Inside the shocking opera that left 18 people ill in Germany: 'You might want to avert your gaze...'

Eighteen people attending the Stuttgart state opera in Germany sought medical help for severe nausea after watching a performance that featured live body piercings, explicit sexual scenes, and a combination of real and fake blood.

“On Saturday we had eight and on Sunday we had 10 people who had to be looked after by our visitor service,”Sebastian Ebling, the opera’s spokesperson, told The Guardian,referring to the two performances of Sancta by Austrian choreographer Florentina Holzinger.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

In three instances, medical professionals had to reportedly step in.

Florentina Holzinger: The artists challenging traditional depictions

Holzinger, known for her provocative works, focuses on challenging traditional depictions of women and pushing boundaries. Her all-female cast often performs partially or fully nude, with previous shows including acts like live sword-swallowing, tattooing, masturbation, and painting with blood and fresh excrement.

“Good technique in dance to me is not just someone who can do a perfect tendu, but also someone who can urinate on cue,” Holzinger said in an earlier interview with The Guardian.

Paul Hindemith’s Sancta Susanna: The controversial opera that inspired Holzinger

Sancta, Holzinger’s first opera production, debuted at the Mecklenburg State Theatre in Schwerin in May. It draws inspiration from Paul Hindemith’s expressionist opera Sancta Susanna, which has long been a subject of controversy due to its themes.

Hindemith’s original opera, which tells the story of a young nun whose arousal leads her to commit sacrilege, was initially planned to premiere in Stuttgart in 1921, but protests delayed its debut until the following year.

Since its first performance in Frankfurt in 1922, Sancta Susanna has been revived more than 25 times. However, Holzinger has taken the themes of the original opera and intensified them significantly in her adaptation.

'Disrespectful caricature of the holy mass'

After a presentation of Sancta in Vienna, bishops from Salzburg and Innsbruck criticised the work, calling it a “disrespectful caricature of the holy mass.”

'When in doubt, avert your gaze'

Ebling encouraged potential viewers to carefully review the performance warnings, which included triggers like incense, loud noises, explicit sexual acts, and portrayals of sexual violence.

“If you have questions, speak to the visitor service,” the opera spokespersonsuggested. “And when in doubt during the performance, it might help to avert your gaze,” he added.

Despite the disturbing reactions from some audience members, the medical incidents did not impact the commercial success of Sancta. All five remaining performances at Stuttgart's state opera, as well as two shows at Berlin’s Volksbühne in November, are completely sold out.

(With inputs from agencies)