House warns of blood and violence Opera-goers break down because of sex scenes

The Stuttgart State Opera must have suspected as much: It gave the opera performance "Sancta" an 18+ age rating and issued clear warnings. Rightly so, as it turns out.

Despite an 18+ age rating and bold warnings, a recent revealing and gory opera performance in Stuttgart has left its mark on more squeamish visitors.

Around the first two performances of Florentina Holzinger's "Sancta", the visitor service took care of a total of 18 people, some of whom had complained of nausea, said Sebastian Ebling, spokesman for the State Opera. In three cases, a doctor had to be called in.

Holzinger has been causing a stir in the theater world for years with her works, in which she radically and revealingly stages female bodies, incorporates painful stunts and does not shy away from trash. In "Sancta", she brings lesbian love scenes to the stage with provocative clarity, ridicules Christian rituals and denounces the sexual oppression of women.

Spirituality, sexuality, but also criticism of religion and a critical view of religious and social violence are at the heart of the performances, according to the State Opera. "Exploring boundaries and crossing them with relish has always been a central task of art," says opera director Viktor Schoner.

Opera house explicitly warns against blood and violence

However, the opera house also expressly warns on its website that the performance by the scandal-ridden Austrian performance artist shows explicit sexual acts as well as depictions and descriptions of sexual violence. Real blood as well as fake blood, piercings and a wound can also be seen. Strobe effects, loudness and incense are also used.

The opera recommends the performance to audiences who are "boldly in search of new theatrical experiences", as stated on the homepage. However, in addition to the use of some theatrical means, performance art is "not fake, but real", said Ebling. In the case of the sexual violence shown in "Sancta", the company therefore explicitly warns against re-traumatization.

According to opera spokesperson Ebling, nothing is to be changed with regard to the five "Sancta" evenings still planned. He also said that nausea and fainting occur again and again. The premiere was highly acclaimed. He was convinced that there were mainly people in the audience "who knew what they were getting into".

dpa