Invisible Cities

Artbound provides an exclusive look at the avant-garde opera, "Invisible Cities." Produced by The Industry, L.A.'s experimental opera company, in partnership with the L.A. Dance Project, "Invisible Cities" depicts the meeting between emperor Kublai Khan at the end of his life with the explorer Marco Polo, as told in Italo Calvino's fantastical book. An innovative production staged in the iconic Union Station, the opera utilizes wireless technology provided by Sennheiser, offering audience members headphones to hear the opera amid the normal "hustle and bustle" of the train station's everyday life. "Invisible Cities" is composed and adapted by Christopher Cerrone, directed by The Industry's founder and artistic director Yuval Sharon, with choreography by Danielle Agami.

Updated weekly with new articles, video and photos, Artbound viewers will see rehearsal footage; get a glimpse of the production's beautiful costumes; discover the technical nuances of combining technology, art and public spaces; learn about the complexities of choreographic dance in high traffic areas, and much more.

The project culminates on Dec. 12, 2013 at 9:35 p.m., with a special hour-long Artbound episode that airs exclusively on KCET. The special will capture the complete creative narrative of "Invisible Cities," featuring scenes from the live opera performance, artfully interspersed with robust multimedia footage taken during the making of the production.

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Artbound

Artbound Special Episode 'Invisible Cities'

Artbound presents a one hour special focused on the avant-garde opera, "Invisible Cities."

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Artbound

Invisible Cities: The Finale

Here's a roundup of Artbound's behind-the-scenes features examining "headphone" opera "Invisible Cities."

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Artbound

Finding Space in the Inferno: Observations on Calvino's 'Invisible Cities'

Union Station is an ideal place to realize the opera "Invisible Cities," an adaptation of Italo Calvino's book about relationships between built environments and social and economic life.

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Artbound

Invisible Cities: The Choreography of Union Station

Dancers in "Invisible Cities" execute an array of moves in Union Station that range from rigorous solos to improvisational and hip-hop-like explosions, to glacially slow stances.

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Artbound

Invisible Cities: Composing an Opera for Headphones

In composing the music for "Invisible Cities," Christopher Cerrone created many levels of orchestral detail that would evoke the elaborate and fantastical places that Calvino imagines.

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Artbound

Invisible Cities: The Science of a Silent Opera

The sound designer behind "Invisible Cities" explains the challenges of getting wireless technology to deliver the extraordinary sonic experience that befits the unconventional opera.

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Artbound

Invisible Cities: The Dematerialization of the Opera

The possibilities opened up by wireless headphones are endless. The use of wireless technology in "Invisible Cities" creates a new operatic experience -- and maybe even expands the definition of opera.

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Invisible Cities