Loneliness is like a slowly seeping poison. It kills quietly. Even Bluebeard is lonely in his pitch-black castle. Then Judith enters his life. Like a star, she drives away the darkness and opens seven locked doors, revealing glimpses into Bluebeard’s soul.

Inspired by Béla Bartók’s enigmatic fairy-tale opera, this documentary music theater explores the theme of loneliness in old age. Over several months, the team conducted interviews with seniors and caregivers about their experiences and causes of loneliness. The result is touching, surprising, and encouraging human stories. Some interviewees also shared insights into their personal living situations—their own “castles”—which are projected as videos during the performance.

The interview recordings form an immersive sound design created especially for the ZiMMT sound dome. Additionally, acoustic instruments and vocal performances are captured live during the show and integrated into the sound design. Thus, the documentary and opera layers increasingly merge throughout the performance.

With each door Judith opens, more interview voices enter the space, overlapping the original opera. The audience is free to move around and choose which voices to approach and listen to. What leads to loneliness, and how can it be alleviated? What responsibility do we have as fellow human beings?

Singing meets sound design, chamber ensemble meets electronic sounds, and opera and documentary merge into an immersive sonic experience. Step into Bluebeard’s castle and find the path out of loneliness with us!