Collaboratura

the future of collaboration in opera

the future of collaboration in opera

Tools for bringing artists across disciplines together to create opera

Collaboratura is research project with two aims: building new tools for collaboration in opera, and experimenting with possible futures where these tools enable a diverse range of artists to collaborate on opera.

Made possible by SF Opera’s Instigators Program.

Collaboratura is research project with two aims: building new tools for collaboration in opera, and experimenting with possible futures where these tools enable a diverse range of artists to collaborate on opera.

Made possible by SF Opera’s Instigators Program.

Process

A costume designer, dancer, and composer collaborated on the beginnings of an operatic duet, composed by gestures.

Part user-research, part devised creation, this collaboration was pivotal to the research approach: engage with artists in collaboration in order to build tools for what they actually need.

The artists explored experimental forms of collaboration, immersed themselves in the process together and changed the sequence in which opera is normally created.

Prototype

Tools fundamentally change art, both through expanding human capacity and through the values and biases embedded in them.

What if digital tools could live outside of a screen and in context with your physical tools, instruments, and space? What if instead of a single-player laptop, artists had access to multi-player tools built specifically for collaboration?

In collaboration with Dynamicland, we explored two prototypes: an augmented studio that enables rich, remote improvisation, and a dynamic score that includes expressive, layered notation.

People

Paula Te, Design Technologist & Researcher, SF Opera Instigator

Vera Yin, Dance
Andrea Lauer, Costume/Design
Kamala Sankaram, Composer
Aaron Soloway, Technical Collaborator
Luke Ianinni, Dynamicland Collaborator

Illustration by Nathan Cooke

Thanks to the Instigator fellows and team.

Opera is an evolving art form, with many possible futures. But one thing will remain the same: opera is only made possible through the collaboration of many.

Tools built to enable collaboration in opera will impact not only how opera gets made, but also who gets to make opera and who gets to experience it.

Opera is an evolving art form, with many possible futures. But one thing will remain the same: opera is only made possible through the collaboration of many.

Tools built to enable collaboration in opera will impact not only how opera gets made, but also who gets to make opera and who gets to experience it.

contact

2023