munkination
Royal Opera House x HAM The Illustrator
The Royal Opera House wanted to explore how opera could reach younger audiences, digital natives, and communities often left out of the space. The ask was not just to make visuals, but to help lead a proof-of-concept that tested immersive formats and reimagined what opera could look and sound like while keeping story and emotion intact.
The idea began when I was 15, sketching a story about the last tribe on Earth after an environmental disaster. Years later it grew into a Royal Opera House partnership, winning the Immersive Opera Award and expanding into a bold new digital world.
click to play
Munkination: A Second Chance blends VR, AR, illustration, music and narrative to explore climate collapse, power and redemption. At its core is an original soundtrack fusing live-recorded Opera with Hip-Hop and Trap music – reframing who opera can reach.
WHICH CHARACTER ARE YOU?
Below are images and descriptions of the FOUR main archetypes within the world of Munkination. In the battle against climate apocalypse you are one of them, choose wisely.
WARRIOR
An activist who overcomes challenges, thrives in adversity, and fights for the good of the tribe.
Your primary characteristic traits are bravery, determination and ambition.
Examples: Activists, Leaders, Politicians, Organisers.
PATHFINDER
An influencer who spreads the word, builds bridges and encourages others to follow the right path.
Your primary characteristic traits are charisma, intelligence and wisdom.
Examples: Influencers, Campaigners, Celebrities, Press
SHAMAN
A storyteller weaving narratives about the past and the future and fulfilling spiritual needs.
Your primary characteristic traits are compassion, intuition and imagination.
Examples: Artists, Actors, Writers, Poets, Musicians
MAKER
An inventor with the ability to find solutions to any problem, a risk taker who strives towards a greater future.
Your primary characteristic traits are curiosity, open mind and courage.
Examples: Problem-Solvers, Scientists, Inventors
Sounds
of Munkination
Track One
click to play
Audio has always had a huge role to play in the creation of Munkination. Here I have shared three demos that we created for the project.
They feature original music that has never been publically released before.
Track Two
This project has always been much more than VR or Opera. It’s proof of what can happen when institutions are willing to trust emerging artists and collaborate authentically. When artists are given the space to tell stories that reflect where they come from and what they care about real genuine magic happens.
From a teenage sketchbook to international festivals - Munkination is a reminder that early ideas are worth protecting. Sometimes they grow into something much bigger than you expected.
final note
Opera has heritage, but it can also feel culturally gated. The challenge was to create an immersive world that could hold the emotional depth of opera while making it legible and exciting for newer audiences. That meant bridging form, culture, technology and narrative, not just aesthetics.
After winning the Immersive Opera Award , Munkination: A Second Chance was selected for CPH:LABS in Copenhagen and SXSW Festival in Texas, shortlisted for the Fedora Immersive Award and later won the Creative XR Award.