Sjaella

In this revolutionary VR opera-installation, you’re not a spectator but an active co-creator. From Dust by Michel van der Aa (Oss, 1970) is made aided by AI and creates a tailor-made world that takes shape based on your choices and interactions: a journey you won’t forget any time soon. The experience lasts one hour and includes an intake, followed by 24 minutes of participation in a personalized story. Six singers from vocal ensemble Sjaella lead you through a magical world, where everything you see, hear and feel is uniquely yours. You enter a dark space wearing VR glasses. In front of you, a swarm of particles appears, which change shape when touched and come to life. Your movements determine how the story unfolds. Van der Aa breaks new ground once again, building on his internationally lauded VR installation Eight (Holland Festival 2019), which the New York Times called ‘a breakthrough for virtual reality in classical music.’ This work touches on themes characteristic of his oeuvre: the loss of humanity, the thin line between reality and fiction, and the influence of technology on our perception.