Gabriel Sanchez-Ortega
Canadian opera removes performer after he displayed Palestinian flag
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- Bass-baritone Gabriel Sanchez-Ortega has been replaced in the remaining performances of Tosca after displaying a Palestinian flag on opening night.
- Calgary Opera described the gesture as “unexpected and unauthorized,” saying individual political protest violates company policy.
- Sanchez-Ortega said he had “no regret” over the display and alleged that financial threats had been made against the company.
Calgary Opera has removed bass-baritone Gabriel Sanchez-Ortega from the remaining performances of Tosca after he unfurled a Palestinian flag during the curtain call of the production’s opening night on Oct. 16, prompting criticism from supporters of Palestine who say artists should not be penalized for expressing solidarity with Palestinians.
The company confirmed that another performer would take over Sanchez-Ortega’s role as Cesare Angelotti, an escaped political prisoner in Giacomo Puccini’s opera, which is set amid political upheaval in Rome.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Calgary Opera described the flag display as “unexpected and unauthorized,” arguing that individual political protest contravenes company policy and its responsibility to foster “a more connected, caring, and civil society through shared artistic experiences.”
The company said the incident may have affected audience members, performers, crew, orchestral musicians and staff at the Jubilee Auditorium in different ways, and expressed regret over the “discomfort and distress” it caused.
It added that it had addressed the matter directly with Sanchez-Ortega and reinforced its expectations with the cast and production team.
Performer says he has no regrets
Responding to his removal, Sanchez-Ortega confirmed in a social media statement that he would not appear in the remaining performances.
“I have been informed that I have been removed from further performances of ‘Tosca’ with the Calgary Opera following my display of the Palestinian flag during curtain call. I have no regret,” he wrote.
The singer also alleged that financial threats had been made against Calgary Opera, although he did not provide further details in the statement. The allegation has not been independently established.
Despite his removal, Sanchez-Ortega said he held no resentment toward the company, adding: “After the theatre, (political or otherwise) we all have to go home, and look at ourselves in the mirror.”
He described it as an honour to portray Angelotti, whose character is an escaped political prisoner.
Critics call for decision to be reversed
The decision has drawn criticism from supporters of Palestine, who argue that artists should not face professional consequences for expressing solidarity with Palestinians.
In a statement condemning the move, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East said they were disturbed by Sanchez-Ortega’s removal and called on Calgary Opera to reverse its decision.
“Art is political, and artists should not be punished for expressing support for the Palestinian people as they face a genocide,” the statement said.
The dispute also raises questions about the limits institutions place on political expression during performances, and whether such restrictions can be reconciled with the role of artists in engaging with political and humanitarian issues.
A wider debate over Palestine and the arts
The Calgary controversy follows a similar dispute at London’s Royal Opera House in July 2025, when a performer displayed a Palestinian flag during a curtain call after a performance of Verdi’s Il trovatore.
The Royal Ballet and Opera subsequently described that display as inappropriate for a curtain call and said it had been a spontaneous, unauthorized action.
Calgary Opera’s production of Tosca is scheduled to run through Oct. 24 at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. The company has said Sanchez-Ortega’s role will be performed by another artist for the remaining shows.
The company’s stated position is that the flag display breached its policy on individual political protest. Critics, meanwhile, argue that removing the singer over his expression of support for Palestinians raises concerns about artistic freedom and the treatment of pro-Palestinian expression within cultural institutions.
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