Three days after 182 anonymous staff members attacked its Gaza silence, the Royal Ballet and Opera has scrapped a plan to share its new Tosca production with Israeli Opera next year.
Chief exec Alex Beard acknowledged in a memo to staff that he was caving in to an ‘open letter that has been circulating internally’.
He added: ‘We have made the decision that our new production of Tosca will not be going to Israel.’
His decision came on a day when the chef conductor and chief executive of Israeli Opera, among 2,400 artists, called on their prime minister to end the Gaza war immediately.
Well done, Beard.
Expect a congratulatory message from Hamas, like the one Keir Starmer received ‘another victory of October 7’.
UPDATE: Beard told the Guardian:
‘I am appalled by the crisis in Gaza and recognise the deep emotional impact this has had across our community and wider society. On this issue, we acknowledge and respect the full range of views held by our staff, artists and audiences.
‘The events at the curtain call on 19 July were without precedent. We have reflected carefully and reviewed our internal protocols. We always endeavour to act with integrity and compassion. We want our stage to remain a space for shared cultural appreciation, free from individual political statements.
‘Our support for Ukraine was aligned with the global consensus at the time. As the world’s geopolitics have become more complex, our stance has changed to ensure that our actions reflect our purpose and values.’
Weasel words.
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