Design and Implementation of a Multimedia Opera

While the traditional notion of "opera" describes a production that incorporates musical elements with other art forms and media, the conceptual and technical considerations required to mount an electronic multimedia opera add significant layers of complexity. Design issues including projecting visual media, the implementing of an immersive audio environment and maintaining synchronization (between live singers and digital music, 3D computer animation, stage lighting and projected imagery) add to the standard list of compositional and production challenges. An overview of the design and implementation of such a production, StarChild: The Opera, offers a primer in the musical and extra-musical considerations that are required to realize a large-scale composition in an electronic mixed media environment. 1 A New Approach to Opera The production of traditional opera is often based upon fairly standardized musical and dramatic staging techniques. Until recently, the vast expressive and creative potential of electroacoustic music technology remained largely unexplored in opera composition and performance. However, precedents exist for new forms of opera. One of these new forms, multimedia opera, draws upon music technology to achieve new combinations of artistic resources. The term “multimedia” in this context does not refer exclusively to interactive media. It is also inclusive of productions which use a mixture of audio and visual formats in their structure and content. As Miroslaw Rogala and Darrell Moore explain, multimedia is nothing more than " . . . plural art forms operating in conjunction with one another" [Rogala and Moore, 1993]. Steve Reich’s The Cave and Tod Machover’s Brain Opera are two recent examples of this new form of opera. In order for multimedia opera to become more prevalent, creative and technical personnel need guidelines to follow for production and composition. The production of StarChild, a multimedia opera by James Oliverio, provides a valuable guide for those planning to create this type of musical production. 2 Use of Electroacoustic Music Technology Multimedia opera utilizes a broad pallet of sound and light to enhance its presentation. A careful balance must be achieved to serve the music and plot without overcomplicating the technical demands of the production. StarChild utilized current music technology in a variety of ways. All of the preproduced audio components were digitally recorded and edited. Additionally, electroacoustic music technology was used to provide solutions for immersive audio, data sonification, and device synchronization. Each of these items was implemented based on its suitability to the opera’s content.