AI programs at Bayreuth festival showed how quickly AI-generated images can be used for stage effects

• At the festival, Richard Wagner’s Götterdämmerung was shown with AI-generated images on the stage, according to dpa.
• dpa reports that it is unclear why the stage effects were used; the music director was Christian Thielemann.
• Organizers have said that the AI was used only for the stage, not for any person, and that the festival was nevertheless able to continue as planned.

Experiments with artificial intelligence are showing how quickly AI can be used for stage effects in Richard Wagner’s German-language opera Götterdämmerung: the system was used for stage effects during the performance, dpa reports.

According to dpa, the curator Marcus Lobbes said that it was unclear why the stage effects were used. According to dpa, the stage effects were created by the music director Christian Thielemann.

The festival organizers said that the AI was used only for the stage, but not as a person, and that the strength of the AI-generated images was limited. They explained that the stage effects were based on a “copyrighted work,” which is “not allowed to be used,” and that the system was used anyway.

According to dpa, the AI assistant projected images of the stage in front of the audience, using the Ring as a reference. For the images, the festival used an AI-generated model, which is why the stage effects were based on the material, including Lobbes’ directorial work at the Academy for Theater and Digitality in Dortmund, and that the assistant was commanded to do so.

dpa also reports that the technology could be used for stage effects, and that it could be used to create images in the future. The system showed a portrait of Helmut Kohl, which is why the stage effects were based on the material, and that the portrait is linked to Helmut Kohl in 1990.

At the festival, it was said that “what is unique—because it is a unique association—cannot be simply used.” It was also explained that there were two stages.

Tags: Europe/Technology/AI/Culture