Royal Opera House Evacuated After Suspicious Package Scare

By David Salazar

There was a big scare at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017, but it all ended happily for all involved.

According to the Evening Standard, hundreds of audience members were evacuated from the famed opera house when a suspicious package was found.

Right after the last act of “Rigoletto,” the theater ordered audience members to leave the building immediately. According to police reports, it was trying to precautions but upon discovering that it was a non-suspicious item, audience members were allowed to enter the building at 10:30 p.m. to retrieve their belongings.

During the evacuation, many took to Twitter and Instagram including Michael Fabiano who posted a picture in full costume. He said that the evacuation was ordered “on the final chord” and “I was able to greet most of the public in my full costume in Covent Garden just after.”

The Royal Opera House also made an announcement stating, “The auditorium was evacuated at the end of tonight’s performance due to a suspect package being found. Police have since given the all clear. Thank you to ROH Front of House staff and audience members for the calm and orderly evacuation.”

The company continues its production of “Rigoletto” this weekend with Sofia Fomina and Dimitri Platanias.

Tonight, a BOMB SCARE hit the @royaloperahouse and while it wasn’t anything, we were promptly evacuated at the last moment of the show; no curtain calls. Instead, the magnificent staff got the public out quickly and we were greeted in the piazza to cheering fans. Definitely one of those nights…I stood in costume in the streets for a hour in my pumpkin pants and hideous wig #tenorfabiano #opera #operasingersofinstagram #roh #rigoletto

A post shared by Michael Fabiano (@tenorfabiano) on Dec 21, 2017 at 6:35pm PST

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