Lands End

The project

Opera at the edge of the world

Lands End takes one of the most spatially and emotionally demanding art forms — opera — and asks what it becomes when the audience is inside it rather than in front of it. Built in Unreal Engine and targeting Meta Quest, the experience places the viewer within the landscape and the performance simultaneously.

The site itself is part of the work. The edge of the land, the sea below, the scale of open space — these aren't backdrop, they're the stage. Opera has always been about scale that exceeds the room it's performed in. This is an attempt to give it a room that can keep up.

This song is a gothic, atmospheric, literal and metaphorical journey to the edge of the world. It frames a departure from a rigid, dying society toward something vast, elemental, and dangerous. It feels highly charged, sensory, and slightly volatile — like a storm right before lightning strikes. We know this journey might destroy us, but we are powerless against the pull of it. Drawn to the edge like a moth to a light source.

In progress

Where it currently is

The UE environment requires some relighting. The stage and band are in active development. Performance capture, spatial audio integration, and the Quest-specific optimisation work are all ongoing. More detail here as the build progresses.

Inspiration

A timeless homage

The performance that inspired it. Turning back the clock to the original sound of the record, experiencing the present live expression of it. Immersing myself with no distractions, no iPhones filming it. The elegance of the seated opera experience. All brought together in a virtual retelling of the song and story.