Winner of the Consumer Experience & Entertainment category at the Laval Virtual Awards 2026, the experience La Magie Opéra, produced by French studio Backlight in partnership with the Opéra National de Paris, took home the prize awarded on 9 April at the Espace Mayenne. Held in Laval for 28 years, Europe’s largest XR event recognises the most promising XR projects each year across a range of categories. The Consumer Experience & Entertainment category celebrates projects that invite the general public to live something extraordinary.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n The experience does not simply show the Opéra Garnier: it literally immerses the audience inside it. The visitor plays a chorus extra in Carmen, alongside Céleste, a young prodigy freshly arrived in Paris who has just landed her first major role at the Palais Garnier. But Céleste is gripped by self-doubt after choosing to pursue a career in opera, and is about to flee on the very night of the performance. The audience crosses paths with her at the foot of the grand staircase, hears her confide her fears, and accompanies her on a journey through the Palais Garnier and iconic scenes from celebrated operas, in search of understanding and self-confidence.<\/p>\n\n On stage, the Backlight team chose to share the spotlight with the entire studio rather than centring the victory on a single name. “This award celebrates a collective effort. None of this would have been possible without an incredible team: artists, developers, animators, every member of the production crew brought extraordinary skill and imagination to each stage of the process, and did so in a record time of just four months.”<\/p>\n\nThe viewer becomes a character<\/h2><\/h2>\n\n