The Royal Opera House in London has called on UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to intervene in the case of Paata Burchuladze, a prominent Georgian bass singer who has been imprisoned since October on charges of leading a coup attempt against Georgia’s government. Burchuladze, 71, is a celebrated opera figure who has performed at major venues such as the Royal Opera House and the Metropolitan Opera House in New York and has collaborated with renowned artists including Luciano Pavarotti, Plácido Domingo, and José Carreras.

Burchuladze was arrested following his participation in protests outside the presidential palace in Tbilisi against the government’s perceived shift away from Western alliances. He has been a central figure in nightly demonstrations, frequently singing to crowds from a flatbed truck in freezing temperatures. On October 4, he read a declaration at the protests declaring, “Power returns to the people,” and denouncing the government as “illegitimate.” Last week, he was sentenced to seven years in prison. Burchuladze characterized the term as effectively a life sentence given his age.

Authorities accused Burchuladze and nine others of orchestrating violence aimed at destabilizing the ruling regime, which is effectively led by Georgia’s wealthiest individual, billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili. Ivanishvili chairs the ruling Georgian Dream party and was sanctioned by the United States in 2024 for allegedly undermining Georgian democracy in favor of Russian interests tied to Vladimir Putin.

In an urgent letter to Starmer, Peter Katona, the Royal Opera’s director of casting, described the charges against Burchuladze as “entirely fabricated and unlawful,” asserting that the singer is being punished to deter others from opposing the government. Katona referred to the regime as “pro-Russian” and “authoritarian” and decried the treatment of Burchuladze, whom he called a “dear friend.”

The Royal Opera House has reportedly not received a response from the UK government, though the Foreign Office stated it is closely monitoring the situation and will raise concerns about detainee rights, including access to legal counsel and communication with family members, as appropriate.

Burchuladze, a native of Tbilisi, has been active as a pro-democracy advocate for over ten years and briefly led a political party in 2016. He also served as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations and UNICEF. In a statement prior to his sentencing, he affirmed the responsibility of public figures to lead efforts to defend their country.

His case is part of a broader crackdown following protests in Georgia that has resulted in the detention or sentencing of 114 individuals. The European Union has suspended its negotiations on Georgia’s accession over concerns about the government’s democratic regression.