The United Kingdom‘s Royal Ballet and Opera has cancelled its planned 2026 production of “Tosca” at the Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv, following internal protest over the organization’s stance on Gaza, The Guardian reported on Monday.
The decision follows an open letter signed by 182 staff members, including dancers and musicians, criticizing the company’s ties to Israel amid the ongoing conflict. The staff demanded that the organization refrain from supporting institutions that legitimize a state engaged in “crimes against humanity.”
The letter does not mention the mass atrocities committed by Hamas against civilians in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, including the murder of 1,200 people and the kidnapping of 251 others. Nor does it reference the hostages still being held in dire conditions by terrorists in the Strip.
R.B.O. Chief Executive Alex Beard confirmed the decision in an internal message acknowledging staff concerns, stating, “We have made the decision that our new production of Tosca will not be going to Israel.”
The Israeli Opera’s website no longer mentions the Royal Opera House, which is the main theatrical home of the Royal Ballet and Opera, located in the Covent Garden district of central London.
The signatories accused the Jewish state of committing an ongoing genocide in Gaza—a charge that Jerusalem vehemently denies. The letter also cites that the Tel Aviv venue publicly offers free tickets to Israeli Defense Forces soldiers.
“The RBO is clearly making a strong political statement by allowing its production and intellectual property to be presented in a space that openly rewards and legitimizes the very forces responsible for the daily killings of civilians in Gaza,” the letter reads.
Israel mandates military service in the IDF for all citizens over 18 who are Jewish, Druze or Circassian, with some significant exceptions.
The letter also expresses solidarity with a cast member at London’s Royal Opera House who unfurled a PLO flag during the final curtain call of Giuseppe Verdi’s “Il trovatore” on July 19.
