Stage perfomance produced by KTH Royal Institute of Technology in collaboration with Vadstena Academy. 19 performances Dec 1-16 2022.

Swedish Radio broadcats February 11th, 2023: "Opera i P2", kl 18:30.

Video production by Black Box at KTH Dec 1-2 , 2023, and at KTH website.

Authors: Composer Carl Unander-Scharin, Libretto Åsa Unander-Scharin & Carl Unander-Scharin in collaboration with Nils Spangenberg; built on a book by Hannes Alfvén from 1966 

Performers: Computa (alto) Anna Larsson (pre-recorded voice from the future), Argon (dancer) Arina Trostyanetskaya, Hydrogenii (soprano) Elísabet Eínarsdottir, Oxygeni (mezzo) Linnea Andreassen, Nitritio (baritone) Jakob Högström, Carbon (bass) John Erik Eleby. 

Musicans: Violin Rebecka Karlsson, Recorders Kerstin Frödin, Lirone & Bass Viola da Gamba Nora Roll, Bass Trombone & Contra Bass Trombone Lars Westergren, Percussion Rolf Landberg.

Staging & Choreography: Åsa Unander-Scharin 

Musical direction: Carl Unander-Scharin 

Visual design & software development: Ludvig Elblaus 

Software development: Federico Visi

Robot choreography: Åsa Unander-Scharin 

Costume & props design: Anna Ardelius 

Makeup design: Theresia Frisk Lighting design Jimmy Svensson 

Musical coaches: Martin Hellström, Michael Engström & Ludvig Nilsson 

Technical team: Technical leader and stage manager: Jimmy Svensson, Director´s assistant: Olov Nilsson, Assistant robotics programming: Elsa Benzinger, Sound & recordings: Maurice Mogard, Costume cutter & tailor: Mika Luther, Props. Costume, makeup during performances: Barbro Lennartsdotter, Press photos: Martin Hellström, Language coach: Jeremy Carpenter. 

Score and Vocal score, Publisher: Svensk Musik 

Donors and sponsors: ABB, Akademiska Hus, Astrid Ohlin, Jacob Wallenbergs stiftelse - Särskilda fonden, Jonny Jensen, Jörgen Österberg, Kulturbryggan, Märta Christina och Magnus Vahlquists stiftelse, Prins Carl Gustafs Stiftelse, Saab, Savana Holding, Sverker Lerheden, The Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation.

The opera “The Tale of the Great Computing Machine” is based on the book of the same title, written by Hannes Alfvén, a Professor at KTH, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1970.“The Tale of the Great Computing Machine” was written in 1966 by KTH Professor and Nobel Laureate Hannes Alfvén. What was originally intended to be a bedtime story for his grandchildren gradually grew into an observation about our relationship with nature and technology. “The Tale of the Great Computing Machine” is a story written in a distant future, where the significance of humans is reduced to an evolutionary step on the road to a wise and all-knowing computer. In the book, Alfvén envisages a great deal of the developments we are already a part of today, and the relationship between humans and technology makes it continuously relevant.

The story is now being given a new form and interpreted in an innovative opera, produced by KTH and Stiftelsen Internationella Vadstena-Akademien under the artistic direction of Carl and Åsa Unander-Scharin.