Calgary Opera ditches performer who held up Palestinian flag during ‘Tosca’ curtain call

Calgary Opera replaced bass singer Gabriel Sanchez-Ortega after he held up a Palestinian flag during the curtain call of Tosca on October 16, violating company policy against individual political protest. The role was reassigned for the remainder of the run. Sanchez-Ortega posted a video of the moment on Instagram, which showed audience cheers, and a now-removed statement defending his actions.

The Calgary Opera has replaced bass singer Gabriel Sanchez-Ortega after he held up a Palestinian flag during the curtain call of the opening night of Tosca on Friday, October 16, 2026. The company described the act as 'unexpected and unauthorized' and said it violated policies banning individual political protest. The role of Cesare Angelotti was reassigned to a different performer for the remainder of the run, which ends October 24. Sanchez-Ortega posted a video on Instagram showing the audience cheering as he unfurled the flag, and a statement defending his decision, which was later removed. The Calgary Opera apologized for any 'discomfort and distress' caused. Sanchez-Ortega is still listed for future productions later in the 2026/2027 season. A similar incident occurred at the Royal Opera House in London in July 2025.