Following the altercation with Sir. John Eliot Gardiner, Bass William Thomas’ management, Askonas Holt, has released a statement.

In a statement, the agency said, “We can confirm that an incident took place after Tuesday’s performance of Berlioz’s ‘Les Troyens’ with the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique and Monteverdi Choir at La Côte-Saint-André. Bass William Thomas is looking forward to continuing the tour with performances in Salzburg, Versailles, Berlin, and at the BBC Proms, and will not be making a statement at this time. All musicians deserve the right to practice their art in an environment free from abuse or physical harm.”

The statement came hours after it was reported that Gardiner attacked Thomas backstage on Tuesday, August 22, 2023, during a performance of Berlioz’s “Les Troyens” because he exited the podium on the wrong side after the first part of the opera.

The BBC immediately opened up an investigation and Gardiner was reported to have returned to Britain to see his doctor because he was suffering from “extreme heat.”

A statement from Gardiner’s team is expected later today.