Theresa May and her husband Philip were likely relieved to be far from the action during last night’s unraveling political drama in Westminster as they enjoyed supper and a night at an opera about love and treachery.
Yesterday evening, the former prime minister was observed “living her best life” at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, where she was present for the first performance of both Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci.
Hannah Williams, a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and attendance who took pictures of her, tweeted just before 9 o’clock last night: “I AM AT THE OPERA AND THERESA MAY IS HERE LIVING HER BEST LIFE!!!”
Following two significant Cabinet resignations, confusion reigned at Number 10 as Mrs. May’s successor, Boris Johnson, attempted to rescue his leadership. Mr. and Mrs. May were later seen leaving the event in a car with security present.
Michael Gove, the Levelling Up Secretary, is also alleged to have been present at the same location last night, though he is reported to have left before the singing began after learning of Rishi Sunak’s resignation, according The Times.
The 1890 Italian premiere of Pietro Mascagni’s one-act opera Cavalleria Rusticana, often known as “Rustic Chivalry,” which is about a passionate love tragedy that occurs on Easter Sunday morning in a Sicilian village.
In a double bill known as “Cav/Pag,” it is frequently played alongside Ruggero Leoncavallo’s opera Pagliacci, another tale of love and jealousy that is likewise set in Italy and had its world premiere there just three years earlier.
Pagliacci, which means “Clowns,” is famous for concluding with the phrase “La commedia è finita!” This is something that onlookers were keen to highlight given the threat to Mr. Johnson’s authority.
Yesterday, Mrs. May paid a visit to the play following the resignations of Sajid Javid, the health minister, and Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, all of whom threatened to push Mr. Johnson out of Number 10.
The new Chancellor is Nadhim Zahawi, while the new Health Secretary is Steve Barclay.
A humiliating apology from the prime minister was also required in order to settle the controversy surrounding scandal-plagued former deputy chief whip Chris Pincher.
Social media users responded to the upheaval by sharing a series of ironic memes that said Mrs. May was secretly celebrating the outcome, three years after her resignation as Conservative leader on June 7, 2019.
One made reference to Mrs. May’s infamous ITV interview from June 2017 in which she said that running around wheat fields as a young girl was the naughtiest thing she had ever done. Theresa May will undoubtedly be jogging across wheat fields again, this time holding a G&T in her hand, the Twitter user stated.
Others predicted she would perform a dance when she arrived at today’s Prime Minister’s Questions. One person commented, “Theresa May may be heard popping a cork and demanding Alexa play dancing queen volume seven if you listen well enough.”