News from NY: Thierry Mugler, the designer behind shoulder pads we adore and fragrances we wear even more, is the backer behind Green Aria, the olfactory opera opening at the Guggenheim any day now. Orchestrating music with scentual sequences that stream out from “scent speakers” fixed to the audience’s chairs, we’re not just talking posh smellovision. Green Aria is all about the olfactory. The musical score was carefully composed to tell the story of scents like Magma, Green and Crunchy Green, which were designed by French parfumer Christophe Laudamiel.

I’m intrigued. Maybe because when I think “smell” and “music” in the same sentence, I don’t think glorious nose candy. I think scentual assault. Like beer and generic bubbles out of plastic cups. Or the offensive tang of some jerk who thinks he hears better with his shirt off (note to guy who got his sweaty guns out during Lady GaGa last week: uncool dude. Uncool.) And maybe I need to raise the bar a little.

I’m not sure what Magma smells like – maybe melting bitumen, volcanic sulphur, something hot and metallic – but I bet Crunchy Green beats spilt beer. Ooh lah de dah.

Thierry Mugler; his two most iconic fragrances, Alien and Angel

Tags Fragrance Thierry Mugler