Opera Beyond x Nokia Bell Labs

The Opera Beyond is raising an increasing amount of international interest. It has now given rise to collaboration between the global research and development laboratory Nokia Bell Labs and the Finnish National Opera.

Opera Beyond, which explores the opportunities for emerging technologies to evolve performing arts, has prompted the multiple Nobel-award winning Nokia Bell Labs to expand its collaboration base in Finland. The collaboration between the Finnish National Opera and Ballet is part of Nokia Bell Labs’ Experiments in Arts and Technology (E.A.T.) lab, in which artists and Nokia Bell Labs engineers and scientists combine their efforts to discover new possibilities in human communication and connection.

“The Opera Beyond project is a critical undertaking bringing together the fields of art and technology. The Finnish National Opera and Ballet’s vision for the future of the opera resonated strongly with our vision within within E.A.T. It is our mission to connect people emotionally and to break down barriers between people and enable deeper levels of connection and understanding. Collaborating with the Finnish National Opera is the perfect place to develop these new solutions”, says Domhnaill Hernon, Head of Experiments in Arts and Technology at Nokia Bell Labs. 

In tandem with the collaboration, Nokia Bell Labs is also launching its first ever artist-in-residence programme in the Nordic countries, with the media artist Kalle Rasinkangas as the region’s first guest artist. As a member of a community of top-tier researchers, he will be able to make the most of Nokia Bell Labs’ advanced technology at its Espoo and Tampere premises. He will be working on an interactive installation, which will be showcased at the international Opera Beyond Conference in May. 

”Opera as an artistic genre is continuously evolving and changing. We are always on the lookout for new methods to enhance the opera experience. Opera Beyond is an exploration that gives rise to new productions, pioneering collaboration, and concrete tools for combining the arts and technology. At its best, it will enrich our genres and create an entirely new universe of experiences. Collaboration with such a visionary organisation like Nokia Bell Labs is a fantastic opportunity for the Finnish National Opera”, says Lilli Paasikivi, Artistic Director of the Opera.