Michel van der Aa: immersive opera From Dust selected for Cannes
The virtual reality opera From Dust by Michel van der Aa, premiered in Rotterdam last December, has been selected for the Immersive Competition at the Cannes Film Festival 2025 and is also presented at the Holland Festival in June.
From Dust by Dutch composer and director Michel van der Aa has been officially selected for the Immersive Competition of the 78th Cannes Film Festival, which takes place from 13 to 24 May 2025. This selection marks an important recognition for innovative art forms at the intersection of opera, film and interactive technology. As one of the nine selected works, From Dust will compete for the Best Immersive Work award.
From Dust transcends the boundaries of traditional opera and transports visitors to a new dimension of immersive storytelling and personalized art. In this 24-minute experience, the boundaries between reality and identity, between audience and work of art, are blurred. Visitors enter a 360-degree installation space that responds to movements and touches, and takes shape in real time with the help of AI control – an interaction in which worlds are created, a protagonist and five alter egos which are gradually detached from her are explored, and new stories emerge along the way.
In From Dust, opera is reformed into a deeply personal journey, according to Van der Aa. This work invites the exploration of identity through an opera experience that adapts to each visitor, challenging traditional boundaries while honoring the emotional essence of opera.
The international premiere of this work in Cannes offers an opportunity to present opera to a new audience. "From Dust represents one of the potential futures of opera and cinema – an interactive story in which the audience becomes central characters in their own story," Van der Aa says. "By creating personalized journeys within immersive environments, we are removing the traditional barrier between spectator and performer."
From Dust was commissioned by De Doelen Rotterdam and was made in collaboration with vocal ensemble Sjaella. In the Netherlands, From Dust can be experienced during the Holland Festival between 13 and 29 June.
> View the trailer of Michel van der Aa's From Dust.
> From Dust at the Holland Festival
> Further information on From Dust
About Michel van der Aa
Composer and director Michel van der Aa (1970) allows his audience to step into alternative worlds with innovative music, film and digital creations. As a multimedia artist, he brings together various disciplines and leads the classical opera genre to new dimensions.
His work has now been performed in more than 45 countries and he has received prestigious awards including the Grawemeyer Award (2013), the Johannes Vermeer Award (2015) and the International Opera Award (2022).
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