Dramatic Performance - Crowd enjoys initial performance of "Sancta" by Holzinger.
Florentina Holzinger, a performance artist known for her awe-inspiring shows with mainly unclad performers, has yet again sparked conversations with her latest work "Sancta". In front of a packed audience at the Mecklenburg State Theater in Schwerin, the public broke into thundering applause and cheers following the almost three-hour, bustling, and sensational performance that draws on biblical history.
To wind things up, close to 520 spectators from the sold-out show banded together to sing a reference to the musical film "Rocky Horror Picture Show": "Don't dream it, be it" - implying not just to dream about it, but to actually live it out.
In her very first opera creation, the 38-year-old Austrian Holzinger carries forward her accoladed previous works, such as "Ophelia's Got Talent" from 2022, staged at the Berlin Volksbühne, and "Dance" from 2019 in Vienna. The play had four successful performances in Schwerin and will be shown in mid-June at the Vienna Festwochen, before making appearances in Stuttgart and Berlin.
Access limited to those aged 18 and above.
"Sancta" kicks off with Paul Hindemith's opera single-act "Sancta Susanna", which stirred controversy at its original airing due to a nun's adoration of the crucified Jesus. The piece blends smoothly into a church mass portrayed as a sensual show.
Most of the performers are nude, singing along to liturgical songs from the Schwerin Theater Choir, pop tunes, metal, and specially written pieces. Holzinger highlights lesbian love scenes, makes light of Christian tradition, and condemns the sexual repression of women.
Roller skaters glide through a halfpipe in their birthday suits, other performers tear down Michelangelo's famous God and Adam fresco symbolically, and the Holy Eucharist turns into a rave.
Holzinger raises eyebrows in the theater realm
A wee lady merges effortlessly into the role of the pope, while a human flap of skin transforms into a consecrated relic, subsequently becoming the Eucharist host - a deliberately provocative blasphemy and a cry for fundamental change in the Catholic Church.
Before the launch in Schwerin, Holzinger had learned out about the biased perception of women in several parts of the church and their insufficient handling of abuse instances.
Through her performances, where she fearlessly places female bodies on stage, incorporates agonizing stunts, and isn't afraid of tastelessness, Holzinger has been whipping up a fuss in the theater world for quite some time. The choreographer born in 1986 has been hooked up with the Berlin Volksbühne since 2021 and also made the shortlist of candidates to take the unexpectedly deceased director René Pollesch's spot.
Read also:
- Florentina Holzinger, hailing from Austria, will bring her provocative work "Sancta" to the Vienna Festwochen after its successful run in Schwerin, Germany.
- The Mecklenburg State Theater in Schwerin, known for its large seating capacity, played host to a passionate crowd who cheered and applauded Holzinger's latest opera creation.
- Holzinger's performances often stir controversy, much like her adaptation of Paul Hindemith's opera single-act "Sancta Susanna" did when it was first presented in Germany.
- Born in 1986, Holzinger is not new to the theater scene in Berlin, having been associated with the Volksbühne Berlin since 2021 and being among the candidates to replace the late director René Pollesch.
- Following the rocky premiere of "Sancta" in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Holzinger's work will continue its journey to cities like Stuttgart and Berlin, engaging German-speaking audiences in dialogue about sexual repression in the Catholic Church.
- Despite originating from Vienna, Holzinger's performances have garnered attention across Europe, showcasing her bold and unapologetic approach to tackling sensitive themes on stage.
