Dutch composer's virtual reality experiment in musical theater

Visitors wait to experience Dutch composer Michel van der Aa's virtual reality show at this month's Beijing Music Festival.[Photo provided to China Plus]

Michel van der Aa, one of the most outstanding Dutch composers of his generation, has come to Beijing with his latest work "Eight", a groundbreaking fusion of musical theater, virtual reality, and visual art.

Only one audience member takes part in each performance. Inside, they meet the elderly woman who is the protagonist of the musical. They wear virtual reality glasses and earphones to watch the 15 minute performance.

"Eight" tells the life story of the elderly woman with a reversed chronology. When visitors first meet her, she's 70 years old. She turns into a 35 year old and an eight year old as the performance progresses. The woman is voiced by the singer-songwriter Kate Miller-Heidke.

According to an report published by Festival D'Aix, visitors follow the woman through a mixed reality world, interacting with her and also the surrounding installations.

"This way, the audience can be more involved in the performance and even become part of the show space," explained van der Aa.

"Michel van der Aa applied high technology to the art of composing music, which offers an interesting direction for the future opening of a new major in colleges," Victor Guo, a long-time fan of the Beijing Music Festival, told the participants at a lecture held in Beijing by the musical's composer that was hosted by Zou Shuang, the artistic director of the Beijing Music Festival.

The scholar of computer science said he was excited by his first-hand encounter with the musical, which he said was inspiring. He went on to say that he appreciates the power of high technology in improving music products, and that he believes the human creative spirit is irreplaceable.

The premiere of the mixed-reality installation "Eight" took place in June at the Holland Festival. It's showing at the Beijing Music Festival was the musical's Asian premiere.