The object of the contract for the development of the project “Digital Transformation Actions of the National Opera”, signed by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Opera Hariton Stavropoulos, in the presence of the Artistic Director of the Greek Opera, Giorgos Koumentakis, the CEO of Nova ICT, Alexandrou Bregianni and the contributors to the project, was presented on Thursday, November 28 2024 at the National Opera House at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center.

The project is implemented within the framework of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan with funding from the European Union – Next Generation EU and concerns the implementation of a set of innovative actions for the digital transformation of the National Opera.

From left to right: Alexandros Molcho, Development Director, Elidoc, Athina Adaou, Operations Senior Manager, Nova ICT, Panagiotis Parthenios, Professor, Technical University of Crete, George Koumentakis, Artistic Director National Opera, Alexandros Bregiannis, CEO, Nova ICT, Alexandros Tzortzakakis, CEO, Aegean Solutions, Anna Karagianni, Assistant Professor, Technical University of Crete, Petros Zisimopoulos, Senior ICT Sales Manager, Nova ICT

With the use of cutting-edge technologies such as augmented, mixed and virtual reality (augmented, mixed and virtual reality) highly interactive services will be developed, innovating and creating the modern opera of the 21st century, by creating a digital platform for the implementation of virtual rehearsal actions. The platform will – among other things – have a library of virtual sets, which the actors of the show will be able to use to set up the rehearsal. The participants of the rehearsal will be able from wherever they are, wearing a virtual reality mask, participate in the virtual rehearsal and work as if they were present in the real setting, which will be created in Virtual Reality.

At the same time, an innovative mixed reality application will support the monitoring of the construction of sets by the actors, the technicians, and all those interested in following the process.

In addition, a 3D scan will be made of selected costumes that are in the archive of the ELLS, which will be used as a virtual library with the ability to move in a virtual reality environment.

At the same time, there will be a digital recording of the ELLS archive (texts, audio-visual recordings, scenery), which will be accessible via the internet in easy-to-use ways: either in the form of an interactive timeline or in the form of a database with multiple search capabilities or use of augmented reality technology.

Finally, an augmented reality application will be created in the environment of iOS & Android mobile devices, which will offer selected digital material of the ELS to the general public through its diffusion at specific interaction points in the city.

It is worth noting that the digital transformation of ELLS will substantially contribute to the reduction of the carbon footprint. More specifically, the possibility of virtual rehearsals will significantly reduce the movements of the actors of a production, removing the necessity of their physical presence during the preparation stage of the show. In addition, the digitized archive will be accessible to all without requiring the physical presence of the public at the ELLS premises. Finally, the action of augmented reality in the city will create a cultural-tourist route, which will be carried out in a purely digital way.

The Artistic Director of ELS George Koumentakis pointed out: “At a time when technology is rapidly evolving, touching every human activity, the National Opera takes another step towards the future of opera in the 21st century. Thanks to our collaboration with Nova ICT and the Polytechnic of Crete, we will be able to take advantage of the latest trends in technology in order to digitally transform ELS, which will introduce a great intersection bringing opera into dialogue with the anxious today and the hopeful tomorrow. We can only feel particularly happy that we will open new horizons in opera as we have known it until today.”

The CEO of Nova ICT, Alexander Bregiannisstated: “The integration of augmented and virtual reality technologies is an important development that opens up new horizons in the viewer’s experience and the way a show can be performed. We are proud that, by utilizing technology, we give the possibility to present the great work of the National Opera with modern means”.

In the implementation of the project, the company Aegean Solutions, the Polytechnic of Crete (with Professor Panagiotis Parthenios in charge), the company Elidoc and the music researcher Nikos Dionysopoulos participate as subcontractors of Nova ICT.

Funding body of the project “Sub.4.12 Actions for the digital transformation of the Hellenic Republic of Greece” is the Ministry of Culture, within the framework of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan “Greece 2.0” with the funding of the European Union – NextGenerationEU.