Colorful, immersive ‘Luminiscence’ makes its North American debut at Minneapolis’ Basilica of St. Mary

“Luminiscence,” the trippy, hyper-saturated, fully-immersive light show set to classical music’s greatest hits, is making its North American debut at Minneapolis’ Basilica of St. Mary, just in time for the holiday season. 

I biked downtown recently for a preview of the show, which swept through 13 European cities before arriving in Minneapolis, reaching nearly 2 million people. When I arrived, a line of eager attendees stretched from the basilica’s entrance all the way to the sidewalk. Once the show started, I began to see what the fuss was about.

From the opening moment, colorful video projections paint the vast interior of the basilica, accentuating the details of its Beaux-Arts design, while local musicians perform a live score and recorded voices tell the building’s story.

“Luminiscence” debuted two years ago in Bordeaux, France — famous for its wine, but also the enormous Cathédral Saint-André, said Romain Sarfati, co-founder of Lotchi, the company that created the production. Sarfati began his career in art photography, eventually adding immersive technology and video projection to his practice. “We were looking for space to gather people and reconnect with the beauty of our heritage,” he said.

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When Sarfati and his team started looking for venues outside of Europe, he was particularly struck by the Basilica of St. Mary’s nave — the central area where the congregation sits. “Even our mega church in France doesn’t have such large architecture,” he said. The production team also liked the church’s history as the first basilica in the U.S. 

Typically, Sarfati’s team spends about six months researching the church and writing the program’s narrative. “Then our artists adapt the visuals to every single detail of the architecture,” he said. Twenty artists create the design, using 14 video projectors, 16 speakers, and a sound system allowing effects to follow the visuals. 

Basilica pastor Fr. Daniel Griffith saw Luminiscence as an opportunity. Beyond celebrating 100 years as a basilica, the building will also undergo a full interior restoration beginning in 2026. “So it’s really an opportunity to invite people in to experience beauty,” Griffith said.

I’ve always felt enamored of St. Mary’s intricate grandeur and its echoing acoustics. “Luminiscence” capitalized on both with visuals that at times felt hallucinatory.

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Through voice actors, the audience learns about John Ireland, the influential St. Paul archbishop who orchestrated the building of both the Cathedral of Saint Paul and the Basilica of Saint Mary. We also hear from French architect Emmanuel Louis Masqueray and from the character of the basilica itself. 

There were lovely moments, like the sun crossing the ceiling to mark the passage of time, or the side chapels each lit up. Sometimes I wasn’t sure exactly what I was supposed to be seeing: Is that paint dripping from the walls? A giant computer grid? Other times, the walls seemed to ripple with movement. At one point, the entire basilica takes on the colors of stained glass, glowing in bright oranges, blues and yellows. 

“Luminiscence” offers select dates with recorded music for a reduced price, but attend the live music version if you can. Local musicians do a terrific job performing a score of recognizable music, like Bach’s “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” and Hildegard of Bingen’s “Sequence for the Holy Spirit.”

“Luminiscence” runs through December 29 with tickets ranging from $36 for to $60. Visit the website for tickets and more information.

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