In this filmed opera Kiera Duffy was completely naked a handful of times and has sexual situations in it (some explicit bare-breasts fondling). Duffy was real life pregnant when she got the role. She was ten weeks pregnant when the first workshop began, and by the third, she had given birth to her son. Asked about the challenges of raising a family while maintaining a full-time career, Duffy said, "I will say this and own it-it's much harder for women than for men. I was breast-feeding when I did 'Breaking the Waves'. Can you imagine? Breast-feeding and doing a naked role is not something I recommend."
'Breaking the Waves' opera was filmed during its world premiere production at Opera Philadelphia in 2016. For the 2021 stream, director James Darrah, who staged that production, presents a remastered release of that recording.