Britain's leading opera director John Copley has been sacked from his job at the New York Metropolitan Opera after what his supporters claim was a misunderstanding about a "naked" ghost.

Mr Copley, 84, is understood to have flown back to London after being fired by manager Peter Gelb over rehearsal room comments which prompted a complaint from a chorus member.

The distinguished director was working on a production of Rossini's Semiramide, due to open later this month, when the incident took place.

The Daily Telegraph understands from a source who was in the room at the time that he was working on a scene with the chorus of the company which involves the appearance of a ghost, and was encouraging the singers to show different reactions to the character.

Among the ideas that he suggested was that he himself would "imagine the character naked", prompting a complaint from a chorus member who supporters suggested may have misunderstood the comment.

However, the Met claimed on Friday night that during rehearsals on Monday Mr Copley had "approached the chorus member and said 'I’m thinking of you in my bed with your clothes off', making the chorus member feel extremely ill at ease due to this sexually demeaning remark."