Opera Voice Killer” denounces femicide and social violence!

Opera Voice Killer” denounces femicide and social violence!

The premiere of the opera “Voice Killer” at the Theater an der Wien not only causes a stir among opera lovers, but also addresses controversial social issues. The music by Miroslav Srnka and the libretto by Tom Holloway take on a topic that is frighteningly current: femicide and violence against women. As the FAZ reports, the opera is based on the shooting at a school in Graz in which ten people, mostly women, died. It reflects the violence in society as a whole that accompanies our everyday lives.

Statistically speaking, a woman in Germany is the victim of femicide almost every day. In 2023, the WHO counted 360 women who died as a result of violent crimes in this country. The term “femicide” itself was introduced by feminist sociologist Diana E. H. Russell in 1976 and describes the killing of women due to sexism and misogyny, which is considered an unpleasant but necessary issue for many in society. Loud bpb the decline in homicides is not evenly distributed; Women are particularly at risk in their immediate surroundings, while men often die in violent confrontations in public spaces.

A tremendous approach to opera

“Voice Killer” deals with the psychological depth of the perpetrator. The main character, who appears as “Private”, is reminiscent of the American GI Eddie Leonski, who murdered three women in Melbourne in 1942. At the opera he becomes obsessed with the hope of finding the sound of his murdered mother's voice. Director Cordula Däuper chooses a documentary approach and projects original files onto the stage to reflect the terrible acts and give the victims a voice. However, in the implementation, the voice of women is only given limited emphasis, which the authors themselves find inadequate FAZ notes.

The musical implementation of Srnka shows high expressiveness. Although the human voice is not fully utilized in the music, the singers, such as Seth Carico in the role of Private and Holly Flack as a murder victim, are given plenty of room to shine. Tense arcs and multifaceted sounds underline the complex themes and the depiction of psychological depths. The opera ends tragically, leaving the viewer with a thoughtful look at the reality of violence against women.

A challenge for society as a whole

The opera also brings the problem of femicide into a broader light. Killings by (ex) partners are the most common form of femicide in Germany; Statistics show that 301 women fell victim to this violent fate in 2021. Loud Time This often happened in relationships that were already characterized by violence from men. A deeper analysis of gender-based violence potential is necessary to better understand the differences in shooting statistics. The entire context of the violent acts requires a social reassessment, as shown by a draft bill for reforming the criminal code, which aims to explicitly capture gender-specific motives.

The fascination with evil and the question of how structural violence works in modern societies are central themes of “Voice Killer”. It is time to seriously discuss such impulses not only on stage but also in society. Because it is up to us not only to observe what goes wrong, but also to actively address it.