A young girl appears in the dreams of a woman, sometimes in the capacity of a bird. They form a very unique friendship that unfolds in virtual reality.
In ‘We cannot sleep’ a woman is bound to lose her virtual character, but what reality is she trying to avoid? Boundaries fade and the true identity of the characters is becoming clearer by the minute.
Virtual Reality and opera? This combination is what composer and director Luke Deane (1990) was aiming for when the Grachtenfestival commissioned him for new work. Driven by curiosity and his exploring of new ways to approach traditional opera. VR headsets will be handed out to the audience, and then we just wait for the sign to put them on.
Cast consists of mezzo soprano Ekaterina Levental, she performs frequently in national and international concert halls and opera productions. The young girl will be played by the sixteen year old Leo Shibata, originating from the Talentenkoren of Nieuw Vocaal Amsterdam, one of the best classical children choirs in the Netherlands.
Luke Deane will keep a blog about developments of the opera and offers visitors a look behind the screens: www.grachtenfestival.nl/wecannotsleep.
We cannot sleep is onderdeel van het FPK Nieuwe Makerstraject 2017/2018 van het Grachtenfestival en componist Luke Deane.
Met speciale dank aan We make VR en aan Samsung en VR Expert.