Opera
beyond
by the Finnish National Opera and Ballet


Opera Beyond Conference 2022 – Visioning Stages Beyond
The Opera Beyond Conference 2022 (13th-14th September) in Helsinki attracted almost 300 visitors from all around the world. Topics included cutting edge technologies, such as XR, AI, NFTs, volumetric video, spatial audio, 3D projections and metaverse, but also themes like diversity & equality in arts, expectations of next generations in culture and entertainment consumption, ecosystems and the role of art in society amidst change.
Speakers include Metaverse expert Enara Nazarova, futures researcher Monika Bielskyte, game designer and immersive theater artist Jessica Creane, President of the VR/AR Association in Vancouver Dan Burgar, Artistic Director of Helsinki Festival Marko Ahtisaari, sound artist Tuomas Norvio, FEDORA Director Edilia Gänz and many more.

CircOpera 2.0 premieres in November
CircOpera 2.0, created in collaboration with our Open Call’s winners Violet Disruption and Vitamin Studio’s immersive wizardry, will premiere on the main stage of the FNOB in November 2022.
The performance takes the audience on an adventurous journey of opera classics, modern circus and immersive technology. State-of-the-art circus artists, the full orchestra and singers of the Finnish National Opera and our first ever virtual visiting artist – what more could you wish for?

Art >< Technology Podcast
The Art >< Technology podcast, hosted by Opera Beyond’s Annastina Haapasaari and Assembly’s Nuppu Stenros, dives into the crossroads of art and technology by discussing current phenomena and interviewing interesting creators and visionaries.
A collaboration of the Finnish National Opera and Ballet, Assembly and Telia broadcasted on Radio Helsinki, we discuss embodied immersive experiences, the future of audio and music technology, ethical questions surrounding technology and AI, among other themes. The podcast is in Finnish.

Aida, Salome… Laila
Laila, the new, interactive work created by Esa-Pekka Salonen, Paula Vesala, Tuomas Norvio and Ekho Collective for the Finnish National Opera premiered in August, 2020.
Laila rejects the traditional roles of performing arts, as its music and visuality evolve and change in interaction with the audience. In Laila, you are not the audience, but one of many actors shaping reality. Laila is a unique experience, which is different every time.
Move beyond
Opera Beyond is a journey to define tomorrow’s arts, inspired by the courage to explore, disrupt conventions and boldly head for new adventures. With open doors, arms and minds, it welcomes different genres, events, creative industries and technologies to join in and transform the future of opera and ballet.
By combining arts and technology without prejudice or preconceptions, Opera Beyond builds an ecosystem of independent actors that gives rise to unusual combinations. Join in!
VR + AR / Video +
Projection – mapping ]
Spatial
Sound + Artificial
Intelligence
New op / Era
News
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One of Finland’s finest and most diverse art institutions, the Finnish National Opera and Ballet (FNOB), is known for ambitious artistic collaborations. FNOB will be working in close partnership with selected future thinking associations to make Opera Beyond a reality. With funding, tools, and expertise we can work together to push the boundaries of performing arts.
