Audience member banned from Royal Opera House after heckling child actor

The Royal Opera House has banned an audience member who heckled a 13-year-old performer on the first night of its production of Alcina. 

According to audience member Josh Spero, who is associate arts editor at the Financial Times, the young performer was "sweetly singing his lines when a man in the audience yelled ‘rubbish!’ and booed him" at the performance of Handel’s opera on November 8.

Spero added on Twitter: "Who would do that to a child? Once the boy was done, the audience responded with wild applause and cheering."

The Royal Opera House has released a statement congratulating the young actor, Malakai M Bayoh, for his performance in the role of Oberto and said that steps had been taken to ensure the offending audience member does not return to the venue. 

Unfortunately, the opening night of Alcina featured an audience member who disrupted the show and the excellent performance by young singer Malakai M Bayoh.
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— Royal Opera House (@RoyalOperaHouse)

Unfortunately, the opening night of Alcina featured an audience member who disrupted the show and the excellent performance by young singer Malakai M Bayoh.
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— Royal Opera House (@RoyalOperaHouse) November 9, 2022

"Malakai is astonishingly talented – bringing great acting and beautiful singing to the role – a huge accomplishment for such a young singer," the statement said.

"Unfortunately, the opening night of Alcina featured an audience member who disrupted the show and Malakai’s excellent performance. We are appalled that a member of the audience behaved in this way and our support is with Malakai and the cast and creative team of Alcina."

The statement added: "Steps have been taken to ensure the audience member in question does not return to the Royal Opera House.”

The production is directed by Richard Jones.