A controversial rape scene in a production at the Royal Opera House in London has been toned down after criticism from the audience on the opening night.
There was "hostile and prolonged booing" when a female character in Gioachino Rossini's Guillaume Tell (William Tell) was attacked during a banquet by a group of army officers.
Opera bosses originally said there were no plans to change it but now appear to have bowed to pressure and cut out certain sections of the scene, which contained full frontal nudity.
The Covent Garden production is being filmed and screened live at selected cinemas on Sunday and the performance has now been given a 15 certificate.
The victim, played by Jessica Chamberlain, is still forced to drink and dance before being laid on a banqueting table but will be no longer be seen completely naked, it is understood.
A tablecloth is reportedly now being used to shield Ms Chamberlain and another graphic section where she was molested has been left out.
The changes have been made by Damiano Michieletto, who made his Opera House directorial debut with Guillaume Tell.
Some opera-goers objected so strongly to the original scene that they jeered while the music was still playing rather than waiting until the end of the performance.
The director of opera, Kasper Holten, said in a tweet: "The director himself has requested a few smaller tweaks, which is of course ok and not uncommon to do during a run."
Michieletto had defended the scene as "10 seconds" of a four-hour performance, telling Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera: "I would like to meet the people of London to explain myself - I am convinced of my work."
Mr Holten earlier apologised for any distress the scene may have caused to people who bought tickets for the opera about the Swiss patriot who shoots an arrow that splits an apple atop his son's head.
"The production includes a scene which puts the spotlight on the brutal reality of women being abused during war time, and sexual violence being a tragic fact of war," he said.
"The production intends to make it an uncomfortable scene, just as there are several upsetting and violent scenes in Rossini's score. We are sorry if some people have found this distressing."
He also said: "It is made clear in the production that it is an act of brutality and inhumanity that is indefensible, and the hero Guillaume Tell intervenes to save the girl who is attacked, at the risk of his own and his son's life."
He added: "We have written to ticket holders to make sure they feel properly warned about this short scene in act three in advance of watching the production."
David Hornby, who was in the audience on Monday, tweeted:
A gratuitous rape scene in Rossini's William Tell provoked the most hostile and prolonged booing I've witnessed at Covent Garden #ROHTell
— David Hornby (@DavidHornbyUK) June 29, 2015
William Russell said: "Loud booing at Covent Garden tonight after gratuitous rape scene in William Tell. Fine principals, chorus and orchestra but dire production."
