Cantico: A New Way to Experience Art and Opera

Increasing the self-financing capabilities of cultural enterprises and opera theatres: this is the central aim of the Cantico research project, launched by Innovaway—a leader in the ICT sector—and ranked first in the Horizon 2020-PON "Research and Innovation" 2014/2020 Call (Specialization Area: Design, Creativity and Made in Italy).

Project partners include: Innovaway SpA (lead partner), University of Sannio, Meditel Srl, Officina Rambaldi Srl, Digitalcomoedia Srl, Nicola Sala State Conservatory, Eai Software Srl, and Step Srl.

The main goal of Cantico is the creation of an innovative multichannel platform designed to expand audiences by using new technologies to attract younger generations.

Key Objectives

• Extend access to artistic productions beyond traditional live performances via real-time and on-demand digital formats.

• Enhance accessibility for individuals with disabilities using wearable, low-intrusiveness devices for immersive experiences.

• Augment live performances with augmented reality tools.

• Train the artists of tomorrow through immersive technologies and inclusive educational methods.

• Enable smarter programming for theatres through data collection and analysis.

With Cantico, users can explore opera and theatre in new ways through crowdsourcing, social networking, and the creation of personalized listening journeys.

A combination of big data analytics and predictive algorithms will process information from the platform, social media discussions, educational programs, and live performances to support decision-making and enhance the user experience.

“The economic revival of the arts—Italy’s cultural crown jewel—must include strategic use of emerging technologies,” states Antonio Giacomini, CEO of Innovaway.

With Cantico, we aim to give Italy a competitive edge in the global cultural industry. There are currently no comparable initiatives in terms of scale, integration, or interoperability. The national cultural sector generates over €40 billion annually, yet theatres rely on public/private contributions for up to 60% of their revenue. Enhancing self-financing capacity through broader audiences and richer services is now crucial.

“Within our Public Administration Market Unit,” adds Antonio Burinato, “we have built a Research & Innovation Hub driven by open innovation and aligned with Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).”

The Innovaway R&D Division leads all group innovation activities—from industrial research and lab testing to experimental development of market-ready prototypes. Our team blends engineering, IT, economics, and EU project expertise, making it a benchmark in Italian corporate R&D. We maintain active relationships with public/private universities and research centers through a dedicated internal academic advisory board.