You are about to step into a virtual representation of the auditorium at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Russia. The music in this experience was composed by Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff, who was employed as the conductor at the Bolshoi for two seasons, commencing in 1904. The piece you are hearing is the Prelude in C# minor, Op. 3, No. 2, a piece which Rachmaninoff grew to dislike due to over-exposure after playing it so often!
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Rachmaninoff suffered from depression for much of his working life, at some times finding that the illness which he called the 'black melancholy' was debilitating, prohibiting him from composing.
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Click HERE to access the virtual reality enabled environment, or use the window below to enter the desktop experience.
The following content will raise issues relating to mental illness, depression and anxiety. If this experience raises any issues for you, please contact an accredited mental health professional for assistance.
For those in Australia help can be sought over the phone via:
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Lifeline - 13 11 14
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Kids Help Line - 1800 55 1800
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Beyond Blue Support Line - 1300 22 4636
Download link for (VR)2
Please note that the Desktop Experience of (VR)2 is only available for those on a Mac OS.
We hope to expand this to other operating systems in the future.
For those unable to access the experience in Virtual Reality or those who are unable to view the desktop experience on Windows OS, we have prepared a short clip to introduce you to the experience, the Bolshoi Theatre and the music of Sergei Rachmaninoff. Enjoy!