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Operabots take center stage at MIT Media Lab's 'Death and the Powers' opera
It already had its premiere in Monaco last year, but composer Tod Machover's new opera, "Death and the Powers," has now finally made it to the United States. Why are we reporting on a new opera (rather than Opera) on Engadget? Well, it just so happens to feature the "Operabots" pictured above, which were developed by MIT's Media Lab. The lab also helped develop some of the opera's other high-tech components, but it seems like the Operabots are the real standout -- they're "semi-autonomous" and freely roam around the stage throughout the opera, acting as a Greek chorus. Not surprisingly, the opera itself also deals with some futuristic subject matter. The Powers of the title is Simon Powers, a "Bill Gates, Walt Disney-type" who decides to upload his consciousness into "The System" before he dies -- hijinks then ensue. Those in Boston can apparently still get tickets for the final performance on March 25th -- after that it moves onto Chicago for four performances between April 2nd and 10th. Head on past the break for a preview.
Robots take to the stage again, and this time they're performing in an opera
We've seen enough robots performing in enough plays to know that they can really add to a production. This time, however, Death and the Powers, a new opera, features nine robots quite prominently. The show, which opens in October in Monaco, has been developed with Professor Tod Machover of the MIT Media Lab and his students, who will also put on the production. While we look forward to hopefully seeing the production in person some day, for now, we'll make do with the video below. Regardless, we're not going to be happy until we see a robot hit us with its best Jean Valjean.
