An opera singer who was asked to change her EU-themed dress for a concert at the Royal Albert Hall, in London, has described her choice of attire as a “subtle nod” to Europe at a time when she and other musicians fear for their livelihoods.
The British soprano Anna Patalong donned the yellow-and-blue outfit, along with a necklace of gold stars redolent of the EU flag, for a Classical Spectacular performance on Saturday after taking part in the anti-Brexit march in London earlier in the day.
However, she changed back into a red dress worn for previous performances for Sunday’s concert following a request by the concert’s producer, Raymond Gubbay. The company received one complaint about the dress from a member of the public but insisted this had not influenced their request for her not to wear the dress again.
“It’s a difficult time for the musical community because free movement is essential for us to carry out our jobs. It’s an industry where many of us work contract by contract so everyone is really quite worried about what will happen,” the British soprano told the Guardian.
“A lot of musicians also work abroad on contracts in Germany, for example, and didn’t get a say in the referendum.”
Patalong, whose surname comes from Polish ancestors who settled in Britain following the second world war, added: “I feel European as well as British, and always will, but it’s going to be a very strange time because obviously my whole life has been part of the EU. I don’t know any different.”
Classical Spectacular, described on the Royal Albert Hall’s website as “the most popular classical music show in the UK”, has been running for more than three decades and has been likened to the Last Night of the Proms for its flag-waving atmosphere. It features classical favourites such as Land of Hope and Glory, Rule Britannia! and the 1812 Overture, complete with cannons and indoor fireworks.
The controversy came to light on Monday after her husband, the baritone Benedict Nelson, said on Twitter she had been asked to change her dress “as the colours were too provocative”.
Referring also to what he said was an incident in which a man was “ejected” from the Royal Opera House for wearing a pro-EU T-shirt, he added: “Two artistic venues people. Anyone who knows their history knows what that sounds like.”
Both Patalong and Nelson stressed there had been no disagreement with Raymond Gubbay, and she said she had been happy to comply with a requirement to wear a union flag-themed dress for a part of the concert.
“Everyone was very happy. There was no dissent, or boos from the audience and in fact I don’t think that you could see the details on the dress beyond the orchestra pit. I have received personal message from members of the choir and the orchestra, who could see, and they have said that they were very happy that I could make that gesture,” she added.
Nelson stressed he was also not blaming the producer, but said the incident had made him worry about what appeared to be the consequences of showing support for the EU.
“If we are saying about a dress, ‘Oh, it might inflame someone’, then you would have to ask where the lines are being drawn or may be drawn in the future. How much narrower might the opportunities, for example, to say how we feel become?”
Raymond Gubbay said: “The show has become a tradition for many and there are many expected traditions in the show. It was suggested to the soprano that she revert to the dress worn on Thursday and Friday as there was no desire as to any possible misinterpretation of the show trying to take any stance other than delivering great music and great spectacle to the audience.”
Anthony Findlay, the company’s CEO, told the Daily Telegraph: “We don’t provide an arena for anything political. We never have and never will.”
The issue is the latest manifestation of Brexit tensions at the Royal Albert Hall, where concertgoers who draped barriers with EU flags at previous performances of the Last Night of the Proms were reportedly told to put them away in the past. Pro-EU music lovers have also been handing out thousands of EU flags at the event.