large Palestinian flag on stage during the curtain call of 'Il Trovatore' at the Royal Opera House in London on Saturday, prompting a brief scuffle with an official attempting to stop the protest and remove the flag. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @ A video shows a performer in a tussle with an official, as they refuse to relinquish the Palestinian flag, and continue to display it, at one point shaking it gently. Seconds later, other officials, thought to be staff at the Royal Opera House, were shouting messages to the protesting actor from the wings, who looked ahead and appeared to ignore them. At the same time, the audience continued to applaud the performance. Royal Ballet and Opera said the protest was 'completely inappropriate for a curtain call.' A spokesperson told the BBC: 'The display of the flag was spontaneous and unauthorized 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.' During the tussle, two performers beside the protester lurched to the side, while cast members further forward appeared oblivious to the situation. Palestinian flags are commonly seen at protests supporting Gaza, as Israeli attacks on the Palestinian coastal enclave have continued since late 2023. The flag of Palestine has also appeared at major events in the UK, including the Glastonbury Festival, where some bands and artists have featured it on stage. The identity of the cast member remains unclear. 'Il Trovatore' concluded its 11-night run at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, on Saturday. 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 offstage kept trying to take it off him. Incredible.'
The Independent
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Scuffle reportedly breaks out at Royal Opera House after Palestine flag unfurled
A scuffle reportedly broke out at London's Royal Opera House after a performer unfurled an 'unauthorised' Palestine flag. The incident took place during a performance of Il Trovatore on Saturday, with video footage circulating online showing people backstage attempting to take the flag off the unidentified performer as he shook it. A spokesperson for the Royal Ballet and Opera said: 'The display of the flag was an unauthorised action by the artist. 'It was not approved by the Royal Ballet and Opera and is a wholly inappropriate act.' In one of the videos, the audience could be heard applauding and cheering while the man was shaking the flag, before one audience member says 'oh my god' as a person attempts to take the flag off him. The incident came on the closing night of an 11-night run of the production, which was a four-act opera by Giuseppe Verdi. One poster on X, who claimed to have been a member of the audience, said: '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.' It comes as a large number of performers show their support for the people of Palestine amid the war in Gaza. Numerous musical artists at this year's Glastonbury Festival offered messages of support during their sets, including Kneecap, Bob Vylan, Wolf Alice, and Amyl And The Sniffers. During her band's set Wolf Alice singer Ellie Rowsell told the crowd at the Other Stage: 'Whilst we have the stage for just a little bit longer, we want to express our solidarity with the people of Palestine. 'No-one should ever be afraid to do that.' Following their performances, Kneecap and Bob Vylan faced an investigation into their sets by Avon and Somerset Police. During Bob Vylan's performance, rapper Bobby Vylan, whose real name is thought to be Pascal Foster-Robinson, 34, chanted 'death, death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)', while a member of Belfast rap group Kneecap joked fans should 'start a riot' outside his bandmate's upcoming court appearance. The investigation into Kneecap's performance at the Somerset festival has since been dropped by police who said they would take 'no further action' as there was 'insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any offence'.
