Göteborg Opera Opens Its Doors to More Audiences with a Virtual Opera House — Guided by Visual Arena
From insight to innovation: when Göteborg Opera launches the world’s first virtual opera house, it is the result of a multi-year collaboration in which the innovation platform Visual Arena played a pivotal role. By bringing together stakeholders across sectors, exploring future audience behaviors, and testing early prototypes, Visual Arena helped build the knowledge base that made Operaverse possible. The result is a digital platform that opens the world of performing arts to new audiences.
Photo: Operaverse, GöteborgsOperan
On 26 August 2025, Göteborg Opera unveiled Operaverse — a mobile and VR app that merges stagecraft with digital technology, extending access to opera, musicals, dance, and orchestral performances to a broader and younger public.
Behind the premiere lies a long journey of innovation in which Visual Arena spearheaded the exploratory phase, contributing methodology, networks, and innovation expertise. Through audience research, workshops involving over 130 participants, prototypes, and user testing, key insights emerged: the digital performing arts of tomorrow must be interactive, accessible, and artistically compelling.
“Our role within the innovation ecosystem is to provide a space where institutions can explore the unknown — to find what makes them unique. For Operaverse, that meant helping Göteborg Opera map needs, test ideas, and understand its future audience before the technology and solutions even existed,”
says Martin Högenberg, Program Lead at Visual Arena.
The launch of Operaverse brings that vision to life. Users can now step into immersive environments, sing along with The Queen of the Night, dance on the Main Stage, or dive into the soundscape of Göteborg Opera’s workshops.
Operaverse | OFFICIAL TRAILER
“As far as we know, we are the first opera house in the world to create something like this. The hope is that Operaverse will engage new audiences — especially those aged 18 to 35 — and spark curiosity about our art forms, so that one day they will come see us live in the opera house. More experiences will be added continuously. This is just the beginning,”
says Eva Essvik, Head of Business, Partnerships & Digital Innovation at Göteborg Opera.
“Operaverse is a fantastic example of what can happen when art, technology, and courage meet. For Visual Arena, it confirms that open, neutral innovation arenas fill a gap — empowering local actors and industry to innovate. Bringing together diverse stakeholders, testing ideas, and placing the user at the center leads to renewal,”
adds Högenberg.
The project was developed in collaboration with Göteborg Opera, Visual Arena, Fully Studios, &friends, Midnight Machines, Yrgo, and the University of Skövde — with funding from Västra Götaland Region.
Do you want to know more about the project?
Operaverse
Martin Högenberg
Partner+
Tel: +46 (0)31-764 70 00
Email: info@lindholmen.se
www.lindholmen.se
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