An evening at the opera is typically a sophisticated affair, but a recent performance in Germany left 18 attendees needing medical treatment due to shock and dizziness.

The Stuttgart State Opera’s rendition of Sancta—featuring graphic lesbian scenes, piercing, and blood—pushed boundaries, causing several audience members to faint, according to Sebastian Ebling, the opera house spokesperson.

Three individuals required emergency care following the controversial performance. Directed by Austrian choreographer Florentina Holzinger, Sancta is a modern take on the 1920s opera Sancta Susanna, a story about a nun struggling with her repressed desires.

Holzinger’s radical version depicts nuns roller-skating naked, along with disturbing scenes of self-harm and crucifixions, causing outrage both in the theater and online.

While Ebling stated that there were no direct complaints from the audience, social media and emails have been flooded with criticism, often from those who had not even seen the performance. Despite the uproar, the opera house plans to continue its scheduled performances, claiming all necessary warnings were issued beforehand.

The shockwaves have reached beyond the stage, with Christian Hermes, dean of the Catholic Church in Stuttgart, voicing grave concerns about the mental health impact on both viewers and employees. He criticized the performance for crossing the line of what is “aesthetically and psychologically tolerable.”

Yet, despite the outrage, Hermes also expressed a begrudging respect for Holzinger’s artistic extremism, acknowledging her bold critique of religion’s dark side. In a recent Instagram post, Hermes reflected on the piece, stating that Holzinger’s controversial work exposes the violence and abuses often overlooked in religious institutions.

As the debate rages on, Sancta stands as a chilling example of how art, religion, and radical expression can collide in ways that leave an unforgettable impression—for better or worse.