182 members of Royal Ballet and Opera “reject future performances in Israel” and stand in solidarity with performer who held Palestinian flag. CEO cancels 2026 Israel show
The Royal Opera has pulled its planned 2026 production run of Tosca at the Israeli National Opera (INO) in Tel Aviv after protests by performers and staff who say they ‘reject future performances in Israel’.
The INO website has now dropped all reference to the Royal Opera House. Artists for Palestine UK (AFPUK) has learned that Royal Ballet and Opera CEO Alex Beard told staff on 1 August that:
we have made the decision that our new production of Tosca will not be going to Israel.
The decision follows an open letter signed by 182 staff at the Royal Ballet and Opera (RBO), criticising their management’s refusal to speak out against Israel’s genocide in Gaza that has killed more than 430,000 Palestinians according to Israeli military figures.
RBO staff, including dancers, singers, musicians and staff across artistic, creative, technical and administrative departments, say they:
reject any current or future performances in Israel [and demand that the organisation] withholds our productions from institutions that legitimise and economically support a state engaged in the mass killing of civilians.
As an organisation of global standing, with the power to shape discourse and influence cultural values, we have a responsibility to act ethically.
The workers also expressed solidarity with a performer who raised the Palestinian flag in
an act of courage and moral clarity on our very stage.
AFPUK says that this is the first time that workers at one of Britain’s most elite cultural institutions have risen up en masse to demand an end to complicity with grave war crimes and for a boycott of Israeli institutions that whitewash or justify them – and the first time that the management of such an institution responded with immediate action.
An AFPUK spokesperson said:
This is a welcome breakthrough for institutional accountability– and a victory for grassroots organising. Across the cultural sector too many institutions, faced with genocide, have opted for silence or worse. The RBO staff’s open letter is an essential ethical uprising against this refusal to speak out.
Since the onset of Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, British artists and writers, cultural workers and media professionals have mobilised to pressure institutions to cut links of complicity. Some have responded with repression and censorship. Yet a growing number are recognising their ethical and legal obligation to do no harm to the Palestinian struggle for freedom.
The RBO staff’s letter reads:
We, the undersigned, write with deep concern and moral conviction in response to recent actions and decisions taken by The Royal Ballet and Opera in the context of the ongoing genocide in Gaza. In recent months, the world has witnessed the systematic destruction of Palestinian lives, homes, and cultural heritage. Tens of thousands have been killed, millions displaced, and essential infrastructure deliberately targeted, in clear violation of international law.
Humanitarian organisations, legal scholars, and even the International Court of Justice have raised the alarm, recognising the scale of atrocities committed by the State of Israel against the Palestinian people. To call what is unfolding anything less than genocide is to ignore the overwhelming weight of evidence and the cries of those living – and dying – under siege. It is in this climate that our organisation has chosen to actively support the Israeli state and its economy by hiring our production of Turandot to The Israeli Opera. This decision cannot be viewed as neutral. It is a deliberate alignment, materially and symbolically, with a government currently engaged in crimes against humanity. The venue itself, The Israeli Opera, publicly offers free tickets to soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces “in recognition of their work”, as stated on their website.
The Royal Ballet and Opera is clearly making a strong political statement by allowing its production and intellectual property to be presented in a space that openly rewards and legitimises the very forces responsible for the daily killings of civilians in Gaza. We also witnessed, in recent days, an act of courage and moral clarity on our very stage. A performer used their moment in the spotlight – a moment traditionally reserved for personal recognition – to raise the Palestinian flag. In doing so, they reminded us that art cannot and does not exist in a vacuum.
Their gesture was not one of self-interest but of solidarity, a call to conscience. We stand firmly with them. In the same moment, we witnessed Oliver Mears, Director of Opera, attempting to forcibly snatch the flag from the performer, displaying visible anger and aggression in front of the entire audience. This act, far from being a neutral administrative intervention, was itself a loud political statement. It sent a clear message that any visible solidarity with Palestine would be met with hostility, while the organisation remains silent on the ongoing genocide.
Such behaviour, particularly from a leader in a position of influence and visibility, demonstrates extremely poor judgement. Oliver Mears does not represent us. As artists and cultural workers, we know too well the role the arts have historically played during times of crisis. Opera and ballet are not apolitical artforms. They are filled with stories of human resilience, resistance to oppression, and the triumph of justice over tyranny. To now retreat behind a false veil of neutrality is both hypocritical and cowardly.
This is especially evident when we look at our own recent history. In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, our institution moved swiftly and decisively. We organised Concerts for Ukraine, we played the Ukrainian national anthem before performances, and we publicly displayed the Ukrainian flag as a gesture of solidarity with its people. We understood then that silence was unacceptable. Why is it different now? Why is Palestinian suffering met with silence, while Ukrainian suffering was met with action? The double standard is deafening.
As an organisation of global standing, with the power to shape discourse and influence cultural values, we have a responsibility to act ethically. We cannot simultaneously present ourselves as champions of human dignity and artistic excellence while materially supporting a regime that commits genocide. To do so is to betray our audience, the values this organisation claims to uphold, and the very spirit of the artforms we serve. We therefore:
Stand in solidarity with the performer who bravely displayed the Palestinian flag on our stage.Call for Oliver Mears to be held accountable for his public display of aggression towards a performer exercising their right to express a deeply moral and political truth.Reject any current or future performances in Israel, and commit to withholding our productions from institutions that legitimise and economically support a state engaged in the mass killing of civilians.Call on the Royal Ballet and Opera to publicly acknowledge the genocide in Gaza, to end its silence, and to align its actions with the same moral and humanitarian principles it upheld in the case of Ukraine.
History will remember the choices we make in times of atrocity. We urge our organisation not to be complicit through inaction or false neutrality.” Signed anonymously by 182 members of The Royal Ballet and Opera – including dancers, singers, musicians, and staff across artistic, creative, technical and administrative departments.
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“History will remember the choices we make in times of calamity (aka ‘Nakba’).”
Thank you RBO.
Meanwhile, interesting developments in Ukraine. Check out 1:00-4:40 on this video:
https://youtu.be/S3V0rYynklo?si=65k1zXNuiNLIYLcs
This? https://merylnass.substack.com/
Looks like the Russian Federation has reportedly captured two British colonels, Colonel Edward Blake and Lieutenant Colonel Richard Carroll, during a special forces operation in the Ukrainian city of Ochakiv.
Apparently, as reported on the MOATS last night, the UK Government (on behalf of its oligarch owners) are claiming they were merely tourists who just happened to be engaged in the upper class equivalent of trainspotting by visiting old world war two battlegrounds – IN A WAR ZONE!
Which gives a new slant on the old song about mad dogs and Englishmen.
Interestingly, it does not seem to have stopped the UK “Government” demanding they be treated as PoW’s under the Geneva Convention. At least two points occur:
1. Either they were civilians or active combatants. They cannot be both. If they should be classed as PoW’s under the provisions of the Geneva Convention, then they are active combatants and not tourists.
2. Funny how people running countries on behalf of an oligarchy can suddenly become defenders of International Conventions and treaties when it suits them – given the track record of ignoring such rules as they only appliy to others and not to them.
Besides which, are these three stooges actually legal active combatants under the Geneva Convention that the British Establishment have suddenly, and selectively, decided to champion?
Perhaps this site’s resident dead cat slammer could post us an alleged definitive link on the matter when he wakes up from his afternoon nap?
When this Genocide is over, Politicians like Starmer and Lammy who have and continue to deny Genocide is taking place, will have nowhere to hide, they are a disgrace to humanity and deserve to be removed from power and prosecuted at the highest level for their complicity in mass murder.
“The Government Media Office in Gaza said that there are “more than 22,000 humanitarian aid trucks currently parked at the Gaza Strip crossing gates,” blocked by Israel.
“The Israeli occupation is deliberately preventing their entry as part of a systematic policy of engineering starvation, siege, and chaos,” the office said in a statement, adding that most of the trucks belong to the UN and international organisations and various entities.
Describing the situation as a “full-fledged war crime”, the media office said blocking the humanitarian aid violates international law and contributes to what it called the ongoing crime of genocide against the people of Gaza”..
https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/more-22000-aid-trucks-blocked-israel-says-gaza-media-office
“We hold the Israeli occupation, along with the states involved through silence or complicity, fully responsible for the worsening humanitarian catastrophe,” the statement added.
One can only hope that ALL artists and performers and musicians etc, etc in the UK and around the world boycott Israel forever, and anyone going on holiday to Israel is regarded with disgust and contempt, and ostracised, as such.
Israel and the zionist fascists have been throwing their weight around for far too long attacking and smearing and demonising everyone opposed to their genocide and their subjugation of the Palestinians for the past seventy-seven years, and who, with the assistance of their fascist buddies in the UK and US and Europe are destroying our human rights and freedom of expression etc, and THAT of course is EXACTLY what the nazi cnuts did in Germany back in the 1930s. And the majority of people don’t even know it’s happening. And only *we* can wake them up to the fact, and can do so by exposing their numerous massive great big lies and their fraudulent attacks on people such as Jeremy and Ken and Jackie and Chris et al, and did so with the sole intention of subverting democracy, and cheating millions of people. And none of it could have happened without the ‘co-operation’ of the MSM.
Collectively we can influence all manner of things and, as such, take control away from the nazi fascist scum who are out to destroy our freedoms and civil liberties that our parents and grandparents fought for, and many died for. We HAVE to turn things around and can no longer let these war-mongering mass-murdering demented shit-heads continue with the totally insane reality they have created, which ultimately can only lead – one way or the other – to the extinction of human species. And quite probably sooner than later.
Fuck them, every single fucking one of them!
PS It is of course great what the RBO have said and done, but unfortunately, like hundreds of millions of people, they have been duped and deceived and misled in relation to Ukraine and, as such, are uaware that Russia was deliberately provoked into taking military action by the Nato nazis, and are directly responsible for all the hundreds and hundreds of thousands who have been killed and maimed, and all the destruction and displacement and despair and devastation, and the nazi scum responsible – along with practically the whole of the MSM who gave their lies a platform – don’t give a flying fuck, because they are inhuman, as are all psychopaths.
They are all traitors to the human race.
And if you want to give a massive F U to our racist, genocidal government you know where to be:
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/police-planning-arrest-anyone-supporting-113941793.html
Dave. To begin with I want One Multi-Ethnic Democratic State of the Whole of Palestine from the rivers to the sea (1917) and the Right of Palestinian Refugees To Return.
I also fought for a certain direct action group NOT to be banned pointing out they had not harmed or killed one human being whilst those prosecuting them should be charged in front of the ICJ with being complicit in enabling the slaughter of 400,000 Palestinians.
But I don’t agree with you on your comment.
Zulu leaders used to order a first wave attack by their soldiers, armed only with spears, charging against British guns and cannons purely to accertain from the volume of losses the British potential weaknesses.
Ghandi used to line up his supporters to be viciously beaten on the head by the canes of British soldiers perhaps because it would dehumanise them?
So isn’t what you are advocating “Left wing communism an infantile disorder” (?)
Activists self actualising (feeling good about themselves) whilst actually sacrificing themselves and taking themselves for a while out of the weekly fight on the streets for Palestine when we need everyone?
I find your analysis on issues great but perhaps you are a poor General as you seem to only know one command: Charge!
When good generals look at the forces against them and choose the right time to battle and other appropriate tactics.
I am critical of Hamas but to put things into context it is argued that prior to Oct 23 with all the US/Israel/Arab Middle East Deals they felt that history was passing them by and that they had to act.
But some of us socialists were very worried, given the previous episode, and that many thousands of Palestinians would be killed in the expected massive Israeli over-reaction.
You said you say to people what else could they have done and what would you have done “And they have no answers.”
So lets pose the question to you:
Would you have done the same knowing that many thousands of Palestinians would be killed in the massive Israeli over reaction?
And by the time it’s all over there could be 500,000 Palestinians killed. (Melechon).
But you made me think and what else could they have done instead?
I’m a very peaceful human being but
perhaps some military strategists would suggest Palestinians could have adopted the tactics of the French Resistance in the 2WW of sabotage against the Nazi’s?
And it worked in Algeria, they drove the French Imperialists out!
And the strap line would have been,
‘From The French Resistance to The Palestinian Resistance’ and the masses would get it.
But I want a peaceful resolution and we need to keep up the campaign (and we need all our forces on the streets etc) and more BDS and globally wear the Western Neo-Liberal Capitalist Profiteer Barbarians down eg the Israel economy has been hit by £440b in the last 22 months.
So we need maximum activists and our hearts & heads in harmony.
Yours In Peace.
♥️☮️
Royal Ballet & Opera ❤️ 1.
Gaza Genocide 0.
And hopefully one day the artists who stood by Palestinians will go and perform in a Free Multi Ethnic Democratic Independent Whole of Palestine State from the rivers to the sea with the Right of Palestinian Refugees to Return.
And the Palestinian people will say:
“We know who our friends are.”
Solidarity with AFPUK!
Ratbastard ibf will just amuse themselves by shooting a few more women & kids.
…And blame AFPUK, somehow linking them to hamas.