An android powered by artificial intelligence will lead an orchestra of about 30 members while also singing in a unique opera titled "Scary Beauty."
Directed by musician Keiichiro Shibuya, the performance will be held at the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Miraikan) in Koto Ward, Tokyo, on July 22. It will serve as a side event for an international conference on research into artificial life to be held from July 23 to 27.
Shibuya gave a performance of the android opera in Australia last year, but has since implemented major changes ahead of the Japan premiere. Named the Alter 2, the android was jointly developed by Osaka University Prof. Hiroshi Ishiguro and University of Tokyo Prof. Takashi Ikegami.
Shibuya is in charge of composing the score and playing the piano during performances. The orchestra consists of students and graduates of the Kunitachi College of Music.
The lyrics of the android's song include content written by such novelists as Yukio Mishima, Michel Houellebecq of France and William Burroughs of the United States.
Using computers and sensors, the Alter 2 can move its face and hands autonomously without specific instructions. During the performance, it will autonomously dictate the tempo and volume of the music, with the orchestral members following its instructions.
"The android conducts and sings, and humans must follow its instructions. This can serve as a metaphor for the relationship between technology and humans," Shibuya said in a recent interview with The Japan News. "It might devise musical expressions or change the tempo in a way humans cannot imagine. Whether the android can produce new intelligence is very important."
"AI is good at executing operations based on given programs. However, it is fundamentally difficult for AI to come up with patterns or obtain data through autonomous thinking," Ikegami said. "This collaboration with an orchestra will focus on the android's autonomous capabilities in an artistic performance."
The performance will begin at 8:30 p.m. on July 22. After the performance, Shibuya, Ikegami and Ishiguro will lead a discussion. Advance tickets cost 4,500, yen while tickets purchased on the day will cost 5,000 yen. Premium seats (10,000 yen) are available only in advance.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
