One expects grandeur when the opera house with Europe's
secondlargest stage implements new technologies. But along with its
new technology the Bavarian State Opera in Munich discovered another
advantage: flexibility
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New Freedom in Munich
In just a few seconds, the fanfare will sound. A fully engrossed sound
engineer intensely counts the bars, his hand rests anxiously on the
fader. A few moments later, he pushes up the control activating a digital
playback machine all in perfect synchronisation to the live orchestra.
Unbeknownst to the audience, this performance of Verdi's »Aida« is
just one example where a pre-recorded playback from backstage is neccessary.
Applications such as these require a flexible, premium technology that
gives the realistic impression of trumpet blasts played behind the
scenes.
Great Expectations
Last year, just in time for the new season, the Bavarian State Opera's
sound system was renewed and enlarged. The old installation lasted 20 years
but had been repeatedly extended during the prior decades; it was obvious
a complete renovation was inevitable. As a general contractor, SALZBRENNER
STAGETEC MEDIAGROUP went to work, dismantling the old systems, disposing
of approximately 3.7 tons of electronic garbage. Then they installed a new
preproduction and recording studio, replacing all technical components in
the audio-control booth of the opera hall.
The next step was setting up a fibre-optic network, installing an extensive
video system, and last, but not least, fitting a natural-sounding P.A. system
for the hall and stage. Because of its overall flexibility the CANTUS console
and NEXUS router were chosen as the basis of the installation. The benefit
of this approach was a quasi-standard system that can be immediately operated
by both new staff members and freelance engineers.
Console Scattering
The audio-control booth in the opera hall that, by the way, features an
electronically closing soundproof window, includes a full-fledged CANTUS
system with 48 channel faders that connects to a slave console. During the
rehearsals, the slave console is positioned in the center of aisle row 13.
However, if the slave console is required during the show, it is positioned
in the rear of the hall. A third slave-console terminal is located in a banquet
hall called Königssaal.
To further maximize the system's features, Thomas Rott, Managing Sound Engineer
of the State Opera added another feature to mix. In addition to the small
slave console with only a few channel strips, Rott also demanded a portable
central control unit. Today, both devices are mounted to transport wagons,
so only a single staff member is needed to relocate and install them. Connections
are through two fibre-optic cables – one per unit. This trick significantly
increases the flexibility of the system, from the simplicity of a single
application to the full remote control of the CANTUS desk.
Video and 5.1
With CANTUS, the interaction between the main and slave consoles can be
defined in two distinct ways: split or parallel operation. In split operation,
each input signal is »hard-wired« to only one of the consoles.
However, like most opera houses and theaters, the Bavarian State Opera opted
for parallel operation, with both consoles having access to all input signals.
Thus, the console in the booth and in the hall can be simultaneously deployed
to complement one another.
The second independent CANTUS system was installed in the sound studio. This
studio, which also houses an extensive video-processing system with cutting
facilities, was designed and built from the scratch in space separated from
the large rehearsal hall. It is here where the playbacks and other pre-productions
are recorded. Since it is used for live recordings, it is equipped with a 5.1
system and a CANTUS module for multichannel sound – certainly a signs
of our times.
Cross-connections in the main hall are indispensable for producing
tape recordings in the geographically remote sound studio. A
NEXUS network was installed because audio signals need to be
flexibly routed between the opera hall, the rehearsal hall, the
audio-control booth, and the production studio. This network
has 12 base devices in various locations on the premises for
use as patch terminals for the stage and the orchestra, to forward
signals to the P.A. amplifiers, and naturally, to provide routing
within the two studios.
Sound Without a Sound System
The individual base devices are interconnected using fibre-optics
in such a way that combination or parallel operations of audio
components can be set up without creating a routing-capacity
bottleneck. By design, no routing limitations were intended,
and no input routings were reserved for a single workplace. Only
the amplifier-feeding lines of the sound-reinforcement system
in the opera hall are password-protected from the production
studio to prevent someone from disrupting the sound in the hall
by mistake, or changing its level. A standalone base device was
implemented for operation from the hall.
During the rehearsals, when sound staff is not always a must, the assistant
producer may start CD or tape playbacks – no additional personnel is
required in the sound studio! Plus, the sound system does not even have to
be switched on expressly.
The Project
Often, many partners contribute to the success of
a big project. This is true for the Bavarian State Opera. Technical
installations were organized by the Building Surveyor's Office
in Munich. Managing Sound Engineer, Thomas Rott designed the
system specifications that were then documented by Huneke + Partner
Planning Office, specialists in stage design. Finally, SALZBRENNER
STAGETEC MEDIAGROUP was appointed general contractor to fine-tune
the plans and execute the renovation.
Coexistence
An extensive analog wiring system was already present on the
premises. Again for reasons of flexibility, these cables were
not removed despite the new NEXUS network. After all, 180 analog
microphone lines are distributed in the house, and up to 30 of
them may be connected to a NEXUS base device at the same time
using a specially designed STAR concentrator.
This analog network is still in use today, for instance when
a single microphone is installed at a remote location. Obviously,
another motive was the redundancy aspect provided by a second
cable net. Luckily, there has been no need to use this redundancy
feature. Since its start-up in October 2001, the system has once
more proven its flexibility and reliability!
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