UK’s Royal Ballet and Opera withdraws Tosca production in Tel Aviv | Gaza
The Royal Ballet and Opera withdrew Tosca’s 2026 production run at the Israeli National Opera in Tel Aviv.
The internal announcement made by RBO General Manager Alex Beard was made after an open letter criticizing the organization’s attitude towards Gaza.
Beard accepted the “built -in open letter ında and said to the staff:“ We decided that our new Tosca production will not go to Israel. ” The Israeli National Opera website has now referred to the Royal Opera House.
The letters sent to the Beard and RBO Board on Friday were signed by 182 RBO members, including personnel in dancers, singers, musicians and personnel in artistic, creative, technical and administrative departments. 40 was understood that the signature signed with the names, others signed anonymously because of the fear of retaliation.
The members said they were deeply concerned about the “last actions and decisions taken by RBO in the context of the genocide in Gaza”.
In particular, the signatures emphasized the recent recruitment of RBO from Turandot to the National Opera of Israel to the National Operary. “The decision cannot be seen as impartially, iler they said. “It is a deliberate harmony with a government that is currently dealing with crimes against humanity.
“The place itself offers a strong political statement by allowing the Israeli opera, as mentioned on websites, to the Israeli Defense Forces soldiers’ work.
They said that they rejected “existing or future performances in Israel ve and that they wanted the organization to keep our productions from the institutions that justified and economically support a state engaged in mass murder of civilians”.
Production recruitment, sets, stage and costumes are rented to another opera house. Preparations for Turandot, Israel-Iran War startedAnd the rehearsals were made in bomb shelters. Guardian understands that at least one artist decides to leave production and therefore looking for therapy.
Signors also expressed solidarity with the artist Daniel Perry, who raised the Palestinian flag on July 19 with “courage and moral clarity”.
RBO’s opera director Oliver Mears condemned that they call “extremely poor judiciary ,, which we witnessed“ forcibly breaking the flag from the artist and exhibiting visible anger and aggression in front of the whole audience ”.
Perry told mes later that Mears would do it “Never work for the opera house again”.
The signatures called for Mears to be held responsible for the public aggression demonstration ve and “he said that it was a high political expression rather than an impartial administrative intervention.
The letter stressed the role of art historically in times of crisis, and showed the rapidity of RBO to stand in solidarity with Ukraine after Russia’s occupation.
“We organized concerts for Ukraine, played the national anthem before the performances, and showed the Ukrainian flag as the public as the public. Then we realized that silence is unacceptable.
The organizers of the letter said that RBO has “threatened by the latest elections” that RBO is working to change public perceptions to make it more inclusive and accessible for years.
RBO confirmed that Tosca would not go to the Israeli National Opera. Beard said: um I was horrified by the crisis in Gaza, and I recognized the deep emotional effect it has throughout our community and wider society. We accept and respect all the views held by our staff, artists and viewers.
“The events in the curtain call on July 19 were unique. We carefully reflected and reviewed our internal protocols. We are always trying to act with integrity and compassion.
“Our support to Ukraine was compatible with the global consensus at that time. As the geopolitics of the world became more complex, it changed to ensure that our actions reflect our aims and values.”
