A total of eighteen individuals required medical assistance during a theatrical performance that showcases nuns, intimate scenes, disfigurement, and actual blood.
Florentina Holzinger’s Sancta also features nude roller-skating nuns and portrays a wall adorned with crucified naked figures.
During performances on October 5 and 6 in Stuttgart, Germany, 18 attendees sought medical help from the staff, as reported by a spokesperson from Stuttgart’s state opera to Sky News.
A number of audience members experienced nausea amidst the provocative production.
Pic: Matthias Baus/Stuttgart State Opera
One occurrence unfolded prior to the commencement of the performance, while in three situations an ambulance was summoned to the location.
Regardless, attendees seemed to relish the show and responded with applause afterward.
The spokesperson remarked: “Naturally, we prioritize the well-being of our patrons.
“Hence, our staff is consistently well-prepared to handle such incidents, which transpire during other performances as well, even if in smaller proportions.
“Rest assured, we had properly alerted our attendees about the sensitive content prior to the shows.
“The enthusiastic applause following the performance suggests that the majority were aware of what to expect from the production.”
Throughout the nearly three-hour show, the spokesperson noted there were two segments, each only a few minutes long, that “might be difficult to witness”.
One scene was characterized by a “small piece of flesh” being excised from the back of a performer, while another involved two performers being “pierced together” to secure ropes and elevate them.
They also emphasized certain lighting effects throughout the performance that could have contributed to some of the incidents.
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Austrian choreographer Ms Holzinger, 38, is recognized for her boundary-defying performances often featuring all-female casts that perform in varying states of undress; her previous works have included tattooing, masturbation, and action paintings using blood and fresh excrement, The Guardian reported.
In an interview with the same publication earlier this year, she articulated: “To me, good dance technique is not merely about executing a flawless tendu [a type of dance movement], but also includes the ability to urinate on cue.”
Sancta is inspired by the contentious 1920s opera Sancta Susanna – a narrative about a nun grappling with her repressed desires.
Ms Holzinger’s production is classified as suitable for individuals aged 18 and older, and despite the incidents, additional performances in Stuttgart and Berlin have reportedly sold out.
In a statement shared on her social media on Friday evening, Ms Holzinger expressed that the intention of the show, concerning the church’s portrayal of women and its treatment and influence on the female body, “explicitly points to graphic content”.
She criticized media outlets for failing to provide context for her art and asserted that it addresses “real and complex issues” with which many audience members can relate.
Ms Holzinger revealed she had faced “threats of violence and hateful commentary” following the media coverage.
“If you prefer not to witness it, then don’t attend,” she concluded.
