NZ Opera.

Transforming Opera: A Modern Visual Identity for a Classic Art Form.

Opera promises a rich emotional journey - an experience that stimulates both visually and aurally. However, younger audiences were often unconvinced by its appeal. To change the perception of opera as a traditional, stuffy art form and attract a new generation of theatre-goers, we created a fresh visual identity that expressed opera’s intense emotional stories.

Our concept centred on making the audience feel the story through design. We focused on capturing the full spectrum of emotions - joy, love, rage - and translating them into a powerful visual language. To achieve this, we developed an emotional colour-coding system, complemented by dynamic gradients that represented the emotional transformations within each opera. This allowed us to simplify the messaging, relying on fewer words and instead evoking visceral responses through bold, emotive visuals.

The results.

The campaign not only revitalised ticket sales and attracted a younger, more diverse audience, but also demonstrated how classical art forms can successfully adapt to the modern age.

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