Google Glass technology was used for the first time during a live opera performance of Giacomo Puccini’s Turandot at the Teatro Lirico in Cagliari, Sardinia, this week.
The idea to use the wearable technology devised by Google was developed with the intent to bring the opera experience to a worldwide audience.
During the opera performance on Wednesday, selected singers and orchestra members wore the headsets containing the small computer devices allowing viewers to experience the opera performance from each participant’s unique perspective.
Mauro Meli, the general manager of the Teatro Lirico di Cagliari's Research and Technology Centre, came up with the idea to use the Google Glass technology for an opera performance. “We want to communicate the art of opera hoping that it will engage and interest people who normally don’t go to see performances,” he said. "We have 300,000 people connected online; the opera house holds 1,200."
Online users could view photos and videos in real-time. These were also automatically uploaded onto the opera house's social networks through an app.
Meli added that Turandot seemed to be a good fit for such an experiment. He told ANSA, "With Turandot, opera enters the future, melodically and harmonically speaking."
