Introduction
ABBA Voyage: A Groundbreaking Opening Night at the ABBA Arena in London
On the evening of Friday, May 27, 2022, London witnessed an event that blurred the lines between music, technology, and live performance. The highly anticipated ABBA Voyage show officially premiered at the purpose-built ABBA Arena in Stratford, offering fans an experience unlike anything they had ever seen before.
For decades, ABBA has remained one of the most beloved pop groups in music history, with timeless hits such as Dancing Queen, Mamma Mia, and Waterloo. However, the Voyage project took the band’s legacy into a new dimension. Instead of a traditional live concert, audiences were treated to an extraordinary spectacle featuring digital avatars of Agnetha, Björn, Benny, and Anni-Frid, meticulously crafted to replicate their appearance in the late 1970s.
This ambitious production was the result of years of development, with ABBA collaborating closely with visual effects experts from Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) — the studio renowned for its work on Hollywood blockbusters. Motion capture technology was used to record the band members’ movements and expressions, ensuring that their digital counterparts could perform with the same energy, charisma, and emotion as in their prime.
The ABBA Arena itself was designed specifically for this show. With a capacity of around 3,000, it offers an intimate yet high-tech environment, complete with a state-of-the-art sound system and immersive lighting. The circular stage and 360-degree viewing angles allowed fans to feel fully surrounded by the performance, as though they were stepping inside a music video come to life.
As the first notes of The Visitors played, the crowd erupted with excitement. The avatars appeared on stage, illuminated by dazzling beams of light, and began to sing and dance with a level of precision that stunned the audience. Songs flowed seamlessly from one to another, with classic anthems interspersed with tracks from ABBA’s 2021 comeback album, Voyage.
Many attendees described the sensation as “surreal” — seeing the young ABBA perform again while knowing the real-life band members were in the audience watching. The atmosphere was electric, with fans singing along to every word and even shedding tears during emotional moments like The Winner Takes It All.
The premiere night was not just a celebration of ABBA’s music, but also a milestone in entertainment technology. It demonstrated how innovation can breathe new life into beloved art, allowing audiences to experience the past in ways once thought impossible. The event drew celebrities, music industry icons, and lifelong ABBA fans from across the globe, all united by a shared love for the group’s unforgettable melodies.
By the time the final encore ended with Dancing Queen, the crowd was on its feet, applauding for several minutes. The opening night of ABBA Voyage set the stage for a residency that promises to delight audiences for years to come — a shining example of how nostalgia and cutting-edge technology can combine to create magic.