jobOpera aims to show how the meaning of the term work has been undergoing changes from the First Industrial Revolution to the prospects of new virtual worlds.
Klaus Obermaier, Robert Spour


jobOpera is divided into four parts:

1st Industrial Revolution:
invention of the steam engine

2nd Industrial Revolution:
electricity, mineral oil

3rd Industrial Revolution:
IT, communication technology

cyberspace, virtual reality

The introduction of steam power fuelled primarily by coal was one of the main forces behind the first industrial revolution.
The period from the 18th to the 19th century marks a major turning point in human history and led to massive urbanisation and the rise of new great cities.
At the same time, supported by a massive expansion of newspaper and popular book publishing, religion lost its authority in all aspects of social life and governance.
Therefore the jobOpera starts with a gregorian chant, but the text is a Latin translation of Karl Marx' CAPITAL.

The mass invention of electricity is a key feature of the second industrial revolution. Consequently the theremin, as an early electronic musical instrument controlled without physical contact from the player, opens the second part, which finishes with electric guitars.
 
Accelerating techno-style music reflects the fast changes in the developed economies and societies driven by information and communication technology, while the images show a diverse world, where different stages of development of human culture exist in parallel.

The project finishes with a drift into the future represented by stereoscopic laser projections.