A production of the Finnish National Opera and Ballet, Laila has won the respected FEDORA Digital Prize. The interactive chamber opera experience which “brings AI into real-time interaction with audience members” was created by composer Esa-Pekka Salonen, dramaturge Paula Vesala and Ekho Collective.

The Finnish National Opera’s Laila has won the international FEDORA prize in the Digital Prize category. The prize, which amounts to 50,000 euros, was announced on 18 November. As their competition, the shortlist included a total of 15 world-renowned opera houses such as London’s Royal Opera House, Turin’s Teatro Regio and The National Opera Orchestra of Montpellier. Fedora is often called the world’s largest opera and ballet competition.

Every year, FEDORA prizes in four categories are awarded to promising teams who collaborate on the creation of new opera or ballet co-productions, and on the involvement and education of new and young audiences.

Fedora explained awarding Laila, saying “the work makes bold use of new technologies while extending reality into a mesmerizing and collaborative experience.”

Director of IMZ Academy and Chair of the FEDORA Digital Prize Jury, Peter Maniura stated that "a project of this quality and vision is critical for showing new paths for opera in our very challenging times, and Laila to me is a sign of hope, inspiration and quality."

Read more about Laila, which premiered in August 2020, on FMQ Magazine's article "Art of the future – the art of together".