From Dust - Virtual Reality Opera

You enter a dark room. Soon you see a cloud of small particles in front of you, swarming in the air like a flock of starlings. When you put your hand into the cloud, the particles slowly transform into the shape of a woman. A second version of her splits off from the original. The eyes of these two figures meet yours and they begin to sing.

Are you a spectator or a participant in this world?

During this 24-minute journey, each spectator takes part in a personalized story in an intimate setting. By interacting with their surroundings, the spectators meet the protagonist and her five alter egos, played by the six members of the vocal ensemble Sjaella. The spectators create new worlds themselves by moving and touching the installation, bringing the different alter egos to life.

This multi-sensory experience is tailored to each visitor using generative AI. As a co-creator, you are the protagonist’s opponent. You are not just a passive observer, but actively shaping your own story. (All personal data and images are destroyed after the experience.)

Van der Aa has built a career integrating music and theater with cutting-edge video and sound technology. His VR installation Eight earned a New York Times headline: “A Breakthrough for Virtual Reality in Classical Music.” From Dust builds on these groundbreaking achievements, telling his story through music, live interaction, and immersive visuals.

From Dust transcends the boundaries of traditional opera, taking you to the forefront of immersive storytelling and personalized art.