Exploring the Future of Performance: Immersion, Interaction, and the Hybrid Stage
The fusion of performance and new technologies has unlocked new possibilities in the performing arts, expanding the dialogue between performer and audience. The integration of immersive and interactive elements challenges traditional conventions, opening doors for interdisciplinary collaboration between art, science, and technology.
Organized by ESPRONCEDA Institute of Art & Culture, two standout presentations in this exploration showcased how digital innovation is reshaping performance.
Talk 1: Eve 3.0: A New Dimension of Audience Participation
“Eve 3.0” (Bergamo Meneghini, Boniotti, Desnoyers-Stewart, and González-Franco, 2023) is a multimedia stage creation that blends contemporary dance, sound, visual projections, and mixed reality (XR) media. This innovative performance envelops the XR experience in three distinct parts: a 360° stereoscopic film, an interactive CGI sequence, and an augmented reality experience.
What makes “Eve 3.0” truly groundbreaking is its participatory nature. At different moments, 12 members of the audience are invited to step into the performance space, wear a VR headset, and actively engage in the unfolding narrative. Through the eyes of the character Eve, they encounter a group of teenagers and listen to fragmented stories of individuals grappling with addiction, anxiety, depression, and other emotional struggles. This multi-sensory journey incorporates touch, smell, and movement, enhancing the feeling of presence and interaction. By breaking the boundary between observer and participant, “Eve 3.0” redefines the traditional theatre experience, creating an immersive, collective dialogue that extends beyond the stage.
About the Artist
Margherita Bergamo Meneghini is a dancer, choreographer, and researcher specializing in contemporary dance and immersive technologies. Her work, recognized with awards such as the Laval Virtual Award Recto VRso and the VR Grand Prize at the Kaohsiung Film Festival, explores new ways to merge movement and digital experiences.
Photography: Julia Gaes
Talk 2: What It Means to Be Human in a Digital World
The second talk, What It Means to Be Human in a Digital World, introduced Humanverse, a research project exploring the intersection of performance, AI, and the Metaverse. This digital experience transforms spectators into active participants through interactive storytelling, guided by an artificial voice within a virtual space.
A central element of Humanverse is the presence of an actor-avatar, who navigates audiences through a narrative shaped by AI. This approach challenges conventional theatre by integrating real-time multiplayer interactions, making the performance accessible both in-person and remotely through various digital platforms. Supported by the Italian Council, this project pushes the boundaries of how we perceive identity, storytelling, and digital embodiment.
About the Artists
Martin Romeo is a visual artist whose work explores the relationship between nature and technology through VR performances, multimedia installations, and Web3 theatre. His projects have been exhibited at major international events, including the Venice Biennale and the EU Parliament in Brussels.
Projects like Eve 3.0 and Humanverse showcase how technology can enhance artistic expression, transforming audiences from passive spectators into integral parts of the experience.
