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A musician is suing the Royal Opera House for causing "irreversible damage" to his hearing after he was continously placed next to loud instruments.
Chris Goldscheider, a renowned viola player, claims to have endured noise equivalent to that of a jet engine by being continously sat beside the brass section during rehearsals for Wagner's thunderous Die Walkure in 2012.
The 46-year-old says his career has been ruined, he must wear protectors to carry out everyday tasks and is suffering from depression as a result of being unable to play.
The Royal Opera House has denied responsibility for damage done to Mr Goldscheider's eardrums.
"Ordinary sounds like banding cups and glasses together is a very painful nose," he told the BBC.
"My newborn daughter was crying so much I actually got noise-induced vertigo because of my injury and I ended up in bed for three weeks."
The Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, has denied responsibility for the musician's damaged hearing (Google Street View)
The damage has ruined Mr Goldscheider's career, the musician's solicitor, Chris Fry, told The Independent: "It's collapsed his ability to earn altogether. He can't pick up an instrument when his entire life was picking up the voila at four years old.
"That's the route he'd committed his entire life to."
Mr Goldscheider is claiming for compensation from the Royal Opera House's insurers in a complex case which Mr Fry said was unique as far as he was aware.
The claim of "acoustic shock" is being countered by the famous venue at Covent Garden but, if successful, could provide a precedent in law.
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"If it goes to trial the outcome will have an immediate effect for anyone in the music industry, and beyond," said Mr Fry.
For Mr Goldscheider, who has been playing up to six hours a day since age 10, the noise has "created an immediate and pemanent traumatic threshold shift," according to court documents.
If the musician suceeds in winning damages, his solicitor will go ahead with a six-figure loss of earnings claim.
The Royal Opera House said in a statement: "Mr Goldscheider's compensation claim against the Royal Opera House is a complex medico-legal issue, which has been going on for some time and is still under investigation.
"All sides are keen to reach a resolution. The matter is now the subject of legal proceedings, and in the circumstances it wouldn't be appropriate to comment any further at this stage."
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