Met Opera To Stage Opera With 3D Projections

The Metropolitan Opera has maintained its position at the forefront of using technology to their advantage, which is a practice most other opera companies have not employed as successfully. Their Met in HD series has proved a worthy venture into the digital realm and now they're advancing to 3D projections on the stage.

In a time when audiences flock to 3D movies just to see what filmmakers can do with this technology, the Met is smart to introduce this development. Their 3D projections will be used for next season's production of Richard Wagner's "Siegfried," the third opera in Wagner's Ring Cycle.

The Metropolitan Opera's new production of "Siegfried" staged by Robert Lepage will feature 3D projections like the ones recently tested (in the photo) on a scale model at Ex Machina's production workshop in Quebec City. "Siegfried," which premieres at the Met on October 27, 2011, will be the only opera in the four part "Ring" cycle to use the technology. "Das Rheingold" began the Met's 2010-11 season on September 27, 2010 and "Die Walküre" opens on April 22, 2011. Credit: Metropolitan Opera

Since Wagner's Ring Cycle has been dutifully making its rounds with most of the country's opera companies for the past few years, surely this 3D addition will give the Met's production the edge. According to the New York Times, "if the technology works as advertised, the singers will appear to move inside a three-dimensional world created by projections." All this without those 3D glasses - they don't go well with a tux and tails.

In a video on the Met website, Director Robert Lepage, hopes that audience members who will have already attended the first two installments of the Ring will be entering familiar territory that now uses an innovative, enticing twist when they see "Siegfried."

The programmers created this technology for Lepage's ambitions specifically and all those behind it are working hard on making sure it has a level of detail far beyond what projections people are used to. They are hoping that this development will fascinate not only Wagner lovers who already planned to attend the performance, but 3D-fanatics who will be seduced by its interactive use with performers on stage.

The Metropolitan Opera's new production of "Siegfried" staged by Robert Lepage will feature 3D projections like the ones recently tested (in the photo) on a scale model at Ex Machina's production workshop in Quebec City. "Siegfried," which premieres at the Met on October 27, 2011, will be the only opera in the four part "Ring" cycle to use the technology. "Das Rheingold" began the Met's 2010-11 season on September 27, 2010 and "Die Walküre" opens on April 22, 2011. Credit: Ex Machina

Comments

[Megan Wilhelm]

01:14 AM on 02/27/2011

3-D effects as well as fantastic singing makes a fantastic combination. The University of Houston's Moores Opera Center proved this with our production of The Magic Flute. I am excited to see what these special effects will bring to the future of opera, and to this production!

[John Galvan]

05:56 PM on 02/23/2011

The University of Houston's Moores School of Music did a really nice job of using 3D this past January for the Magic Flute. I would really like to see how the Met will go about using these projections in Siegfried.

[Laz Equality Estrada]

01:23 PM on 02/23/2011

This is so awesome! We just did this at the University of Houston. The 3D projections enhanced the production in such a great way. I'm glad it is now reaching the Met!

[Buttonface]

09:05 PM on 02/18/2011

Alas if only I could have afforded tickets. . .

[WilliamBudd]

02:04 PM on 02/18/2011

I can't wait to see this!
Wagner's music is much better than it sounds.

[naschkatze]

10:42 PM on 02/21/2011

Thank you, Yogi Berra.

[sirpsychosapien]

12:42 PM on 02/18/2011

momentarily, opera just got interesting..........okay, it's passed.

[JSDKoeln]

08:43 AM on 02/21/2011

Oh, go back to your Bieber collection! There are millions of people in the world who are big opera fans. A little culture might do you wonders.

[satanlite]

12:21 PM on 02/18/2011

I'm waiting for holographic projection. 3D is a bore and gives me a head ache.

[naschkatze]

12:19 PM on 02/18/2011

I saw the Met production of Das Rheingold in the fall and will be seeing Die Walkure in a couple of months. They are also LePage productions and are fabulous. Siegfried seems like it will be even more ground-breaking. As an enthusiastic Wagnerian (not just going to be dutiful), I think this is very much in the spirit of Wagner. He dreamed of productions like this but the technology of his time couldn't bring his dreams to life. I wish that from somewhere Wagner and Ludgwig could be looking down on what LePage is doing.

[FearlessFreep]

02:36 PM on 02/18/2011

It's hard to imagine how he could have staged RHEINGOLD any better.

[freshie]

11:44 AM on 02/18/2011

I tried to post a comment about 3d projection or hologram technology being used to make people think UFOs exist and the comment was moderated and removed. I was commenting on the jerusalem UFO. 3d projection has been around for awhile but it's just getting noticed.

Don't be surprised if you start hearing more sightings of UFO's. Even, using 3d projection on a low hanging cloud could make you think you're watching a UFO. Holograms are more convincing though.