An Immersive Odyssey with Yuja Wang draws audiences into Yuja’s personal and artistic journey through a multisensory mixed reality concert, combining 360° video and spatial audio with a precise acoustic recreation of Yuja’s playing on a Steinway Spirio piano; her inner thoughts as running commentary; and dazzling animations, all experienced via a cutting-edge HTC VIVE Focus Vision headset.

Playing with Fire introduces audiences to an intimate virtual rehearsal and performance by Yuja Wang, inviting guests to first observe her backstage preparations by wearing the headset as an “invisibility cloak”, and then to witness the physical and mental act of performance through repertoire personally selected by Yuja, ranging from Bach and Chopin to Debussy, Prokofiev and Stravinsky, accompanied by the transformative images and musical worlds conjured by Yuja’s playing created by Gabríela Friðriksdóttir.
At the center of the space, both real and virtual, is a Steinway & Sons Spirio concert grand piano, which acts as the bridge between the concert hall and the artist’s inner visions. The Spirio system—an advanced self-playing technology that can precisely record and reproduce the keystrokes of live performances—recreates Yuja’s virtuosity on the physical instrument in real time, synchronised with the holographic fingers of her virtual self.

As a performer, I am constantly seeking new ways to connect emotionally and creatively with audiences through music. In this vein, I am immensely curious about the evolution and potential of technology: how it changes our daily lives, enables new forms of art, and can push the boundaries of how we experience music. I have found so much inspiration from joining forces previously with artists like the legendary David Hockney and now collaborating with the talented creatives and technologists behind this project. To be able to marry art and technology with this new immersive installation is really a dream come true.  Yuja Wang

Seamlessly shifting between mixed reality and virtual reality depending on the participants’ positions and different phases of the experience, Playing with Fire offers viewers unprecedented closeness—both sensory and emotional—to the musical performance. Audience members can move freely throughout the space, observing Yuja’s gestures, concentration and the way music comes to life under her fingers. Throughout the gallery, Murano glass “light bulbs” designed by the acclaimed lighting designer Philippe Berthomé are both physically suspended and also recreated in the virtual experience. As participants move closer to the piano and to the bulbs, they enter an immersive audio zone where they can hear fragments of poetry connected with the repertoire. This experience creates the illusion of being inside Yuja’s mind, allowing a deep appreciation of her personal connection to the music and the intensity of musical interpretation.

The repertoire and accompanying visual landscape of Playing with Fire explore the many facets of fire as the spark of human imagination—from the divine, transcendent light of Bach to the primordial, revolutionary blaze of Stravinsky and Prokofiev, illuminated by the works of great poets and painters—showcasing the expression of creativity through art and the power of music to capture the essence of the human experience. The repertoire is carefully selected to take audiences through a journey of human creativity and expression, with each piece and landscape representing a pivotal moment in humanity’s artistic and emotional development.

This grand narrative is intertwined with the personal story of Yuja Wang. Through her musical choices, audiences discover her evolution as an artist and her intimate relationship with music. From childhood memories to her deep connection with composers like Chopin and Stravinsky, each piece becomes a window into Yuja’s world, and her path from a young pianist in China to a world-renowned virtuoso becomes a reflection of the universal quest for artistic excellence. By sharing her thoughts and emotions as she plays, Yuja invites audiences into her mind, allowing them to experience music not merely as passive listeners but as active participants in her creative process.
The olfactory creations of Francis Kurkdjian envelop each scene in subtle fragrances, extending the musical emotion in another form. Under the artistic direction of Pierre-Alain Giraud, these three worlds come together to create a unique work—simultaneously demanding and self-evident—that renews and questions the digital experience.

Produced by VIVE Arts and Atlas V, in collaboration with production partner Lightroom

Creative team:
Yuja Wang, performer
Pierre-Alain Giraud, writer, director & creative director
Gabríela Friðriksdóttir, creative director & original artwork
Arthur Maugendre, art director
Nicolas Becker & Antoine Martin, sound designers
Sylvain Hayot, lead developer
Laurence Fontaine, scenographer
Philippe Berthomé, lighting designer

Technical team: Studio Albyon
Supported by Steinway & Sons with support from the CNC (Centre National du Cinéma et de l'image animée) and Maison Francis Kurkdjian
Yuja Wang appears courtesy of Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft.