An opera you walk through
Velvet Nocturne is an original immersive opera produced by Molang Studio Productions. There are no rows of seats facing a proscenium. Instead, audiences move with the story through a sequence of staged rooms over 100 minutes, following singers and dancers as the narrative passes from one space to the next.
The production fuses three things that rarely share a stage: avant-garde couture, contemporary dance and a neo-classical electronic score. Strings and voice carry the melodic line; synthesized textures sit underneath, shifting the mood of each room before a single word is sung.
Who is in it
Maya Chen, the stage and screen lead best known for her West End and Broadway work, plays the narrator-lead in the Seoul and Los Angeles runs. The role holds the evening together: she is the one voice that travels with the audience from room to room, framing each scene before it begins. Casting for the role in Berlin and Milan is announced with each run.
Movement direction is by Kai Navarro, the Seoul-trained choreographer and member of Molang’s Prodigies program, who is also associate creative director on The Golden Zenith World Tour. His approach here is intimate rather than spectacular — choreography designed to be seen from a few feet away.
“The audience is never just watching. They’re standing in the room when the story turns, and that changes how you speak every line.” — Maya Chen
The limited runs
Each city receives a short, fixed run, with the staging rebuilt to fit the host space. Dates listed below are opening nights; full performance calendars are shared with each city’s release.
- Berlin — November 2026, opening the run
- Seoul — January 2027, with Maya Chen as narrator-lead
- Milan — March 2027, at Teatro alla Scala, subject to final confirmation
- Los Angeles — May 2027, at Walt Disney Concert Hall, with Maya Chen as narrator-lead
Because the format is promenade, capacity is deliberately limited at every performance. Some audience members will stand for parts of the evening; seating is available throughout for anyone who needs it, and access requirements can be noted when booking.
Design and sound
Couture costumes are built for movement as much as for the eye — fitted for dancers who cross between rooms and singers who perform within arm’s reach of the audience. Lighting shifts between cold architectural tones and warm, close pools of light as the story moves from public to private moments.
The score is mixed for each space rather than for a single stage. Speakers are distributed through the rooms so that sound travels with the action, and live voices remain unamplified wherever the acoustics allow.
Corporate hospitality
Molang offers corporate hospitality packages for every city on the run — a fitting format for client evenings, leadership offsites and partner events. Packages can include a private reception before the performance, reserved promenade groups with a dedicated usher, and a post-show program on selected dates.
To inquire, email [email protected] with the city, preferred date and approximate group size. Inquiry forms on this site open in your email app, and a member of the booking team replies personally. Pricing is available on request, and nothing is held until confirmed in writing.
Maya Chen
Critically revered dramatic lead commanding West End, Broadway, and blockbuster streaming series.