Eighteen audience members at the Stuttgart opera in Germany required medical attention for severe nausea after attending a performance of Sancta, which reportedly included shocking elements such as live piercing, unsimulated sexual acts, and a blend of real and fake blood. According to a report in The Guardian, the incidents took place during two separate performances over the weekend, with 8 attendees needing assistance on Saturday, October 5, and 10 on Sunday, October 6. The controversial piece was created by Austrian choreographer Florentina Holzinger.
“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, said as quoted in the report. A doctor had been called in for treatment in three instances, he added.
The theatre’s official description warned attendees about the performance that would feature “explicit sexual acts, as well as images and descriptions of (sexual) violence.” Audiences were informed that the show would contain nudity, live blood, piercing, strobe lights and loud noises. Sancta has a runtime of nearly three hours without an intermission. The directors also indicated that the experience may turn out to be traumatic.
Holzinger, 38, is known for her bold performances that mix dance theatre with elements of vaudeville. Her shows often feature an all-female cast that performs in various states of nudity, showcasing daring acts like sword swallowing, tattooing and even using bodily fluids.
Her latest work, Sancta, marks her first venture into opera and debuted in May at the Mecklenburg State Theatre in Schwerin. This production draws inspiration from Paul Hindemith’s controversial 1920s opera Sancta Susanna. The original story centres around a “young nun who becomes aroused after hearing a story from an older nun and steps onto the altar naked, leading to a crisis when she encounters a spider. Holzinger’s version includes striking visuals, such as naked nuns roller-skating and a lesbian priest performing a mass.”
When Sancta was performed in Vienna in June this year, it faced criticism from bishops who described it as a “disrespectful caricature of the holy mass.” Holzinger explained that her intention is not to mock the church but to examine the connections between conservative institutions and kink communities.
Meanwhile, even with the reports of medical treatment needed during the recent performances in Germany, Holzinger’s Sancta has not suffered commercially. In fact, all remaining shows at the Stuttgart State Opera and two upcoming performances at Berlin’s Volksbühne in November have sold out.
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