The Royal Ballet and Opera (RBO) has pulled its 2026 production run of Tosca at the Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv after almost 200 staff members signed an open letter criticising the organisation's stance on Gaza.
The internal announcement by RBO chief executive Alex Beard acknowledged the letter, which was signed by 182 RBO members including dancers, singers, musicians and staff across all departments. Forty signatories used their names while the others signed anonymously due to fear of reprisals.
The signatories expressed deep concern over what they described as 'the ongoing genocide in Gaza', specifically highlighting the RBO's hiring out of its Turandot production to the Israeli Opera, which offers free tickets to Israeli Defence Forces soldiers. They said the decision 'cannot be viewed as neutral' and called it a deliberate alignment with a government 'engaged in crimes against humanity'.
The letter also condemned Oliver Mears, RBO's director of opera, for attempting to forcibly take a Palestinian flag from performer Daniel Perry during a curtain call on 19 July. Mears allegedly told Perry he would 'never work for the Opera House ever again'. The signatories called for Mears to be held accountable for what they described as a 'public display of aggression'.
The staff drew a contrast with the RBO's swift solidarity with Ukraine after Russia's invasion, including concerts and displaying the Ukrainian flag. 'The double standard is deafening,' they wrote. Beard said he was 'appalled by the crisis in Gaza' and that the RBO 'acknowledge and respect the full range of views'.
