Key Facts
• On July 19, 2025, a performer raised a Palestinian flag during a curtain call.
• The incident occurred at the Royal Opera House in London during the final performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Il Trovatore.
• Staff attempted to remove the flag, leading to a brief scuffle on stage.
• The Royal Ballet & Opera condemned the act as “completely inappropriate” and against their policy of political neutrality.
• Videos showed the performer holding the flag silently while resisting staff attempts to take it.
• Audience reactions were mixed, with some applauding and others booing during the protest.
• The flag gesture is seen as a common act of solidarity with Palestinians amid ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
• The identity of the performer remains undisclosed.
• The opera concluded its 11-performance run at the Royal Opera House on the same day.
Summary
During the final performance of Il Trovatore at London’s Royal Opera House on July 19, 2025, a performer raised a Palestinian flag during the curtain call, sparking a brief on-stage altercation with staff. The Royal Ballet & Opera criticized the act as unauthorized and politically inappropriate. Audience reactions varied, with some applauding and others booing. The protest occurred against the backdrop of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, where such gestures are often used to show solidarity with Palestinians. The performer’s identity remains unknown, and the opera concluded its 11-show run that evening.
