Review: ‘Innocence’ Tackles School Shootings at the Met Opera
The New York Times • • entertainment
Key Points:
- The opera "Innocence," which premiered in 2021, addresses the complex aftermath of a school shooting with brutal honesty and compassion, exploring trauma, blame, and grief.
- It recently debuted at the Metropolitan Opera, marking a significant cultural moment by bringing this timely and tragic subject to a major American opera stage.
- The production is praised for its dramatic depth, including the libretto by Sofi Oksanen and Aleksi Barrière, Simon Stone’s realistic direction, and Kaija Saariaho’s masterful score.
- Lasting just an hour and 45 minutes, "Innocence" effectively conveys profound emotional weight and complexity, drawing comparisons to classic operas like Alban Berg’s "Wozzeck" and thematic parallels to Leonardo da Vinci’s "The Last Supper."
- The opera features 13 vividly drawn characters whose lives are irrevocably changed by the shooting, creating a resonant and cathartic narrative experience.
 { path { fill: %23EEEFE9 } })
