VIVE Arts Partners with Paris Opera and Backlight on Immersive VR Experience Celebrating the Opera's 150th Anniversary

A BackLight production, in co-production with the Paris Opera and VIVE Arts as part of the celebrations for the 150th anniversary of the Palais Garnier

PARIS, ÎLE-DE-FRANCE, FRANCE, May 7, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Paris Opera is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Palais Garnier this year with a new virtual reality (VR) experience.

This immersive, multi-user, geolocated experience plunges visitors into dreamlike scenes inspired by legendary operas, as well as the Palais Garnier's emblematic venues. Thanks to the power of immersive technology, the experience dissolves the traditional boundaries of opera, broadening access to this art form to a wider audience and paying tribute to the operatic repertoire.

Open now through 31 August 2025 at the Bibliothèque-musée de l'Opéra in the Palais Garnier, "La Magie Opéra" is a production by BackLight, the Paris-based production studio at the cutting edge of virtual reality, in co-production with the Paris Opera, the French institution renowned for the diversity and quality of its opera and ballet programming, and VIVE Arts, the global arts and technology initiative that supports artistic experimentation with new technologies.

"La Magie Opéra" offers visitors an immersive, sensory musical adventure that follows the story's protagonist, a young singer named Céleste, as she explores the opera house, blurring the boundaries between reality, imagination and memory. Throughout Céleste's surreal journey, visitors are immersed in spectacular tableaux inspired by such major works of the operatic repertoire as Dvořák's Rusalka, Puccini's Tosca and Bizet's Carmen.

Based on an original concept by the Backlight studio and made possible by HTC's VIVE Focus 3 headsets, the narrative odyssey traverses the halls of the emblematic Palais Garnier, looking back at its rich history while also looking to the future of this art form. Travelling alongside Céleste, visitors will rediscover the ‘Song to the Moon’ from Rusalka, performed by Renée Fleming, ‘Vissi d'arte’ from Tosca by Martina Serafin (based on a 2014 Paris Opera production) and the ‘Habanera’ from Carmen by Elīna Garanča (recorded in 2017 at the Paris Opera).

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
"La Magie Opéra"
On view through August 31, 2025
A 25-minute virtual reality entertainment experience, combined with the visit of the Palais Garnier
Recommended for ages 12 and up
Available in French and English
Price: 39 €
Information and ticketing: www.operadeparis.fr/en/

Palais Garnier
Bibliothèque-musée de l’Opéra
Place de l'Opéra, 75009 Paris

Produced by Backlight, with the Opéra national de Paris and VIVE Arts as coproducers, based on an original concept by BackLight, directed by Jonathan Astruc; Written by Karen Hunt and Eric Barbedor.

Frédéric Lecompte, co-founder of BackLight: ‘Collaborating with the Paris Opera has been both a profound honor and a true creative journey. This partnership is a beautiful meeting point between tradition and innovation — a way to honor the soul of a legendary institution while using immersive technology to craft new emotional landscapes. It’s a poetic chapter for XR in the arts, and we’re proud to help bring it to life.’

Alexander Neef, General Director of the Paris Opera: ‘Opera has always been a pioneering art form, constantly exploring new ways of creating and reaching out to audiences. With "La Magie Opéra", we are celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Palais Garnier by embracing virtual reality. This immersive collaboration with Backlight and VIVE Arts invites the public to discover the magic of opera through a few emblematic arias in a new way. This experience bears witness to an artistic discipline that is constantly evolving, while at the same time being heir to a rich and living tradition.’

Celina Yeh, Executive Director of VIVE Arts: ‘VIVE Arts’ collaboration with BackLight and the Paris Opera advances the exploration of the potential for immersive technology. Opera is the original immersive artform, so VR offers a natural extension of the medium as both reflect the concept of gesamtkunstwerk – the total work of art – synthesizing music, storytelling, scenography, and other elements to create a unified and holistic experience.’

"La Magie Opéra" is the launch of an ongoing partnership between VIVE Arts and the Paris Opera and also the latest in a series of Paris-based initiatives from VIVE Arts, including Versailles: Lost Gardens of the Sun King, on view now through January 5, 2026 at the Palace of Versailles, as well Playing with Fire, an immersive experience presented by the Musée de la musique – Philharmonie de Paris and featuring renowned pianist Yuja Wang, opening November 14, 2025.

BACKLIGHT
BackLight is a multi-award-winning XR production studio based in Paris, founded in 2008. A pioneer in AR (since 2010) and VR (since 2014) brand activations, entertainment, and cultural experiences, the studio is renowned for its blend of creative innovation and technical ambition. From Birdy King Land (2014) to Eclipse (2017) and Hennessy’s Mobilis (2023), BackLight has built a strong reputation for delivering high-end, tailor-made immersive experiences.
Visit backlight.fr and follow on Instagram and Facebook.

PARIS OPERA
With a history spanning more than 350 years, the Paris Opera is renowned for the quality and diversity of its program at the Palais Garnier and the Opéra Bastille, as well as for the unique architecture of its two theatres. With over 400 performances per season, the Paris Opera presents ballets, operas and concerts, as well as a program dedicated to young audiences. The institution is involved in a number of digital projects, including the POP - Paris Opera Play streaming platform, the creation of digital art collections and the development of VR experiences.
Visit operadeparis.fr and follow on Instagram and Facebook.

VIVE ARTS
VIVE Arts harnesses cutting-edge technology to transform the way culture is made, shared and experienced. Over the past seven years, VIVE Arts has pioneered the use of immersive technologies in the arts and culture sector, inspiring boundary-pushing artists, creators and leading international institutions to use VR, AR, XR, AI and blockchain for the first time, creating groundbreaking digital artworks and experiences. A leader in the art and technology space, VIVE Arts develops digital innovation projects which preserve the world’s world’s heritage and culture, offering new ways to engage and extend access to wider audiences.
Visit vivearts.com and follow on Twitter and Instagram.

Lila Price
Resnicow and Associates
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