Interactive app provides extra content during orchestra performances

The Philadelphia Orchestra has created LiveNote, an app designed to help the audience learn more about the concert they're watching.

Using a phone during an opera or classical music performance has long been considered a huge faux-pas. However, venues such as Rhode Island's Providence Performing Arts Center have already launched schemes to allow certain sections of the audience to use their devices to livetweet shows. Now the Philadelphia Orchestra has created LiveNote, an app designed to help the audience learn more about the concert they're watching.

The app serves as a digital version of the traditional program notes that are often provided for operas and orchestra performances. Alongside information about the concert, the performers and historical background to the piece, LiveNote listens along to the music and delivers relevant content to the action on stage. Using Shazam-like technology, the app is able to recognize how far along the performance is and offer real-time musical, emotional and historical highlights to better inform the audience. It also provides text translations for operas and offers guidance as to what's happening in the story.

Watch the video below to learn more about LiveNote:

While some may see using a smartphone as disruptive to other audience members, the app uses a white on black design to minimize light, and encourages users to turn down the brightness of their screen. The app is free to download for iOS and Android devices. Could your theater or concert venue adopt this kind of digital addition to performances?