Live Artistic Performances in the Metaverse: New Hybrid Experiences

The metaverse is revolutionizing the art world by enabling live performances that blend virtual reality, real-time interaction, and visual arts. Artists are creating immersive, participatory experiences that transform the spectator's relationship with the artwork. The metaverse offers tools for 3D graphics, human interaction, unique sound, and powerful storytelling, often enhanced by VR headsets for unprecedented emotional impact. It also allows artists to reach a wider audience and incorporate gaming-style storyliving popular with Gen Z. In music, major artists like Ariana Grande, BLACKPINK, BTS, Charlie XCX, Twenty One Pilots, and Justin Bieber have performed virtual concerts, leading the MTV Video Music Awards to introduce a "Best Metaverse Performance" category. Dance and performing arts have also entered the metaverse: "Dancing into the Metaverse" connected dancers from New York and the UK via motion capture avatars; "Le Bal de Paris" by choreographer Blanca Li won the Golden Lion for "Venice VR Expanded" at the 78th Venice International Film Festival; and the Royal Shakespeare Company created the "Dream virtual experience," an interactive performance in an enchanted forest. These multisensory experiences, enabled by motion capture and immersive audio, reconfigure traditional business models and offer opportunities for artists and brands to engage younger audiences.