Feature

Motion coordination supports English National Opera production

When the US opera Blue arrived at the English National Opera (ENO), a rotating set was precisely coordinated to accommodate the performers and synchronise with an abstract video projection.

01/12/2025 12:19:54

Set in modern-day New York City, Blue tells the story of a Black family cast asunder. As the boy grows, his activism sets him at odds with his father, a policeman. Tragically, the 16-year-old is fatally shot by a police officer at a protest, sending the family into anguish while giving lessons in hope and the importance of family.

Following a US premiere in 2019, the opera came to the London Coliseum in 2023. While the impressive building is the West End’s largest theatre, a specially developed set would play a crucial role in bringing Blue’s emotion to life.

ENO commissioned creative construction company Scott Fleary. The set would comprise a 7.6m-diameter, vertically rotating drum, housing a 6m x 3m room. This backdrop would rotate between scenes, set in a portrait, landscape, or 45° angle. In one crucial scene, the set also had to rotate continuously.

The drum’s motion also had to synchronise with projection-mapped video content of abstract street life, adding to the dramatic backdrop.

Read the full article in DPA's December 2025 issue

Written By Sophia Bell

Sophia Bell is the Group Editor of DPA, Connectivity, and PBSI. She joined the team in 2020 as Assistant Editor after achieving a First-Class Honours BA in English Literature and Film Studies from the University of East Anglia. In her current role, she leads the editorial strategy, driving digital growth and ensuring each title continues to deliver trusted, relevant insight for engineering and manufacturing professionals.