The deaf musician won the court against the royal opera of London. He was ruined by the winds in Wagner's opera

The British altist Chris Goldshaider, who seriously damaged his hearing during one of the rehearsals of the London royal opera orchestra, won the court and will receive compensation. The leadership of the opera assured that Goldshaider just during the rehearsal developed progressive deafness, but the judge considered it unlikely, the Russian Air Force service reports.

Chris Goldshaider played in the orchestra of the royal opera London since 2002. On September 1, 2012, during the rehearsal of Wagner’s opera, he sat right in front of the wind section of the orchestra. During this rehearsal, the level of sound pressure in the orchestral pit exceeded 130 decibels, which is equivalent to the noise level of the jet engine of the aircraft. Goldshaider believes that he suffered from acoustic shock, which caused him such symptoms as noise in his ears, dizziness and hyperacusia (a sharp pain reaction to sounds). In 2014, due to the injury, he was forced to leave the orchestra.

Helperly spent 18 months on restoration, Goldshaider went to court. Representatives of the royal opera tried to convince the judge that the altist developed Meniere's disease - a disease of the inner ear, characterized by a progressive hearing loss. In addition, they said that some hearing damage is justified for a professional musician.

The judge rejected both statements: "Such a position is unacceptable. The musicians are protected by law in the same way as any other workers." The damage caused to the Goldsheris will be estimated later.

The Royal Opera said that they were surprised and disappointed with a court decision. Goldshaider hopes that the created precedent will prevent further injury to musicians.

He expects that now the royal opera and other similar institutions will reconsider their rules and, possibly, will amend the arrangement of orchestral pits.