THEATRE AND STAGE
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It’s hard maintaining
“This is crucial for the spatial perception transparency and speech intelligibility of choirs, for example.” The acoustic system supports three full-hall and one smaller-hall configurations, each with presets for events ranging from chamber music to sacred performances. “Renkus-Heinz’s unobtrusive design and natural sound is ideal for variable acoustic systems. They disappear visually yet deliver the performance needed,” explains Michael Voessing, the managing director at Mediaspro Medientechnik GmbH. As multipurpose cultural spaces grow in number, Vilco is a model of how intelligent system design, active acoustics, flexible control and precision loudspeakers can meet even the most demanding performance requirements. This echoes the philosophy guiding such iconic venues as the Royal Albert Hall: that technology, when sensitively applied, should enhance the artistry rather than outshine it. FROM SUPPORT ACT TO CO-STAR As theatre continues its metamorphic trajectory, one aspect is now undeniable – AV technology no longer sits behind the curtain. From LED walls blurring the boundaries between cinema and stage to media servers that bring Broadway- scale spectacle to the open sea, and acoustic systems that can transform a room at the tap of a finger, AV tech has become the beating heart of so many forms of theatre. What is most striking is the sensitivity and creativity with which the technology can amplify the emotional aspects of a performance, while respecting the art it dutifully serves. communication throughout a venue that was designed before the invention of electricity
Riedel’s Bolero wireless system in use at the Royal Albert Hall
of separate ‘rings’ tailored to each discipline. When major events require expanded capacity, such as the 2024 Laurence Olivier Awards, the system can easily scale. For example, that production needed 30 packs, plus additional Riedel Artist mainframes and panels, with Bolero integrating seamlessly into a larger network supporting over 30 users. For its modernisation, the Royal Albert Hall remains first and foremost an acoustically sophisticated venue grounded in theatrical history. Opera houses and grand concert halls are designed to carry the human voice across vast spaces, so integrating advanced AV systems demands care. AV FOR EVERY GENRE Those acoustic challenges remain consistent even when it comes to modern-day examples. Every note must reach the audience with clarity and balance wherever they’re seated, while syncing to the genre and story being told. Like the Royal Albert Hall, today’s concert halls are increasingly becoming multi-use spaces, catering to live music, theatre, classical concerts, lectures and conferences. Even the new kids on the block demand efficient AV strategy. Vilco is a modern conference centre based in the north of Frankfurt in Bad Vilbel,
which has fast become a cultural hub since opening in 2023. It serves a catchment area of almost ten million people, with events ranging from classical concerts and theatre to conferences and live music – and demands similarly rapid turnaround between performances. At the venue’s heart is the Great Hall, featuring a retractable stage, mobile and divisible grandstand and an orchestra shell. For integrator Aveo GmbH, the task was to implement a variable acoustics system with concert- hall-quality sound that could adapt to different genres without complex manual or architectural adjustments. 64 Renkus-Heinz C Series point- source loudspeakers and eight CX112 subwoofers were therefore selected to integrate into the hall’s ceilings and walls, supporting the Amadeus Active Acoustics system. During performances, 32 discreet Audio Technica microphones capture direct and ambient sound. Their signals are processed in the Amadeus Core, amplified by Bittner Audio and distributed via the Renkus-Heinz system. “The result is a very natural sound experience, so the audience feels fully enveloped,” explains Thorsten Rohde, co-founder of Amadeus Acoustics. Signals from the stage are also used to increase the proportion of early reflections in the overall reverberation.
Vilco uses Renkus-Heinz, Audio Technica and Amadeus Acoustics to put together its impressive audio system for shows
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