The Public Prosecution Service (OM) in Amsterdam does not need to prosecute guest director Andriy Zholdak of the National Opera (NO) for transgressive behavior. This is confirmed by the Court of Appeal in Amsterdam in response to reports in Het Parool.
Zholdak allegedly engaged in transgressive behavior during the production process of Fidelio. The director allegedly touched the buttock of an Argentinian dancer in 2024.
The dancer reported it to the police when the management of the NO did not intervene. However, the OM decided not to prosecute Zholdak because there was ‘no sexual context’. The dancer asked the court to see if the OM could still proceed with prosecution.
Last year, the NO determined that the director had shown unacceptable transgressive behavior during the production process of Fidelio. According to the National Opera, Zholdak was addressed several times by employees during the production process about his problematic working method and his transgressive behavior.
Zholdak has been denied access to the theater. The director has also apologized to the employees involved.