Several opera-goers required medical assistance after experiencing intense scenes in a daring feminist production.
The show, which first made waves in 1921, returned to Stuttgart, Germany, sparking debate following its opening performance on October 5.
This exploration of religious themes will conclude on November 3, with seven shows scheduled for opera fans to witness.
However, the themes proved overwhelming for more than a dozen attendees, necessitating medical intervention on three separate occasions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWLmmDIMGaE
The opera’s graphic content was reportedly too much for some audience members.
Featuring live depictions of lesbian intimacy, both real and fake blood, and an explicit oral scene involving a crucifix sword, the performance was intense for those in the front row.
This explicit production presented a ‘radical version of the Holy Mass,’ with a storyline focusing on a nun’s exploration of her sexuality.
As a result, 18 people sought assistance during certain scenes.
The Daily Mail noted that some attendees experienced shock and nausea, prompting a doctor’s involvement.
The show included painful stunts, a nude nun on roller skates, genuine bodily injuries and piercings, and a little person dressed as the Pope being swung by a mechanical arm, as reported by the Mirror.
Composed by Paul Hindemith and directed by the avant-garde artist Florentina Holzinger, Sancta Susanna is undeniably provocative.
The rendition featured an all-female cast portraying nuns who abandon their habits for a ‘sensual, poetic, and wild’ display.
Despite the adverse reactions, the opera’s spokesperson was unfazed by the controversy.
They suggested that attendees should have been aware of the show’s nature.
The spokesperson told the Mail that those in the front row likely understood ‘what they are letting themselves in for’.
Nonetheless, they might not have anticipated Susanna, the lead character, engaging in explicit self-pleasure.
In one scene, a nun is seen pleasuring herself with a cross, while another performer’s skin is cut and ‘grilled medium rare’.
The cast also included scenes of characters hanging from the inside of hells with their bare backsides exposed and an actress portraying Jesus spanking a nearly nude nun on roller skates.
Moreover, bodies were displayed on the walls in a manner reminiscent of Christ’s crucifixion, then drenched in fake blood.
The theatre issues a trigger warning regarding the content, advising viewers that it may cause ‘discomfort’ or leave them ‘traumatised’.
The show is described as focusing on “spirituality and sexuality, but also on criticism of religion and a critical examination of religious and societal violence,” with potential for causing discomfort or retraumatization.