References

State Opera Munich

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.

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!