Investiture ceremony of Vandana Shiva as doctor honoris causa by the UPF
June 3, at 12:00 p.m., in the auditorium of the Ciutadella campus
Fusion of art and technology in Vocaloid Opera “The End”, starring virtual singer Hatsune Miku
In the framework of the 150th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Spain and Japan, Vocaloid technology, created in the Music Technology Group, will for the first time in Spain be showing this work, famous in Japan and in the rest of the world. This March, first in Madrid, from 22 to 24, and then, on 27, in the Barcelona Auditorium.
This March, Fundación Japón, Naves Matadero and the Barcelona Auditorium, in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Spain and Japan, are organizing, first in Madrid, from 22 to 24 and later, on 27, in the Barcelona Auditorium, Vocaloid Opera “The End“, a musical starring Hatsune Miku. It is the first opportunity to see live in Spain this virtual singer of j-pop who has become famous in Japan and in the rest of the world and uses Vocaloid technology, software developed by the Music Technology Group (MTG), as a result of two decades of collaboration with Yamaha, together with Keiichiro Shibuya, one of the most innovative and original contemporary Japanese musicians, who wrote the music.
Vocaloid is voice synthesis software owned by the Japanese company Yamaha whose technology was developed at Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) to generate singers’ voices digitally. Hatsune Miku is the best-known exponent of this type of technology. Marketing in Spain of the Vocaloid in Spanish is by Voctrolabs, a UPF spin-off, which has other similar singers to Hatsune Miku, such as Bruno, Clara and Maika.
Jordi Bonada, a member of the team that forms VoctroLabs, explains: “At the Department of Information and Communication Technologies (DTIC) at UPF, we are already working on new and innovative methods of voice synthesis based on neural networks and deep learning that are sure to revolutionize the synthesis of the singing voice”.
Vocaloid Opera “The End”, a futuristic opera that has become famous around the world
Years after its release, Vocaloid Opera “The End” continues to receive praise as a futuristic ultramodern opera. Keiichiro Shibuya composed and supervised the music for the work. The concert, which can be seen for the first time in our country at the Barcelona Auditorium on 27 March, includes art, technology and electronic music fused in a show that combines the latest breakthroughs in three-dimensional video projection and surround sound. A concert without any singers or a conductor, but with computer generated electronic music and 3D animations projected simultaneously on six screens, Vocaloid Opera “The End”, is a futuristic opera that exemplifies a multifaceted project connecting technological art, popular Japanese culture and the performing arts.
The character of the opera, Hatsune Miku, raises questions about life and death associated with the real world and the virtual world at the same time. She raises topics of science fiction, such as the possibility of generating conscious artificial intelligence, and its possible consequences.
Reference work:
Vocaloid Opera “The End”, Keiichiro Shibuya, Hatsune Miku, 27 March in the Barcelona Auditorium.