this post was submitted on 13 Oct 2024
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And Finally...

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In 1921, German composer Paul Hindemith sought to debut his one-act opera Sancta Susanna, which explores a nunnery's descent into sexual frenzy, at the prestigious Stuttgart Opera.

But outrage over its allegedly blasphemous text, which one critic at the time called a "desecration of our cultural institutions", forced the premiere to be postponed until the following year at the Oper Frankfurt.

Now, over a century later, Stuttgart’s State Opera has brought a radical-feminist reinterpretation of Hindemith's work to life with Sancta, directed by the avant-garde choreographer Florentina Holzinger.

And so far, its proven to be anything but your typical night at the opera...

There have been only two performances since its Stuttgart premiere on 5 October, but 18 theatregoers have reportedly required medical treatment for severe nausea following the show.

...

In short, the opera is nearly three-hours of uninterrupted batshit craziness.

On stage, naked nuns roller skate around on a movable half-pipe, while a bouldering wall of crucified naked bodies dripping blood looms in the background. To add to this chaos, there are live piercings, crucifix swallowing acts, unsimulated sex scenes and a sprinkle of spanking thrown in for good measure.

One particularly unforgettable moment sees an actress with dwarfism dressed as the Pope, being spun around by a robotic arm, while another features an actress belting out Eminem tracks while dressed as Jesus (because why not?).

For a taste of the mayhem, please check out this trailer.

...

Archbishop of Salzburg Franz Lackner described the show as “seriously offensive to believers’ religious feelings and convictions”.

The opera's Austrian choreographer Holzinger has made a name for herself, with past productions that have incorporated elements of pain, nudity, body horror, acrobatics, sword-swallowers and Japanese bondage artists.

“This is an opera about the breaking forth of the repressed female libido, so we decided to have a lot of fun," the 38-year-old dancer told The Guardian earlier this year.

Despite reports of more than a dozen attendees falling ill, all five remaining shows at the Stuttgart state opera, as well as two performances at Berlin’s Volksbühne in November, have completely sold out.

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[–] SatansMaggotyCumFart@lemmy.world 23 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Sounds like a good play to bring my parents to.

[–] Emperor@feddit.uk 27 points 3 weeks ago

Mr and Mrs MaggotyCumFart's night at the opera. What a treat.

[–] flamingo_pinyata@sopuli.xyz 21 points 3 weeks ago

Sounds like being provocative just for the sake of being provocative. Kinda makes sense, opera is far from popular as an art form. They have to make themselves known to the public somehow.

[–] slurpeesoforion@startrek.website 10 points 3 weeks ago

I'm hanging out with the wrong people.

[–] Varyk@sh.itjust.works 7 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

woukd go. sounds uncomfortable.

[–] Emperor@feddit.uk 9 points 3 weeks ago

Not as uncomfortable as being in the cast!

[–] Thcdenton@lemmy.world 7 points 3 weeks ago

I would watch this.

[–] jlow@beehaw.org 5 points 3 weeks ago

I was once at a Faust showing that (unbeknownst to me) would be full of comstant screaming and (fake)blood, it was veeery edgylordy in a super cringe shock-for-shocks-sake way. This sounds pretty similar on the surface ...

[–] Sleekly@beehaw.org 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Honestly this sounds pretty fire if not for the sex and piercings...

[–] Emperor@feddit.uk 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] Sleekly@beehaw.org 1 points 3 weeks ago

I mean fair enough