Staatstheater Augsburg Explores Myth and Innovation through VR Technology

With an eye towards the future of theatre, the Staatstheater Augsburg has harnessed the innovative potential of virtual reality (VR) technology to breathe new life into the myth of a hero conquering death through the power of music and love: Orfeo ed Euridice. This ambitious project not only redefines the boundaries of traditional opera but also transforms audience engagement through an immersive experience that unites traditional stage performance with the realm of virtual reality.

A New Dimension of Opera

At the heart of this innovation lies the timeless story of a hero’s journey to the underworld, wherein the Staatstheater Augsburg has introduced a captivating twist. The once mythical underworld takes on a tangible form, expanding into a 360° virtual world accessible through VR goggles. The audience embarks on a shared voyage with Orfeo, alternating between the conventional stage setting and the immersive depths of the underworld, all while donning their VR gear.
This convergence of traditional and digital storytelling leads to the creation of a collective theatre experience that is simultaneously personal and interactive. Each audience member becomes an active participant in the narrative!

The Fusion of Expertise

This digital pilot project is the fruit of a collaboration between the Staatstheater Augsburg and the Augsburg media agency, Heimspiel. Their collective vision has united the realms of technology and artistic expression, demonstrating the connection between innovation and tradition. Wolfgang Katschner, director of the lautten compagney Berlin, acted as conductor. His expertise in early music gives the performance a historical authenticity, while the Augsburg Philharmonic brings a soundscape that resonates with period accuracy.

Reviving Tradition with a Digital Touch

The Staatstheater Augsburg’s pioneering production is a brilliant convergence of history and innovation. VR technology bridges the gap between eras, presenting an opera rooted in tradition and resonant with modernity. This production challenges the notion that opera is bound by tradition. Instead, it shows how technology can meld with the performing arts to create a new sensory experience.

Unveiling a New Dimension: Staatstheater Augsburg’s Dive into Virtual Reality Theatre

The Staatstheater Augsburg embarked on an innovative journey with its first-ever English language production in the newly established digital division. Marking the commencement of the 2020/21 virtual theatre season on Friday, October 2, 2020, this leap opened the doors to an international audience, transcending linguistic confines through VR. This brought forth “The Event” an enigmatic production orchestrated by director David Ortmann. The duality of the play was encapsulated by the German-American actor Patrick Rupar. His performance brought to life an actor introspectively conversing about his persona and the essence of theatre itself. Unravelling the quintessence of “theatre,” dissecting the essence of an “actor,” and redefining the contours of the “audience,” the play helped its spectators to embark on a metaphysical journey into the heart of performative creation.

American playwright and director John Clancy narrated a tale that blurred the lines between appearance and authenticity.

Heimspiel previously orchestrated the theatre’s initial forays into the VR landscape with productions like “Judas,” “Shifting Perspective” and “Diary of a Madman,” the agency cemented its role as a pioneer of virtual theatre evolution.

“The Event” unravelled through a 360-degree recording, available in both German and English. This creation favoured two unique experiences:

Worldwide Streaming: Enthusiasts could experience the magic of “The Event” by streaming it through their personal VR goggles via a pay-per-view model, accessible through orders placed at www.staatstheater-augsburg.de/vr.

In-Augsburg Immersion: For those within Augsburg, the production was available as a video played through rented VR goggles. These goggles could be conveniently ordered at www.boxbote.de, with the local startup Boxbote ensuring doorstep delivery.

The Staatstheater Augsburg envisions nationwide shipping of rental VR goggles, a promise poised to draw enthusiasts from into the embrace of virtual reality theatre.

In a move to democratise access, the theatre’s digital realm, found at www.staatstheater-augsburg.de/vr, stands adorned in the robes of English, remaining open to a global audience. A theatre once bound by geographical and linguistic confines now extends its artistic embrace to all the globe.