The Mysteries of Desire is a queer and quirky opera thriller for the Danish Royal Opera House in a unique collaboration with the World Pride Festival. The story of six self-discovering protagonists is told through arias and music scenes alternated with the pre-recorded video projections with spoken monologues recorded by the singers in location in Copenhagen - Wittrup Motel, the icon of the 50s.
Set is designed as exact copy of Wittrup motel realized in bare plywood with pronounced organic patterns: an image of living nature tamed and forced into utilitarian shapes of everyday objects. Just as the desires of staging protagonists were contained in their socially accepted roles. The constant switching between realistic images and their theatrical counterparts reminds that our reality is but a staging and each identity is nothing but a drag, a theatrical costume that we can freely shape every day.

Concept, video and staging: Krystian Lada
Set Designer: Didzis Jaunzems, Ksenia Sapega, Helēna Laura Bindemane
Costume Design: Henrik Vibskov
Lighting Design: Clement Irbil
Photo by: Ēriks Božis, Miklos Szabo