Designing Wearable Technology for Opera

"RUR: A Torrent of Light" is an opera combining contemporary stage production with wearable electronic devices to create an immersive experience for the audience. In this paper we share the design and prototyping methods used to create the wearable devices, detail the variety of collaborations required to incorporate wearables into this kind of production, and reflect on the overall process as well as the results. We then share a set of recommendations based on our findings aimed to support future creatives and technologists developing wearable technology projects for a stage environment.