Project Butterfly

Project Butterfly, opera production / Fondazione Teatro Comunale di Modena, Agenzia per l’Energia e lo Sviluppo Sostenibile Associazione – AESS, Opera BOX, Heimspiel GmbH, Opera Bałtycka w Gdańsku, GOPACOM - Photo: Rolando Paolo Guerzoni

Theater & Digital Media

Exhibit

Project Butterfly

Boosting environmental awareness in opera creation

Fondazione Teatro Comunale di Modena (IT), Agenzia per l’Energia e lo Sviluppo Sostenibile Associazione – AESS (IT), Opera BOX (FI), Heimspiel GmbH (DE), Opera Bałtycka w Gdańsku (PL), GOPACOM (BE)

Like the flutter of a butterfly’s wings that can change the world, Project Butterfly was created to retrace each stage of opera production and experiment with environmentally sustainable practices.
Based on the idea that sustainability means preserving resources for future generations, the initiative invited students to be the driving creative force behind the artistic process and to reflect on sustainability. Sixteen-year-old students from high schools in Helsinki, Gdańsk, and Modena wrote the concepts for the three one-act operas, sharing and refining their ideas through online meetings. The opera premiered in all three cities in spring 2025.
A key scenic element was the digital imagery designed by Heimspiel, an agency in Augsburg specialized in Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence. The project also adopted a CO₂ measurement tool developed by the UK-based sustainability leader for the cultural sector, Julie’s Bicycle (The Creative Climate Tools). Musical rehearsals were held remotely using the low-latency system Lo.La, while audiences interacted with a real-time AI-powered avatar specially developed by the German start-up Conversational Artificial Intelligence.

POSTCITY, First Floor, Features Exhibition

Language //

other, EN

Ticket //

FREE / No Ticket

  • Photo: Fondazione Teatro Comunale di Modena

    Fondazione Teatro Comunale di Modena

    Fondazione Teatro Comunale di Modena, a leading Italian opera house, combines tradition with innovation. It produces high-quality opera, theater, and music performances, while promoting cultural participation and international collaboration.

  • Agenzia per l’Energia e lo Sviluppo Sostenibile Associazione – AESS

    AESS (Agenzia per l'Energia e lo Sviluppo Sostenibile) is a nonprofit association promoting energy efficiency and sustainable development. It provides public and private actors with expertise and guidance in environmental planning, green innovation, and climate action strategies.

  • Opera BOX

    Opera BOX is a Finnish nonprofit association committed to reimagining opera through youth engagement, contemporary themes, and educational outreach. It creates bold productions and fosters new talent in the performing arts.

  • Photo: Opera Bałtycka

    Opera Bałtycka w Gdańsku

    Opera Bałtycka is a major cultural institution in northern Poland, known for its innovative opera and ballet productions. It promotes artistic excellence and audience development through regional and international initiatives.

  • Heimspiel GmbH

    Based in Augsburg, Heimspiel GmbH specializes in digital storytelling, Virtual Reality, and AI for the cultural and creative sectors. It bridges technology and the arts, creating immersive and interactive experiences for diverse audiences.

Credits

Developed and presented in the context of Project Butterfly. Project Butterfly: Boosting the environmental awareness in opera creation is a project co-funded by the European Commission under the Creative Europe program.