The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London opened its DIVA exhibition to the public on 24 June 2023. DIVA celebrates the extraordinary power and creativity of iconic performers from the genres of opera, pop music, film and more.
The immersive exhibition features costumes from a galaxy of stars. This includes five key looks worn by Rihanna, and Whitney Houston’s 1994 Marc Bouwer floor-length black and gold dress worn to receive her three Grammys for The Bodyguard soundtrack, as well as Billie Eilish’s Stella McCartney Glastonbury outfit from 2019. There is also a lilac Versace deconstructed suit worn by Lil Nas X during a red-carpet appearance in 2021.
In addition, the exhibition shows objects drawn from the V&A collection and loans from across the world. These span the mediums of fashion, photography, design and costumes, as well as music and live performance.
Through its theatrical staging and scenography, a planetarium-style architectural takeover by BAFTA-winning video designer Tal Rosner, and a sonic headset experience by tonwelt, a leading full-service provider of interactive visitor guiding systems, DIVA honours the creativity, ambition, and tenacity of some of the most celebrated divas, from opera goddesses and silent movie stars to icons of the big screen and today’s global stars.
What do we mean by diva?
Curator Kate Bailey speaks about the process of curating the exhibition, exploring and redefining the role of the ‘Diva’, and also examining how the term has been subverted or embraced over time across opera, stage, popular music, and film.
‘Diva’ was a Latin term meaning ‘goddess’. It became part of everyday parlance in the 19th century, initially describing the very best opera singers of the period.
Bailey, a senior curator and producer, has been at the V&A since 2004.
“The exhibition doesn’t provide a single definition of a ‘diva’,” she tells blooloop. “It celebrates how the term has a myriad of meanings. It considers how it has been redefined, subverted and reclaimed across time and genre. We trace the story of the diva from 19th-century opera to a celebration of the diva in music today. This exhibition celebrates how the diva finds their voice and fights for equality and freedoms using their platform and agency to make a difference in society.”
DIVA covers two levels beneath the V&A’s dome. It charts the inception and historical context as well as the evolution of the diva through posters, paintings, bespoke costumes and ephemera comprising around 250 glittering artefacts.
The visitor experience
Bailey describes the visitor experience of DIVA at the V&A.
“Visitors first take a headset and begin their journey listening to Maria Callas singing Casta Diva from Bellini’s Opera Norma. The exhibition then transports them back to the nineteenth century where they enter Act I – Creating the Diva. Here, they take an immersive journey through stage, dance, silent film, Hollywood and opera.”
As visitors move through this chronological narrative they then come across the stories of pioneering individual divas. These are shown through a rich mix of objects, costumes and film. Music is also triggered automatically as they move through the space and meet performers including Sarah Bernhardt, Theda Bara, Josephine Baker, Bette Davis and Marilyn Monroe.
Act II – Reclaiming the Diva begins with the voice of Dusty Springfield. This leads visitors to a thematic celebration of the diva from the 1960s to today. In a spectacular display of costumes, film, and photography, visitors witness up close the power, creativity, voice and visions of some of the greatest stars. This includes Barbra Streisand, Rihanna, Cher, Tina Turner, and Billie Eilish.
However, Diva-dom is not the exclusive preserve of women. A costume that belonged to Prince also features. In addition, guests can see the Louis XIV-inspired creation worn by Elton John for his 50th birthday, complete with wig and train.
Highlights of DIVA at the V&A
Describing the exhibition’s highlights and also talking about how the curatorial team selected them, Bailey says that a clear narrative is key:
“Curating is always an exciting process. Ideas need to work hand-in-hand with design, narrative and vision.
“It was particularly important that this performance-based exhibition showcased the voices and the music alongside a range of thought-provoking exhibits to reflect an emotional story of the multi-faceted diva across generations – from Sarah Bernhardt’s jewellery to Edith Piaf’s throat spray, from Marilyn Monroe’s script to Sade’s lyrics, from Mary Pickford’s makeup to Rihanna’s Maison Margiela Pope outfit from the Met Gala.”
“Each look or object on display contributes to the fascinating story of the diva, and is an expression of diva empowerment – revealing the fearless diva doing things their way from Cher’s embellished and risqué ensembles from across her seven-decade career to Annie Lennox’s pregnant costume from Little Bird to Billie Eilish’s playful and androgynous t-shirt and shorts designed by Stella McCartney for her performance at the Glastonbury Festival, 2019.”
The exhibition draws visitors in, engaging them with sheer spectacle. Describing the immersive elements, she says:
“The narrative is layered and delivered through a multi-sensory design. This integrates sound, light, video and space, as well as set works and objects. I believe it is the bringing together of all these elements that creates an immersive and emotional experience for visitors.”
Unique sound design
The sonic interpretation is delivered via tonwelt’s Spheric system in a UK debut for this technology. The seamless sound experience is delivered on headsets via infrared triggers. Meanwhile, screens and projectors display video and film content. The finale includes a theatrical takeover moment with mapped projections. This runs from a show control that synchronises light, sound and video. The takeover moments also include binaural sound.
Gareth Fry is an award-winning sound designer, famed for his cutting-edge work in theatre and with leading UK theatre directors such as John Tiffany, Complicité’s Simon McBurney, Sacha Wares and Katie Mitchell. Fry has designed a number of exhibitions for the V&A and created the DIVA sonic experience.
“Gareth Fry brings his experience of working in theatre to the exhibition and museum space. He worked closely with the curatorial team to select music and excerpts that transport the visitor into the world of the diva and create a connection between the exhibits and the narrative.
“The voice of the diva is at the heart of this exhibition. Each track is carefully chosen and edited to provide visitors with an engaging sonic journey – triggering a range of emotions and creating a focus. Gareth was also able to do some incredible work cleaning up some of the early recordings. This means that visitors can clearly hear performances by Ellen Terry and Sarah Bernhardt.
“The playlist is also available for visitors to engage with after their visit.”
A planetarium of Divas at the V&A
Touching on the planetarium-style staging that suggests a constellation of stellar divas, she explains:
“At the V&A, DIVA is within a gallery with a domed roof, part of the original Victorian architecture. This space inspired the idea of a diva-dom and a planetarium of divas! Tal Rosner, the video designer, created spectacular star maps and diva constellations projected into the alcoves of the dome. This magical experience surrounds the visitor with large-scale images and films of the Diva that network the generations of performers across an ever-expanding diva universe.”
tonwelt worked on DIVA with the V&A, offering a 100% hands-free visitor experience with automatically triggered content as well as lip-sync video synchronisation.
Throughout the immersive visitor journey, the voice of the diva is amplified by a sonic experience. This is delivered by tonwelt’s new headset system which includes ambisonics, and a 360-degree surround sound. As guests explore the galleries, the headsets trigger performances by individual divas for an iconic soundtrack.
This includes music by Maria Callas, Jessye Norman, Aretha Franklin, Josephine Baker, Dolly Parton, Adele, Prince, Ella Fitzgerald, Sade, Beyoncé and Madonna, and that plays during the course of the exhibition.
supraGuide SPHERIC
supraGuide SPHERIC is an all-new product from tonwelt. Made especially for immersive visitor experiences and storytelling via 3D audio, the product is also currently running at Hôtel de la Marine in Paris, and at the Pilsner Urquell Experience in Prague. The product comes with a complete ecosystem and works with the ultra-precise tonwelt trigger points for automatic triggering in all near- and mid-field ranges; for a complete toolset to amaze visitors.
Philipp Hinz, tonwelt’s project manager for integrated solutions and lead for integrated projects comments:
“It is an honour to offer visitors to the V&A an innovative sound solution that meets the high standards of DIVA. With so many different artists represented in this exhibition, having precise triggering at close proximity was key. We are happy that our solution works so seamlessly. Feedback by the visitors has been fantastic as they really immerse themselves into the experience.”
An automatically triggered sonic experience
Outlining the specifics and function of the supraGuide SPHERIC product, he adds:
“The supraGuide SPHERIC is an all-in-one headset for hands-free immersive audio experiences. Unlike previous systems used at the V&A, such as David Bowie or Pink Floyd, you don’t need a hand-held device anymore, hanging on a lanyard with headphones attached. Now, everything is within a single headset.”
Visitors roam freely through the exhibition. The system triggers sounds automatically once the visitors approach the respective showcases or video screens. What is further special is the different sound features. This new system can create a perfect cross-fade from one track to another. It can also play multiple tracks above each other, like a soundscape overlaid with spoken interpretation.
The supraGuide SPHERIC also has a nine-axis positioning sensor with a gyroscope and compass:
“This allows the device to determine in which direction the visitor is looking. It plays a 3D Ambisonics audio track with the sounds being placed in different directions in space. As the visitors move their heads and walk through the space, the directions from which the visitors hear the sounds are locked in space.”
Accuracy is key
The DIVA exhibition at the V&A is the perfect setting for this product, where precise triggering is vital. He comments:
“The V&A has a reputation for unique exhibitions with immersive sound experiences. For their temporary exhibition Opera: Power, Passion & Politics, tonwelt also supplied a mobile audio system with a strong focus on quality audio, for which we implemented a seamless sound experience. This new show allows us to present the next generation of mobile audio solutions with the supraGuide SPHERIC.”
“The gallery is not very big, especially considering the huge variety of artists represented in the exhibition. Every showcase has a unique soundtrack; some have even a different soundtrack on all four sides. As the trigger zones are very close to one another, precise triggering was essential.”
In addition, the curator envisioned a series of takeover moments. At certain intervals, a video projection onto the dome of the gallery starts.
“During these interventions, all audio guides on the mezzanine of the gallery sync to one of two different soundtracks. So, we have a mix of individual sound moments and soundtracks shared by all at the same time.”
DIVA exhibition at the V&A offers a unique guest experience
Hinz comments on what it was like working with such an iconic venue:
“Exhibitions at the V&A always draw a lot of attention. It is a great honour to be able to take part in them – and similarly important to deliver high quality. For our integrated audio systems, we need to collaborate closely with many different suppliers and stakeholders.
“Our role is not only to supply a system. We also consult on how to integrate the guides to ensure a unique visitor experience.”
So far, he adds, the feedback has been positive:
“The press already noted the special experience in using our headsets. Similarly, the visitors enjoy our solution greatly. Just last week, the curator sent me a message, saying that she had never before seen so many happy visitors. The feedback on the headsets has been fantastic, and the show sells out every day.”
supraGuide SPHERIC is currently in use in a number of places. He explains:
“The biggest sites using the technology currently are Hôtel de la Marine in Paris and the Original Beer Experience in Prague. More sites are coming up in the near future.”
See the audio solution in action
Together with the V&A, tonwelt invites museum experts, AV-pros and integrators, as well as curators and exhibition makers to an exclusive look behind the scenes on 22 September 2023.
After a welcome and introduction by curator Kate Bailey, there will be a joint tour of the exhibition. During this, the supraGuide SPHERIC headset can be tested in the exhibition. This will be followed by a Q&A session about the product and its potential for immersive visitor experiences. Please register for a place by clicking here. The number of participants is limited.
In the meantime, the glorious celebration that is the DIVA exhibition at the V&A will run until 7 April 2024.
Top image: © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
