National Opera admits misconduct of guest director, takes measures

The Dutch National Opera admits that guest director Andriy Zholdak was guilty of unacceptable cross-border behavior during the production of the opera Fidelio. This was announced by the company on Saturday in response to a major report in Het Parool. The rehearsals took place for seven weeks in April, May and June 2024.

According to the opera, this involved “in particular impulsive, inappropriate, inappropriate and intimidating behavior and physical touching during rehearsals without asking for consent in advance”. The company emphasizes that Zholdak is not employed by the Dutch National Opera. “It was the first time we worked with him and also the last time: Zholdak will not return to work with us again,” the company says.

According to the Dutch National Opera, Zholdak was repeatedly addressed by employees during the production process about his problematic working methods and his transgressive behavior. However, the behavior kept repeating itself.

An incident also occurred during an ensemble rehearsal. "While demonstrating a scene to an extra during a rehearsal, which was also attended by other artists and employees, the director touched this extra on her buttock/hip with his hand," the statement reads. "Zholdak should have asked permission for this in advance, in accordance with our protocol. The extra in question then made a formal report of transgressive behavior."

After this report, the director was denied access to the theater and discussions were held with those directly involved. "Based on these discussions, we informed Zholdak that continuation of the rehearsal process was only possible under strict conditions." The director also apologized to the employees involved.

When the opera brought in Zholdak for the production of Beethoven's opera Fidelio, they reportedly knew nothing of the controversial behavior that the otherwise celebrated director holds. In a press conference in Romania in 2016, Zholdak explained his style of directing: "Tomorrow morning in rehearsal, I want you to be my dog. And when you are my dog, you have to listen to my commands: mental commands, physical commands, emotional commands, sexual commands, everything, you are my dog. I am a Nazi. Concentration camp," Het Parool reports.

The Dutch National Opera states that if Zholdak had not accepted these conditions, the production would have been stopped. The company emphasizes that it was also the wish of the employees involved to continue the production. One of the artists, the aforementioned extra, had a different opinion. She withdrew from the production. Het Parool reports that this extra filed a complaint with the Public Prosecution Service, but that no prosecution resulted from this after investigation.