Abstract

Thinking about contemporary bioethics from the point of view of narrative fiction opens a novel method to deal with its complexity. It was Fritz Jahr who inspired by Richard Wagner’s opera Parsifal, conceived the concept of bioethics in 1927. His references to it show how the lyrical performance let us reflect on an aesthetic approach into the origins of bioethics itself. We could assume that this way of thinking is a precursor for the current trends which use audio-visual resources for reflecting on and teaching ethics. From this perspective, the present paper addresses the case story of Ramón Sampedro, a man who cried out for his right to the end his life with dignity. His life was recreated in a film (Mar Adentro - The Sea Inside, 2004), directed by Alejandro Amenábar. Pointing out a shot (stresses a particular scene) built through the awe-inspiring aria Nessun Dorma of Puccini’s opera Turandot, we will try to surmise the singular meaning of an act in the life of a patient. From this entry, which we think of as a Gesamtkunstwerk (total work of art), we will approach contemporary bioethics through a narrative and hermeneutic pathway.

Key words: Narrative bioethics | Opera | Euthanasia | Aesthetics