Opera singer asked to remove pro-EU dress ahead of concert

Anna Patalong's pro-EU dress which she was urged not to wear for her latest concert. Photograph: Twitter. - Credit: Archant

An opera singer was asked to change her pro-EU outfit ahead of a concert at the Royal Albert Hall through fear it was too ‘provocative’.

Anna Patalong on the Put It To The People march. Photograph: Instagram. – Credit: Archant

Anna Patalong, who has been performing in the Classic Spectacular concert at the venue, wore the outfit for Saturday’s performance.

She posted a photograph of the dress on her Instagram account ahead of the performance, with the caption: ‘Rocking some EU colours for tonight’s concert.’

But the show producers, Raymond Gubbay Ltd, asked Patalong to wear something different for Sunday as they believed the dress was ‘open to misinterpretation.’

Patalong’s husband, Benedict Nelson, took to social media to tell anyone offended by gold stars on a dress need to ‘have a word with yourself.’

Anna Patalong’s pro-EU dress which she has been asked not to wear again at the Royal Albert Hall. Photograph: Instagram. – Credit: Archant

He wrote: ‘My wife was asked to change her dress from yellow and blue at the RAH as the colours were too provocative’.

He added: ‘If you can’t enjoy a three hour concert because a performer wears some visible gold stars for 3 minutes of it, you need to have a word with yourself.’

He later told the Evening Standard: ‘I think it’s worrying that someone should be told what they can and cannot wear’.

He pointed out that the audience waved Union flags – which were presumably not considered ‘provocative’.

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A representative from Raymond Gubbay Ltd told the BBC it had received a complaint from a member of the public, but the complaint did not form part of their decision to ask the performer to consider another outfit.

They claimed that they ‘preferred the red dress’ she had worn to other performances, and believed it was ‘more appropriate attire.’

Patalong was one of approximately a million people to join the People’s Vote March and was photographed campaigning alongside members of the Independent Group.

At the time of writing The Royal Albert Hall had not responded to requests for comment.

Earlier this year the BBC banned the flag of Europe at a Eurovision event, instead handing out the Union flags to members of the public.