German staging of Verdi's A Masked Ball on 9/11 with naked cast in Mickey Mouse masks

[emad]

By Harry de Quetteville in Berlin



A German opera house is to unveil a provocative new production staged in the ruins of New York's World Trade Centre.

It features naked pensioners and Mickey Mouse masks, Hitler salutes and Elvis impersonators.

The self-consciously outrageous September 11th staging of Verdi's 'A Masked Ball' has been dreamed up by Austrian director Johann Kresnik.

He has described the concoction as a populist critique of modern American society, aimed at showing up the disparities between rich and poor, which attracting a large audience.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/04/11/wopera111.xml

[Junkdrawer]

1. Winner of the prestigious "Thread Most Likely to be Locked" Award Is...

Envelope please...

[sharesunited]

2. So offensive, yet I cannot turn away.

[alfredo]

4. It's OK as long as they are facing the audience when they take their bows.

[Stinky The Clown]

8. If that's offensive than there's less hope than I thought

NewzFlash: People Look Like That

NewzFlash2: They're 'pensioners' (old people). Sags and extra curves come with the territory. The male and female bodies start to look more alike. An appropriate description of this phenomenon is "natural".

[alfredo]

3. If it provokes discussion I'm fine with it.

[TheCowsCameHome]

5. Looks like the Bush cabinet, plus Limbaugh 2nd from the right

:rofl:

[1monster]

6. My eyes! My eyes! I think I now have hysterical blindness.

I've always thought people looked better with their clothes on.

That top photo proves it beyond ALL doubt. it is irrefutable proof.

[juno jones]

7. Nice to see real bodies, personally.

This is what we look like, perhaps denial of that is one of the roots of our problems...other than that, The pics are provacative and artistic. I wish I could see that production.

Edit to add: those opera singers have cojones!

[Prefer]

9. I agree - a appreciated seeing actual bodies

not some theoretical ideals

[JohnyCanuck]

10. "those opera singers have cojones!"

Yes, I can see that.

[emad]

11. Maybe it'll make it to Broadway?

n/t

[lame54]

12. That's disgusting - they should cover up...

who wants to look at all those Disney masks

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

13. hehehehehehe!!!

[malaise]

14. Well the planet knows that the Mikey Mouse

emperor is naked.