Oman’s Royal Opera House excludes Israel singer from upcoming show on safety grounds

The Royal Opera House of Muscat (ROHM) in Oman has excluded an Israeli mezzo from participating in an upcoming production next month– a Shakespearean opera, A Midsummer Night’s Dream composed by Benjamin Britten. The scheduled show is part of a collaboration between a collaboration between ROHM and Teatro Carlo Felice di Genova.

According to leading classical music news website Slipped Disc, Hagar Sharvit, who plays the role of Hermia was informed she will be unable to join the cast in the Gulf state amid concern for her safety.

In late December, the opera house announced that it has cancelled all vocal solo concerts for the 2023-24 reason due to Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

At the time, the company stated: “In View of the current events in the region, the Royal Opera Muscat would like to announce to its audience the cancellation of all vocal solo concerts for its artistic season for the year 2023-24.”

“The season will resume with the classical programme only. A proportion of the proceeds from the classical programme will be dedicated to Palestine in coordination with the Omani Authority for Charitable Works, in solidarity with the people of Palestine.”

On 26 October, days into Israel’s war on Gaza following the Al-Aqsa Flood resistance operation earlier that month, ROHM cancelled the Omani Women’s Day concert and suspended others in solidarity with the Palestinian people.

READ: Oman demands independent investigation of Israel attacks on Gaza