In Hollywood, the decadent lives of the super-rich are thriving. Series such as The White Lotus and films including The Menu and Triangle of Sadness cast a satirical light on affluent everyday life between private jets and luxury estates—including moral decay and social division. The slogan “Eat the rich” has evolved into a cultural phenomenon. In these narratives, food often serves as a powerful symbol—it distills social inequalities and exposes the absurdities of the upper class.

In the experimental XR opera YUM!, the young international collective M.A.R.S. (Music Art Research Science), based in Vienna, invites audiences into a dystopian dinner setting. The concept received the prestigious FEDORA Digital Prize 2025. “For me, it has always been important to draw audience members out of their passivity, to actively involve them, give them a voice, and encourage participation,” explains composer Wen Liu, who also wrote the libretto.

“The opera unfolds against the backdrop of a world where everything is already broken. Climate change is history—we are living in the age of climate disaster. Luxury products such as oysters, caviar, and truffles no longer exist,” she emphasizes. For the super-rich, living without is not an option; they attempt to recreate luxury artificially. Welcome to an immersive menu unlike any other.

“In this production, the audience is confronted with its own reflection. We tell the story of the world we live in and use satire and exaggeration to suggest what it might look like ten years from now. Then you begin to ask yourself: What is still real? What is a digital filter, an attention filter, or a bubble filter? And all of this is infused with a very dark, socially critical sense of humor,” says stage and costume designer Lisa Horvath.

The Werkstattbühne becomes an exclusive destination. “We enter an ultra-high-end restaurant where people are admitted only if they belong to an elite circle—if they have been selected,” Liu explains her artistic concept for five soloists, a string quartet, and eight carefully chosen dinner guests. It is a colorful ensemble. “Each character has an individual personality and a distinct musical motif.” The hostess, Madame D., possesses a particularly unusual tonality. The narcissistic influencer Luka speaks in hashtags. Every hashtag is accompanied by its own hashtag melody. Pop singer Nyra is a poor musician, compensating through grand gestures and star-like airs. What unites them all: “In every scene, each character must prove that they are the most important person at the table.” One chair remains empty, and everyone wonders whether the mysterious Mr. M. will arrive after all. “He embodies an Elon Musk-type figure,” says Liu.
 

The menu features courses with names such as “The Last Coral” and “Cherry Blossom Dusk.” The world premiere employs XR technology and other digital tools to expose fake realities. “The idea began with everyone gathering around a table, smartphones in hand. They take a photo, apply a filter, and post it on social media. As if they were eating with their phones. You see in order to eat. Virtual reality becomes a symbol of the story,” the composer recalls. “We took that literally and started experimenting: A piece of jelly is placed before you, but through a VR headset you see a lobster—and it works. It even tastes like lobster.”

Artificial Authenticity is what Studio M.A.R.S. calls this concept, which combines AI-generated imagery with retro aesthetics. Which virtual worlds have lost all connection to reality? What is fake? What is real? “It is tremendous fun to play with exaggeration in this overflowing world of luxury and illusion and to push things just a little further—on stage and in the costumes,” says Horvath. She asked herself: “What new trends are emerging in fashion today, and how might they be imagined in an extreme future?” The designs radiate a retro-futuristic aesthetic. Historical references include the Baroque and Rococo periods, Pop Art, and the 1960s and 1970s. Fabrics such as silk, fur, leather, sequins, and glitter are strongly tactile and visually striking. The masks in YUM! evoke smiley emojis. Nature also plays a role: “The string quartet’s costumes are inspired by the fur patterns of animals that may soon be extinct.” Since these are show costumes, David Bowie also appeared on her mood board. “After all, he was ahead of his time.”

The stage design for YUM! is extravagant. “Visually, we work with multiple layers of projection. The audience sees on screens what only a select few can see through the VR headsets,” she says. Liu adds: “The other characters use an XR app and take photos. Suddenly, what they see on their phones becomes part of the stage design. In between, they encounter advertising and manipulative propaganda—in the style of the nonstop advertisements of Times Square.”

An aesthetic overload? Rather, a reflection of our digital present and a glimpse into the future. It will be fascinating to see how this operatic experiment unfolds. Performances take place on 20 and 22 August 2026 at the Werkstattbühne.