Royal Opera House withdraws planned Tosca production in Tel Aviv

Nearly two hundred employees sign open letter opposed to 'any current or future performances in Israel'

The Royal Ballet and Opera in London has pulled its 2026 production of Tosca at The Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv, after 182 members of its staff signed an open letter to management criticising its stance on Gaza.

The announcement follows weeks of staff opposition to the proposed run in Israel and anger at the treatment of performer Daniel Perry who raised the Palestinian flag after a performance of Il Trovatore on Saturday 19th July.

Perry, who goes by they/them’ pronouns, was told by Royal Opera House director Oliver Mears that they will never work there again.

As reported by the Guardian newspaper, RBO chief executive Alex Beard confirmed to employees that Giacomo Puccini’s “Tosca will not be going to Israel”.

The staff letter also called for Mears “to be held accountable for his public display of aggression”, adding that the incident, “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.”

Signatories to the letter, included “dancers, singers, musicians and staff across artistic, creative, technical and administrative departments”.

The Guardian understands “that 40 signatories signed with their names while the others signed anonymously because of fear of reprisals.”

Referring to the planned hiring out of its Tosca production to the Israeli National Opera, they added: “The decision cannot be viewed as neutral. It is a deliberate alignment, materially and symbolically, with a government currently engaged in crimes against humanity.”

Linking to reports of the story in left-wing Israel newspaper “Apartheid Israel’s Haaretz”, Artists for Palestine confirmed the news on Twitter/X, with a triumphant: “VICTORY AT COVENT GARDEN! The Royal Opera withdraws its planned 2026 production at the Israeli National Opera in Tel Aviv. This follows open letter by 182 staff, calling on the RBO to end its silence over genocide. Breakthrough moment for BDS.”

Sir Alex Beard, chief executive of the Royal Ballet and Opera told Jewish News: “We decided not to proceed with our new production of Tosca in Israel before the recent staff open letter was received. We did so due to our concerns about the safety of company members in the region, in light of the ongoing conflict.

“I firmly believe in the power of the arts to speak truth across boundaries. It is at the heart of who we are that we recognise and respect the diversity of opinions among our colleagues and audiences.”

In June, Royal Ballet and Opera announced that an earlier performance of its Tosca production, due later this year, would feature Anna Netrebko, a Russian soprano previously widely cancelled for alleged refusal to criticise Vladimir Putin after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, although she did say she was “opposed to this senseless war of aggression.”

Jewish News has approached several of the Jewish philanthropists who have historically supported the Royal Ballet and Opera for comment, including The Rothschild Foundation, Wolfson Foundation, The Clore Duffield Foundation and Edmond J. Safra Foundation.

The Israeli Opera website has removed any reference to the Royal Opera House.