Verdi Upstaged at Royal Opera House by Palestinian Flag at Curtain Call
It’s hard to imagine Giuseppe Verdi would approve.
According to eyewitnesses, discomfort rippled through the audience Saturday night when London’s traditionally restrained Royal Opera House was abruptly pulled into the political spotlight. Following the final performance of Verdi’s Il Trovatore, one cast member unfurled a large Palestinian flag during the curtain call.
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The impromptu display left many in attendance stunned. One opera-goer reportedly attempted to intervene, only to have the flag-bearer firmly reclaim the banner and continue holding it aloft. A brief scuffle ensued as a Royal Opera House official moved toward the stage in an apparent attempt to stop the protest, but the performer refused to release the flag. Video footage circulating online shows the tense moment clearly.
The incident occurred on the closing night of Il Trovatore, Verdi’s four-act tale of revenge and mistaken identity. In its aftermath, the Royal Opera House issued a statement calling the protest “completely inappropriate for a curtain call,” and confirmed that the matter is under internal review. No disciplinary action against the performer has yet been announced.
For many in Saturday’s audience, the final note of the evening wasn’t a musical one—but a reminder that even opera is no longer immune from the politics of the moment.
