Parsifal
Augmented Reality Opera
Challenge
For the Bayreuth Festival’s staging of Parsifal, I was tasked with the integration of augmented reality to extend the director’s vision beyond the physical stage. By giving audience members AR glasses, we created a layer of storytelling that combined interpretive references with dynamic visual effects. The goal was to complement Wagner’s opera with subtle yet powerful overlays—inviting the audience to experience a deeper narrative dimension without distracting from the performance itself.
Overview
This project explored the unique design challenges of AR in a live performance context. Unlike VR, AR glasses bring constraints: black renders as transparent, anything beyond the viewer’s field of vision disappears, and visual elements must feel integrated with the real environment. To meet these challenges, I designed custom materials and textures from scratch, and optimized models to remain extremely low-poly while still appearing high-fidelity and realistic through careful shading and animation. The process was highly iterative—building, testing, and refining directly on the AR glasses to ensure the visuals translated well in performance conditions. The project offered an important lesson in lighting virtual objects to compliment the stage lighting.
