Copenhagen Opera Festival has broadened the reach of opera while making it more experimental under Amy Lane. But when bold projects fail to find their form, the courage to experiment can tip into gimmickry.

»Kirstine Fogh Vindelev’s discreet soundscape for the power performance Animal provides much-needed breathing room in Alexandra Moltke Johansen’s dense text.«

A few days before this year’s Copenhagen Opera Festival begins, I, as a critic, have been asked to keep away from one of the festival’s most experimental performances at the theatre Sort/Hvid. This is a complete misunderstanding of the role of criticism.