Calgary Opera has removed bass-baritone Gabriel Sanchez-Ortega from the remaining performances of its production of "Tosca" after he displayed a Palestinian flag during the opening-night curtain call on Friday. The opera company confirmed in a statement that Sanchez-Ortega will be replaced for the rest of the run, describing his actions as "unexpected and unauthorized." The company stated that individual political protest violates its policy and its responsibility to foster a civil society through shared artistic experience. It acknowledged that the incident may have affected the audience, cast members, crew, orchestral musicians, and Jubilee staff in different ways, expressing regret for any discomfort or distress caused. The statement noted that the role of Angelotti will be performed by another artist for the remaining performances. Sanchez-Ortega, who shared a video of himself holding the flag on Instagram, issued a statement saying he has "no regret" over his actions. He claimed that Calgary Opera faced "financial threats" related to the display. "This is the state of cultural institutions in Canada," Sanchez-Ortega wrote on social media. He stated that he holds no resentment and described it as an honor to have played the role of Angelotti, an escaped political prisoner. In a separate statement to Fox News Digital, Calgary Opera declined to comment on specific personnel matters but reiterated that all forms of personal protest are prohibited on stage. The company emphasized that the display of any protest symbol or action would result in similar consequences, regardless of the political nature of the symbol. It stated that this prohibition has been reiterated to all artists and staff and will continue to be applied universally in response to unauthorized protest. The statement further clarified that Sanchez-Ortega did not appear in the performance following the incident and will not appear in the closing performance scheduled for October 24, 2026. Beyond these details, Calgary Opera stated it does not comment on personnel matters. Since 2023, several entertainers have displayed the Palestinian flag in protest of Israel's actions in Gaza, including performers from Gorillaz and Imagine Dragons.