Opera Heritage Aura Regained Through VR Immersion as Compensatory Translation

Jiying Lan; Jingru Wang; Siyu Qian; Bing Zhao

doi:10.54097/zvejjs06

Authors

Jiying Lan
Jingru Wang
Siyu Qian
Bing Zhao

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54097/zvejjs06

Keywords:

Opera Heritage, VR Immersion, Compensatory Translation, Aura Reconstruction, Digital Cultural Preservation

Abstract

Opera heritage, once defined by Walter Benjamin’s concept of “aura”, the irreplaceable sensory and cultural essence of live performance, has faced erosion amid digitization’s flattening of embodied experience. This paper introduces “compensatory translation” as a theoretical framework to examine how Virtual Reality (VR) revives opera’s aura by offsetting the limitations of traditional digital formats. Through case studies of immersive VR productions such as White Snake Projects’ Alice in the Pandemic and regional opera digitization initiatives, this research analyzes how VR reconstructs spatial presence, contextualizes cultural narratives, and empowers audience agency. By integrating qualitative analysis of technical design with user experience data, the study demonstrates that compensatory translation enables VR to reimagine opera heritage not as a static artifact, but as a dynamically immersive cultural practice. Findings highlight VR’s potential to democratize access to opera while preserving its authentic aura, offering actionable pathways for digital heritage conservation.

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