The Royal Ballet and Opera has canceled its planned participation in a 2026 production of Tosca at the Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv following an internal protest by nearly 200 company members over the war in Gaza, the Guardian reported on Monday.
The decision followed an open letter sent last week to Royal Ballet and Opera leadership and signed by 182 dancers, singers, musicians and staff across artistic, technical and administrative departments, according to the Guardian. The signatories said they were “deeply concerned” about what they called “recent actions and decisions taken by the RBO in the context of the ongoing genocide in Gaza.”
The letter specifically criticized RBO’s agreement to license its production to the Israeli Opera, calling the move “a deliberate alignment, materially and symbolically, with a government currently engaged in crimes against humanity.” It also noted that the Israeli Opera publicly offers free tickets to Israeli soldiers, describing it as a form of legitimizing “the very forces responsible for the daily killings of civilians in Gaza.”
“We reject any current or future performances in Israel,” the letter stated, urging the organization to prevent its productions from being staged at institutions that “legitimize and economically support a state engaged in the mass killing of civilians.”
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
The letter also expressed solidarity with performer Daniel Perry, who raised a Palestinian flag onstage during a curtain call on July 19. The signatories condemned what they described as “a public display of aggression” by RBO Director of Opera Oliver Mears, who allegedly attempted to forcibly remove the flag in front of the audience. They described his actions as “a loud political statement” that signaled opposition to any visible show of solidarity with Palestine.
Perry later said that Mears told him he would “never work for the Opera House ever again,” according to the Guardian.
The letter compared the company’s stance on Gaza with its previous response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. “We organized concerts for Ukraine, played the Ukrainian national anthem before performances and flew the Ukrainian flag as a gesture of solidarity,” the signatories wrote. “Back then, we understood that silence was unacceptable. Why is it different now?”
Of the 182 people who signed the letter, around 40 used their full names while the rest remained anonymous, citing fear of retaliation, the Guardian reported.
RBO Chief Executive Alex Beard confirmed to the Guardian that the organization would no longer send Tosca to Israel. “I am appalled by the crisis in Gaza and recognize the deep emotional impact this has had across our community and society,” Beard said. “We always endeavor to act with integrity and compassion. We want our stage to remain a space for shared cultural appreciation free from individual political statements.”
He added that RBO’s previous support for Ukraine was “aligned with the global consensus at the time,” but said the organization’s position had shifted as the geopolitical landscape became more complex.
The Israeli Opera said in response that it regretted the decision but would continue with a replacement production of Tosca as planned. “The Israeli Opera will present an excellent alternate production conducted by Dan Ettinger and featuring international soloists,” it said in a statement. “We will continue the successful dialogue we’ve had with the Royal Opera House and hope to see its productions in Israel again soon.”