The interdisciplinary project Fortress of the Body / Duke Bluebeard’s Castle, blending dance and music theater, is inspired by Béla Bartók’s one-act opera Duke Bluebeard’s Castle: a work whose drama unfolds entirely within – within Bluebeard, Judith, and their relationship, but also within the castle itself, which sighs and even bleeds like a living being. Behind each door lies a tangible space representing Bluebeard’s possessions, a facet of his character, and a distinct musical world brought to life by Bartók’s vivid orchestration.

Bartók’s opera, which begins with the question “Where is the stage: inside or outside?”, invites a wealth of interpretations. In this production by choreographer and director Guy Weizman, it is paired with additional material. Weizman’s works are characterized by their interdisciplinarity, which in this project is devoted to exploring a fortress where humanity has imprisoned itself.

In the sprawling castle of her husband, Judith encounters seven locked doors. Despite Bluebeard’s warnings, she is determined to uncover what lies behind them. Her discoveries are deeply moving yet profoundly unsettling – and her curiosity leads to fatal consequences for both herself and Bluebeard.