An iconic film. An unforgettable opera. Now to be streamed as a unique online experience.
"It is not easy to find new operas that command attention, tell their story lucidly and create a powerful, permeating mood. Dark and daring, 'Breaking the Waves' does all this with sensitivity and style."
Presented digitally through the LA Opera On Now initiative, this compelling adaptation of Lars Von Trierʼs 1996 cinematic masterpiece reaches audiences through an incredibly emotional online premiere. After a near-fatal accident leaves Bessʼs new husband, Jan, paralyzed, he implores her to take lovers (quite the ask). Torn between her husbandʼs wishes and the traditional values of her small community, she determinedly follows her faith to a tragic end.
Winner of the 2017 award for “Best New Opera” by the Music Critics Association of North America, groundbreaking composer Missy Mazzoli's first large-scale opera is already recognized as one of the most powerful music-theater pieces of our time.
Cast to be announced.
Digital access will be available in Spring 2021.

Read the synopsis
Cast and creative team to be announced soon
An online company premiere, performed in English with subtitles
Co-commissioned by Opera Philadelphia and Beth Morrison Projects
Running time: approximately two hours, 30 minutes, with one intermission
This production includes explicit language, nudity, and sexual content, some of a violent nature. Recommended for mature audiences only.