On the occasion of the Einstein year 2005, the opera C – the speed of light had its world premiere on June 11 on Berlin 's Bebelplatz in the specially erected Media Dome.

The ball-like tent which is 20 meters high was used by "phase7 performing arts", a Berlin-based artists' company, to stage Albert Einstein's visions and findings about light and space in a fantastic multimedia spectacle. Above the heads of the audience, the stage set extends as a 360° surround video projection in which 3D animations, video visualizations and traditional theatre elements merge to create a modern, innovative opera production. The three live singers are accompanied by electronic sounds and a virutal orchestra: The orchestral parts of the opera were realized entirely with the Vienna Symphonic Library, sounding in Dolby Surround 7.1.

C – the speed of light

In their opera dedicated to Einstein, the composers Christian Steinhäuser and Mathias Baumhof combine classical harmonic orchestra sounds with electronically processed sound material. Again and again, the piece's clear order and structure are broken by distorted passages. Inspired by the exploration of Einstein's theories, natural laws are postulated – just to be unmasked again as only relatively valid. The extreme soprano of the voice acrobat Olga Szwajgier touches the borders of the perceptible; through her extreme voice extension method she reaches heights and voice modulations which transgress the limits we are used to take as given.

"phase7 performing.arts" are well-known for their sensational multimedia productions (a.o. in Spain, Dubai, Kuwait). Christian Steinhäuser, an experienced composer of the German film and advertisement scene, has been using the Vienna Symphonic Library for some time, also composing the main theme for the film Hotel by Jessica Hausner. He started working with sample libraries a long time ago. His compositions put stress on the connection of modern sounds and software with the classical orchestra. Mathias Baumhof is renowned as a specialist for sound programming and sound generation, always searching for new possibilities of utilizing state-of-the-art computer technology for composition and stage action. Since 1997, Baumhof has been musical director of phase7, with whom he realized numerous compositions and productions at home as well as abroad, e.g. "Strange Particles" (1999) and "Delusions" (2004).


Christian Steinhäuser about his work with the Vienna Symphonic Library:
"When I started composing for “C – the speed of light”, I worked with the First Edition without the Performance Set. Even then I was very satisfied with the Library. But when I got the Pro Edition, I really noticed that every idea in the arrangement could be realized without any problems. The possibility of playing solo instruments with legato is fantastic. At long last, one didn't have to hide them behind a "mercy reverb". Each group of instruments is able to stand alone, staccato and individual dynamics control sound authentic. By using the Library, changes and requests by the artistic director could be integrated quickly and effortlessly during rehearsals with the singers.

We would like to thank the whole team of the Vienna Symphonic Library from our hearts. Without you, we wouldn't have achieved this result!"