Voiceless is a series of operatic works around the theme of ‘Voicelessness’ which will be presented as an audio recordings + an immersive Augmented Reality experience (total running time of about 35 minutes).

The AR experience will bring the performances of 8 opera singers to life from the safety of our audience’s homes. The AR experience will be accessible through a smartphone/tablet app and will comprise a series of 8 unique miniature 3D sets/stages that will provide the backdrop for each of the virtual “performances.” Within each of these sets/stages, there will be an animated representation of the character as played by each of the opera singers. The music will play in sync with the animations and bring the whole experience to life.

This project is inspired by the numerous opera singers who have lost work as a result of the pandemic and the audiences who miss hearing and seeing these performers. The theme of “voicelessness” reflects the feelings shared particularly among opera singers, whose livelihoods have dramatically shifted from precarious to pretty much non-existent as so-called “super-spreaders” of COVID-19 (the effects of which will be felt far beyond once there is a cure), as well as our imperative to ensure representation of those who have been historically marginalized and rendered voiceless due to their race, ethnicity, gender, age, and/or sexual orientation.