SOAVE – Stage Orchestra Audio and Video Experience
MEDITECH Consortium
- MEDITECH Consortium
- Accessibility
- Exhibition Design
- Digital Design
- Interaction Design
- Video Production
An immersive experience to enjoy symphonic music from inside the orchestra
SOAVE – Stage Orchestra Audio and Video Experience is an immersive project that allows users to experience a symphonic concert from within the orchestra. Conceived by E-voluzione S.r.l. under Francesco Sacerdoti and developed as a research project by ETT S.p.A. in collaboration with the Haydn Foundation of Trento and Bolzano, it was realized thanks to funding from the Consorzio MedITech under the PNRR program. The experience has been recognized as so innovative and effective that it was included in the shortlist for the Classical:NEXT Innovation Award, among the projects shaping the future of classical music worldwide.
Seven synchronized audio-video recordings were produced, allowing users to take on different perspectives – conductor, audience, or musician – by virtually moving among five positions within the ensemble. By wearing a VR headset, users can change their point of view and listening position at any time, selecting from the available stations. The same musical piece is therefore perceived differently depending on the chosen orchestral section, offering an authentic understanding of the sonic and visual experience of each musician. The application manages the audio-video source switching in real time thanks to a sophisticated spatial audio engine developed by ETT, which instantly updates sound and image according to the selected position. The advanced audio/video synchronization system, combined with intuitive interfaces and multilingual content, makes the experience suitable for museum and educational contexts as well.
The experience is designed for versatile use in museum, educational, and performance contexts. In addition to the VR headset experience, the project includes a dedicated website with a player that allows users to watch and listen to the concert in 2D, synchronized across all sections of the orchestra. This is complemented by physical exhibit concepts that enable users to explore the music by changing their position within the space.
The project also included the design of solutions for physical immersive installations, conceived for a multisensory experience in which the audience can move through the space and perceive the performance from different angles, as if standing on stage among the musicians.
ETT’s work covered all key phases of the project: analysis, design, development, and testing of the VR application; production of 360° recordings; audio and video post-production; integration of the content into the system; release of the experience; and support for its presentation and dissemination. The result is an innovative and engaging experience that highlights ensemble music and expands the ways of listening to and understanding orchestral performance. This approach has been recognized at an international level, with inclusion in the shortlist for the Classical:NEXT Innovation Award.
