Augmented reality breaks into opera

Pagliacci on Rai Play:

A New Era for Opera:

Pagliacci by Ruggero Leoncavallo

TEATRO CARLO FELICE | GENOA | 2021

In 2021, Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa inaugurated its season with an extraordinary production of Pagliacci, created in collaboration with Rai Cultura. Directed by Cristian Taraborrelli, this staging marked a genuine revolution in the theatrical experience.

For the first time in opera history, 3D augmented reality was integrated into a live performance. This pioneering approach transformed the stage into a three-dimensional emotional space, dissolving the boundaries between physical reality and imagination, and immersing the audience in a completely new scenic dimension.

The entirely virtual scenery was reconstructed behind the performers, shifting according to the various camera angles to offer a dynamic, mobile perspective. This allowed the actors greater freedom of movement, surpassing the limitations of traditional painted backdrops.

The visual splendor was further enhanced by Angela Buscemi’s magnificent costumes, blending tradition and modernity in perfect harmony. The stellar cast included tenor Fabio Sartori as Canio, soprano Serena Gamberoni as Nedda, and baritone Sebastian Catana as Tonio.

This production is not merely a reinterpretation of Leoncavallo’s masterpiece; it represents a significant step towards the future of opera theater, demonstrating how technology can enrich artistic storytelling without diminishing its authenticity.

PAGLIACCI

THE FIRST opera in Europe TO IMPLEMENT AUGMENTED REALITY 3D in a real-time production!

how does AR work in the theater?

STAR-TO-FINISH

on stage

CHROMA KEY SET DESIGN

COMPUTER SOFTWARE

3D FILM MODELLING PRE-PRODUCTION

AR MAGIC ON SCREEN

REAL-TIME STREAMING ON A LED WALL OVER THE STAGE

FINAL RESULT

The audience can have a new way of looking at the show, feeling it, and interacting with it. They can choose to see the show on stage, on-screen, or both.

THEY TOLD ABOUT US

Pagliacci 6ott Antegenerale 15 AGV_2681.jpg

PAGLIACCI REALI, PAGLIACCI VIRTUALI

"... Taraborrelli's Pagliacci lives, doubled, on this ridge, at the crossroads of a long and glorious tradition of opera, and, at the same time, shows us a new future perspective, dematerialized, the vision of a total work of art that is not afraid of technologically innovating itself and putting the audience, more and more, at the center of the scene."

Bruno Di Marino

"Taraborrelli is a scenic visionary who uses the most advanced technology to lead the interaction between audience and actor/singer to a high level. With his direction, he transcends matter, creates it where it is not there, and makes it hyper-real, and therefore absolute. In this Pagliacci, the director acted on everything that is not singing, supported by the costume designer Angela Buscemi who has lifted him up in the transitions from the traditional verism setting to the projections, in a non-time that becomes universal"

"And this performance at the Carlo Felice is full of added values (...) obviously, the "augmented reality" - thanks to a green screen - allows us to see the scenes in a double version: the "naked" one and the version with the world and settings behind its back (...) And all these, in my opinion, will triumph even more in December, when the Carlo Felice's premiere will be broadcast on Rai5."

Massimiliano Lussana

Paolo Fizzarotti | Teatro.it