Project Overview

Detroit Opera was evolving. The pandemic had made everything uncertain, and the company wanted opera to feel more inclusive and appealing to a wider range of audiences. The 2021-22 season theme, "In MOTion," captured that change and innovation.

We designed a visual identity for every performance in the season. Each piece had to convey motion, feel fresh and cool to new audiences without shutting out longtime opera-goers, and reflect its own show while working as part of a cohesive set.

To bring "In MOTion" to life, we used visual tricks and optical illusions that create the feeling of movement:

• Cavalleria in Concert mimics the perspective of the outdoor venue.

• Blue uses an accordion-fold effect to show the show's oppositions: father and son, Black and white, police and policed.

• Bliss evokes the cyclical, repetitive nature of the production.

• Frida turns familiar imagery into an unfamiliar form, embracing the multitudes of Frida.

• La Bohème references rewinding, since the production is performed in reverse.

• X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X uses kaleidoscopic imagery to reflect the many stories and perspectives on Malcolm X.

Project Goals

• Design a cohesive set of artwork for the 2021-22 season, with clear differences between Act I: Out and About, Act II: Coming Home, and the individual shows

• Draw on the "In MOTion" theme for inspiration

• Attract new opera-goers with something approachable and cool for the Detroit audience, while keeping longtime fans

Project Outcomes

• The season opener, Cavalleria in Concert, sold out. The work also earned two Indigo Design Awards and a Graphis Silver Award in 2022.