UK'S Royal Ballet and Opera Cancels Israel Production After Staff Protest

August 5, 2025 | 03:14 pm

The world-class ballet and opera organizer, Royal Opera House, has canceled the production of 'Tosca,' scheduled to appear at the National Opera of Israel in the 2026 season in Tel Aviv.

The decision was made after facing internal pressure from its staff regarding Israel's genocide in Gaza.

"We have  made the decision that our new production of Tosca will not be going to Israel," said CEO of the Royal Ballet and Opera, Alex Beard, according to a statement from Artists for Palestine UK, which has communicated with internal members of the organization as reported by Anadolu on Monday.

The decision communicated to the Royal Ballet and Opera employees last Friday marks the institutional response to the growing calls for cultural boycotts over what workers describe as Israeli "genocide" in Gaza.

The National Opera of Israel has since removed all references to the Royal Opera House from its website.

The cancellation comes after an open letter signed by 182 Royal Ballet and Opera staff members—including dancers, musicians, singers, as well as artistic, technical, and administrative staff—condemned the institution's silence towards Israel's genocidal actions, which have killed over 60,000 Palestinian civilians.

“We reject any current or future performances in Israel,” the letter stated.

The staff also demanded that the company does not provide productions to institutions that legitimize and financially support a state involved in the mass slaughter of civilians.

The letter also expressed solidarity with a performer who raised the Palestinian flag on stage in what they described as "an act of courage and moral clarity on our very stage."

Although the Royal Opera House has not issued a public statement, the internal announcement to the staff signifies a rare example where the leadership of a major cultural institution in the UK has taken swift action in response to grassroots pressure from within its own organization.

On July 19, 2025, as reported by Sky News, a male performer at the Royal Opera House raised the Palestinian flag during the closing of the performance of Il Trovatore or 'The Troubadour.' Oliver Mears, the Director of the ROH Opera, attempted to take the flag from backstage, but the performer managed to hold onto it.

The action was met with applause from the audience.

The protest at the Royal Opera House occurred amidst a broader wave of actions in the UK cultural sector.

British artists, writers, and cultural workers have launched campaigns calling for boycotts, divestment, and public statements from leading institutions.

Some of these campaigns have faced resistance, including censorship or inclusion on blacklists by parties unsupportive of Israel's criticism.

According to Artists for Palestine UK, the Royal Opera's move is unprecedented in its scale. Never before have workers from one of the UK's most prestigious cultural institutions mobilized in such large numbers in response to a political crisis—and never has the management responded so firmly.

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