Hedd Wyn & Madam Butterfly: Re-imagined ______

Deadline for submissions 5pm, Friday 30 September 2016

Project overview As part of our summer season, Welsh National would like to commission a digital agency to devise and implement a Virtual Reality, 360-degree experience to immerse audiences in the world of Hedd Wyn and Madam Butterfly.

We’re looking for an agency that will take an open and experimental approach to presenting this exciting Occulus Rift VR installation. We would expect participants to be transported into a multi-sensory journey to discover some of the themes, music and characters explored in these two landmark productions. The successful agency will also be encouraged to think creatively about how the virtual world is presented within a physical space.

The virtual reality artwork will have its première in with an ambition to tour the experience to and London.

Context Hedd Wyn WNO, and Rondo productions have commissioned an original opera film commemorating 100 years since the death of Hedd Wyn during WWI, to be broadcast on S4C and cinemas across in summer 2017. The creative team includes Composer Stephen McNeff, Librettist Gruff Rhys () and Film Director Marc Evans (Hunky Dory, and Patagonia).

Madam Butterfly Joachim Herz’s Madam Butterfly has been with WNO for over three decades. It’s a classic, traditional staging of this much-loved opera. While being completely faithful to the composer’s intentions it also critiques imperialism to powerful effect. Each scene looks like a sepia photograph through which we glimpse a vanished world.

About Welsh National Opera Welsh National Opera transforms lives through the power of opera. We are passionate about opera and want to share this passion with as many people as possible. We do this with award winning performances of fully staged opera and concerts that combine a sense of adventure with the highest possible quality. We keep our performances accessible through affordable ticket prices. Beyond the theatre we connect with people through our community and education work and digital projects. http://www.wno.org.uk

Audience We expect the event to attract more than 5,000 people. Alongside our core opera audience we hope that the artwork would encourage thousands of young people to attend and the experience will need to be suitable for children aged 12 and over.

Timetable Close for submissions: 5pm, 30 September. If your submission has been successful you will hear by: week commencing 3 October. Interviews: week commencing 10 October. Successful agency will be appointed by: 24 October. Project showcase: 21 May – 20 July.

Budget £70,000

How to apply We will expect to see the following included in the tender: • Preliminary visuals, sketches, animatics, storyboards or moodboards describing your idea. • A realistic and well-presented budget. • A mind map that details some of the technical and logistical challenges around the event. • A production and delivery timeline.

Contact If you have any questions or queries please contact:

David Massey Digital Producer [email protected] 029 2063 5086