Royal Opera House Performer Unfurls Palestine Flag

On the final night of Il trovatore at London’s Royal Opera House, a cast member staged an unauthorised protest by unfurling a large Palestinian flag during the curtain call.

Video footage shows the performer holding the flag aloft while a backstage official attempts to remove it, sparking a brief struggle. Despite efforts to stop the protest, the cast member maintained their stance until the end of the curtain call.

The Royal Ballet and Opera condemned the act as “completely inappropriate”, stating it was not approved and contradicted their stance on political neutrality.

The protest unfolded as the audience applauded the performance, with some onlookers reportedly booing while others viewed the act as courageous.

Audience member Magdalini Liousa called the moment “really powerful”, while another attendee felt it “spoiled the atmosphere”. The performer’s identity remains unknown, and the video only partially captures the incident after audience members began filming.

The demonstration occurred amid ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, with Palestinian flags frequently seen at pro-Gaza protests.

Il trovatore concluded its 11-night run at Covent Garden that evening, though the curtain call protest has since sparked debate over political expression in the arts.

#MaltaDaily