The Vienna State Opera relies on opulent images: Masks, costumes, and, of course, the stage design take the audience into the worlds of Figaro, Elektra, and Madama Butterfly. A good stage set has to reflect not only the artistic vision of the director but also be highly functional: practical assembly and disassembly, intelligent use of lifting and revolving stages, flying machines, lighting, good visual axes, etc., always have to be considered in the planning. No easy task - which is why the "construction rehearsals" are precisely planned and stage sets jointly developed with the help of mock-ups directly on the stage. However, in opera, the stage is the most precious resource and time for rehearsals is therefore limited. Here, virtual reality offers a cost-effective and comparatively inexpensive alternative for planning a stage design as if it was real, without being tied to the actual stage.
In cooperation with the Viennese research company VRVis Zentrum für Virtual Reality und Visualisierung, the Vienna State Opera has taken the first step toward using virtual reality technology to elevate stage design to a new, digital level. In the future, virtual reality will make creating artistic worlds faster and easier. After all, it is not only in times of the coronavirus that it is crucial to rethink and optimize all necessary workflows. "We asked ourselves how we can bring stage technology into the 21st century. By developing and planning our stage designs in virtual reality, we can detach them from the precious resource of the stage - the stage is always needed, after all," explains Michael Wilfinger from the technical department of the Vienna State Opera. "In addition, VR makes it much easier for us to check whether everyone in our audience has an optimal view: from the standing places to the president's box - everyone should get the best possible opera experience."
For this project, which is completely new and unique in Austria, the stage and auditorium of the Vienna State Opera were captured in high resolution using a laser scanner to create a virtual copy. Now, the development of a stage design in the form of 3D models can happen independently of time, space, and personnel. In addition, more detailed plans and functionalities can be made in virtual reality, and more ideas can be tested. Anton Fuhrmann, a VR expert at VRVis, also sees many advantages beyond this: "This is one of the great cases where virtual reality brings a noticeable improvement - beyond the direct marketing effect. The 3D stage models can be sent to other houses to look at in VR - making performances more flexible. Or opera singers who are still in a previous engagement can already familiarize themselves with the new stage design and get involved remotely. Now no one has to be flown in anymore. Especially in times like these, with travel restrictions and health measures, it is essential to be able to work collaboratively in a virtual environment."
Published 05 May 2021
More information
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