Augmented Reality Content

Virtual Stage

Augmented Reality Content

A new look at an old favourite

BRB has partnered with RiVR, a UK-based Virtual Reality company, to bring Sir Peter Wright’s much-loved Nutcracker into the immersive world.

As world leaders in photogrammetry and 3D modelling, RiVR is working with us to create a virtual world version of Nutcracker to bring this classic production to audiences in a brand-new way. Click the links below to look at some of our favourite props and costumes designed by John Macfarlane.

“RiVR is delighted to be part of this unique collaboration with Birmingham Royal Ballet. This is a world first; a suite of immersive assets created in the arts, allowing users to ‘step inside’ Birmingham Royal Ballet.

“Using the medium of virtual reality they can experience the background of the organisation and feel what it is like to be behind the scenes. These experiences can be downloaded anywhere in the world bringing the excitement of performance and the experience of world-class practitioners to a new audience whilst creating a new previously unexplored revenue stream.”

Brad Woodward, Managing Director RiVR

This content is captured using photogrammetry, a process of taking many photographs of an object from a variety of angles and stitching them together to create a virtual 3D model that can be rotated on screen and viewed against the backdrop of the real world (depending on the device you are using).

A RiVR technician capturing a prop clock using a camera. The clock is on a table with a white backdrop in front of the kneeling technician who is taking pictures using a canon camera. The clock is a baby grandfather clock has a blue marble effect with gold detailing and a white clock face. There are three lights surrounding the table which are lighting the prop. The technician is wearing a black t-shirt with ‘RiVR, Reality in Virtual Reality’ written in white across the back. The technician is wearing a green baseball cap and black rectangular glasses. Off to the right of the image is some props such as dark wooden chairs.
The Sugarplum Tutu in front of Birmingham Hippodrome. The Sugarplum Tutu has decorative pearl details, with pink sugarplum motifs on the tutu and other detailing on the torso. In the background, the floor is painted with a rainbow and people can be seen walking behind the tutu.

Sugar Plum Fairy Tutu

You can see the sugared plums, and many pearls and sequins hand-sewn into the costume. Every tutu is made to measure for each of our dancers who perform the role; it takes hundreds of hours to make.

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The Harlequin Box from The Nutcracker in Church Street Square, Birmingham. The box is made of blue velvet, with silver stars and a crescent moon on the front. The augmented reality box is situated amongst a series or ornate buildings and a light display which looks like angels.

Harlequin Box

This box is presented by Drosselmeyer to entertain the guests at the Stahlbaums' party in Act I. The doors of this box open to reveal a dancing Harlequin doll brought to life by Drosselmeyer.

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The clock from The Nutcracker at Hockley Social Club. The mantle clock is blue with gold detailing and a white face. The clock is taking up the majority of the frame, with a person’s feet visible in the background. The clock is ornate with decorative swirls on the front and the time in Roman numerals around the edge. The background is a orange/red due to lighting.

Clock on Fireplace

This clock is placed on the fireplace in the Stalhbaums' home. It is painted to appear like marble and is also asymmetrical like the fireplace it sits on to enhance the optical illusion of depth on stage.

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The Nutcracker doll from the ballet in The Bullring in augmented reality. The Nutcracker Doll has a red, painted jacket with shoulder detailing and a large, cream and black hat on top with a black sphere on top. The face of the doll has a neutral expression, and has a black moustache and black hair coming out of the back of the hat. The doll has its arms by its sides. From the waist down of the doll has been cropped from the image. The flooring in the Bullring is a cream marble effect. Behind the doll is a grey railing, behind which, you can see the downstairs level.

Nutcracker Doll

Drosselmeyer gives this to Clara as a Christmas gift; it is fought over by her younger brother Fritz who breaks it.

Luckily, Drosselmeyer uses his magic to put it back together. Later the Nutcracker Doll comes to life after Clara saves him from the evil King Rat; he takes Clara on a magical journey to the kingdom of sweets

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The cannon from the fight scene in The Nutcracker outside of BCU’s Parkside Building. The faux wooden cannon is in augmented reality on grey paving slabs, behind which three people are walking. The end of the cannon is pointing towards the left, and the large wheels are centred to the image.

Cannon

The Cannon is used by the Nutcracker Prince and the soldiers against King Rat and his minions, and gives off an almighty bang as it takes out several rats.

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The Jack-in-the-Box in augmented reality on a phone. The phone has a yellow case and is being held with two hands. The Jack-in-the-Box can be seen on-screen, with a blue information card next to it. In the background, there is a park with grass. The Jack-in-the-Box has a golden sun on the front and a red piece of cloth draped over the front.

Jack-in-the-Box

Presented by Drosselmeyer to entertain the party guests, the top flies open to reveal a dancing Jack-in-the-Box with springing legs.

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The Goose from The Nutcracker in Brindley Place pictured in augmented reality on a phone. A phone with a yellow case is being held. The background is blurred. On the screen, the grey/white goose can be seen hovering over a fountain, in front of a coffee shop, trees and buildings.

Goose

Clara flies away to the Kingdom of the Sweets on the back of this goose.

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The fireplace from The Nutcracker in The Custard Factory Digbeth. The fireplace is a dark, beige stone with an ornate golden fire grate in the centre with faux coals. In the background there is grey paving and a black wall with a set of double doors. Off to the right there is a seating area.

Fireplace

During the famous transformation scene in which everything in the Stahlbaums' room grows and grows, this piece of scenery is rotated to allow the King Rat to make his first, dramatic entrance.

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King Rat from The Nutcracker in augmented reality in front of Birmingham Hippodrome. King Rat has a detailed rat headpiece complete with crown, the jacket has stripped sleeves, shoulder pads, gold trim and a red band at the waist. The top half of the King Rat costume is standing in augmented reality to the left of a large, portrait screen attached to the front of Birmingham Hippodrome. To the left of King Rat is a Christmas tree with silver and gold baubles on. The sky in the background is blue, and there is a crane off in the distance.

King Rat Costume

The King Rat Costume is worn by the Nutcracker's nemesis. The heavily embroidered coat looks like a tattered Admiral's coat with golden epaulettes and torn belt. The King Rat head has a crown moulded onto it and it is shaped so that the dancer can see out of the gauze of the neck piece. This mimics the movement of an real rat lifting its nose up to smell the air.

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Mrs Stahlbaum’s red dress from The Nutcracker in augmented reality in The Mailbox. The red dress is in front of a white stone wall and some glass offices with chairs by the entrance. The dress has red ruffles and bunching. The dress has areas of darker red, which gives the dress a sense of depth. The dress is on a cream mannequin with wooden top. To the right of the dress is an augmented reality information board in blue.

Mother's Costume

Mrs Stahlbaum’s (Mother's) Dress is worn by Clara’s mother at the Christmas Party and is a deep red much like the Red Room in which the party takes place. The materials used to make the dress are silks and velvets and it is formed of several sections including corset, bustle and underskirt.

The many layers of the dress help to give Mrs Stahlbaum a floating and elegant appearance.

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The Christmas Tree from the Nutcracker in augmented reality next to a white, ornate stone fountain in Chamberlin Square. The Christmas tree has red candles and gold baubles. Behind the fountain is a glass building.

Christmas Tree

The Christmas Tree is the centre piece of the Red Room and Christmas party with light-up candle decorations. It has a metal frame and mechanical motor that allows it to magically enlarge creating the illusion that Clara is shrinking.

On the back of the tree, you can see graffiti from dancers and crew from over 30 years of shows, including hires of the sets for performances in Japan!

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A red, velvet present with an ornate ribbon from the Nutcracker in augmented reality in the Great Western Arcade. The present is situated on an orange and white tiled floor. In the background, there’s a wooden door and a black tile edge around the edge of the floor.

Present Box

This is an example of one of the many presents brought to the Stalhbaums' house by their guests during the party scene at the beginning of Act I. Although small this is a fine example of the craftmanship and detail that goes into every prop and costume made for this ballet.

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