Lighting of the Sails: ‘Opera Mundi’ by Yann Nguema

The Sydney Opera House sails are visible with the harbour in the foreground. The sails are illuminated with projected art featuring two fish and other colourful elements.
  • Vivid LIVE
  • Suitable for all ages

Playing every night from 6 – 11pm

Renowned French multimedia artist Yann Nguema, known for his mesmerising projections onto significant buildings around the world, brings his unique fusion of science, music and computer programming to the Sydney Opera House sails in the major new work, Opera Mundi. Produced by Nguema’s animation studio Anima Lux and scored by Romanian classical and electronic composer Mischa Blanos, this breathtaking original commission is a powerful ode to transformations in nature and the landscape — land, sea, and sky — that inspired Opera House architect Jørn Utzon.

The beauty, fragility and complexity of living things have provided endless inspiration for artists and architects. Among them, Utzon designed the Sydney Opera House as a deeply organic piece of architecture, whose forms evoke unfurled sails or shells sculpted by the elements. Drawing inspiration from the iconic silhouette of the Sydney Opera House, Opera Mundi — which translates to ‘works of the world’ — embraces and extends this sensitive connection to nature. The animation transforms microcosms into luminous, kinetic forms, emphasising relationships in the natural world. Through precise transitions of light, subtle details emerge on the surface of the architecture, revealing the sublime forms and mechanics of living things. Each sequence offers a zoomed, graphic interpretation of natural phenomena, revealing easily missed complexities through Nguema’s unique visual language.

Generously supported by the French Embassy in Australia.

Commissioned and presented by Vivid Sydney and Sydney Opera House

Event details

About the artists

Yann Nguema

Artist

“My work sits at the intersection of technology and sensitivity. I spend much time researching how to technically produce new images, with a particular interest in nodal or programming environments. Some of my images are essentially created with lines of code. Even though I am very rigorous about the technical quality of my projects, they must not overshadow the transmission of emotion. A successful project is, in a way, the culmination of these two creative aspects.”

Yann Nguema is an internationally renowned French artist, recognised for his unique installations that incorporate light, sound and computer programming. Working at the intersection of art, science and technology, Nguema designs his own software to explore interactions of architecture, light, and movement, often referencing nature and the specificities of installation sites. His architectural mapping projects, immersive installations and monumental scenographies work in dialogue with the memories and cultural heritages of the spaces his work inhabits. His practice is widely recognised as significant in the field of contemporary digital creation.

With a background in science, Nguema turned to visual arts and music at an early age, developing a practice that combines rigorous methodology with poetic sensitivity. As a musician, Nguema founded the band EZ3kiel in 1992, for which he designed an innovative visual identity and stage sets integrating imagery, music, and interactivity. This led to the emergence of a new form of audiovisual performance in France.

Nguema has presented numerous large-scale international projects, including mappings on the Saint Etienne cathedral in Metz (2017-2018), the National Museum for the Night Festival of Singapore (2017), and the Detroit Institute of Arts Museum for the Dlectricity Festival (2021). As an ambassador artist for the Lyon Festival of Lights, he pursues constant research aimed at pushing the boundaries of visual expression and immersive experience.

Artist Yann Nguema is looking straight ahead wearing a black t-shirt in front of a dark background.

Mischa Blanos

Composer

Mischa Blanos is a Romanian neo-classical pianist and a progressive electronic and acoustic composer. Working between clubbing and concert halls, his music shakes the boundaries of classical, jazz and electronic music. His notable piano and electronics broadcasts on Arte TV and BBC Radio are renowned for reinventing the piano as an instrument of the 21st Century.

Composer Mischa Blanos is looking straight ahead wearing a white collared shirt in front of a white background.

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