Massively multiplayer operas : interactive systems for collaborative musical narrative

Abstract

Music, narrative, and social interaction have long been intertwined. The objective of this thesis is to create a platform, designed for interactive multiplayer operas, that explores the potential for technology-enabled systems to facilitate creativity through expression, the emotional affordances of musical storytelling, and the spatiotemporal boundaries of copresence. A variety of design experiments for collaborative musical narrative are implemented and evaluated. The work also introduces a real-time lyrical conversation system, with user interfaces that allow for simultaneous musical and narrative expression with a high degree of granularity. These experiences are encapsulated by an overarching lyrical multiplayer narrative opera platform. This project seeks to provide a novel means of creating and understanding multi-user, interactive music systems in which users participate in active and collaborative music-making in conjunction with narrative engagement.