"Universal Judgment": New immersive show focuses on Michelangelo and Sistine Chapel

The famous Last Judgment by Michelangelo is the centrepiece of a new, fully-immersive “live show” which was presented on Monday at the Auditorium Conciliazione in Rome.

A fully immersive spectacle
 

Entitled “Universal Judgment: Michelangelo and the secrets of the Sistine Chapel,” the immersive spectacle features live-performances, 4k projections, and brilliant special effects. The four-part show was produced by Marco Balich, a director and producer famed for organizing ceremonies at the Olympic games.

A strong emotional impact
 

“Universal Judgment” is the first production of Balich’s “Artainment” company, combining art and entertainment “to educate and amuse, in order to realize the full and harmonious development of the human person,” according to Monsignor Dario Edoardo Viganò, Prefect of the Vatican’s Secretariat for Communication. The show features a theme song composed by pop star Sting, as well as dancers and acrobats, and an impressive sound system. “We want to imbue the fruition of a work of art with a strong emotional impact,” said Balich, “using the codes that relate to the younger generations that have grown up with Play Station, that go to the movies in 3D, watch Netflix, but are on the other hand almost distracted with respect to this wonderful artistic patrimony.”

With the collaboration of the Vatican Museums
 

The Vatican Museums offered their expertise to ensure the accuracy of the presentation. Experts from the Vatican helped recreate the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel, and offered critical perspective on the relationships between Michelangelo and Popes Julius II and Clement VII; as well as explaining the process of papal conclaves.

The nine-million-euro production will open at the Auditorium Conciliazione on Thursday, with two shows per day for at least a year. However, it is hoped that the show will become a permanent fixture in Rome.