A raunchy lesbian opera in Stuttgart featuring half-naked roller-skating nuns, BDSM, and cannibalism left 18 audience members seeking medical help for “severe nausea.” The director, Florentina Holzinger, says the outrage proves why she made the show in the first place.
The show, described as “raunchy” and “gory,” features half-naked, roller-skating nuns, BDSM play, lesbian sex, and—yes—cannibalism. Apparently, it was all too much for some audience members who found themselves feeling more queasy than cultured.
Set at the Stuttgart State Opera, Sancta is Holzinger’s first dive into opera, and boy, did she go all in. Based on Paul Hindemith’s 1922 opera Sancta Susanna, which already had some religiously provocative content (like a lustful nun begging to be buried alive), Holzinger dialed it up to 11. Highlights include nuns in BDSM scenes, spanking Jesus, frying and eating human flesh onstage, and audience members confessing their sins for vodka. It’s basically a Catholic mass meets your local fetish club, and it’s not for the faint of heart—or stomach.
Right-wing media had a field day, with outlets like the Daily Mail and New York Post feigning shock and horror. Meanwhile, Holzinger shrugged it off, posting on Instagram that hate from “bigots and dogmatics” was exactly why she made the show in the first place. She also added, “If you don’t want to see it, don’t come!” Solid advice, given the apparent vomit-fest.
The Stuttgart State Opera backed Holzinger, pointing out that some audience members were already feeling unwell before the show began. Marcus Zinser, head of visitor services, noted that when large crowds gather, someone always needs help. A sip of water reportedly fixed most of the issues, though a bloody scene involving an onstage wound seemed to make a few people extra queasy.
Moral of the story? If you’re queasy about kinky nuns and cannibalism, maybe stick to The Sound of Music.
You can watch a trailer for Sancta here, and if you’re feeling particularly devotional, you can even purchase merch for the production.