Digital technology for the Munich State Theatre.
Two networked mc²66 replace an analogue mixing console.
Gärtnerplatz is one of the most beautiful locations in Munich — a famous park-like square used as a central meeting point. Nearby this lovely spot stands the ‘Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz’ (State Theatre at the Gärtnerplatz) — a true gem of a theatre building, constructed in 1865. The theatre’s traditional balconies and stalls, all furnished in a warm red shade, can seat around 900 visitors who predominantly enjoy operettas, musicals and dance theatre within the beautiful surroundings. A 400m² stage enables larger productions to take place.
Since the Nineties, the theatre has employed a computer-assisted audio system. The replacement of the in-house mixing console had been planned for several years up to the point when an invitation for tenders was issued in March 2007. “The previous console was analogue, and technically out-dated,” states Dirk Buttgereit, Head of the Sound Department, referring to the situation before the technical update. “Since the main focus at the Gärtnerplatz Theatre is on dance and musical shows, we need to have a high standard of audio quality; acquiring a modern console was essential.”
Contract awarded to Lawo
During a visit to the Pro Light and Sound show in Frankfurt, and having called at the Lawo booth, a delegation from the Munich Theatre decided, “the mc²66 console offers a clear and well designed control surface, which makes for user-friendly operation.“ Lawo’s excellent reputation in the broadcast sector led to the conclusion that Gärtnerplatz Theatre’s demands for quality and reliability would be surely fulfilled by Lawo. The Theatre was also aware of the longevity of Lawo consoles — an important issue for a theatre that can only afford technological renovation and replacement within long time spans. “The previous console had been in use for 15 years“, explained Buttgereit. Also, price-wise, Lawo’s mc²66 challenged all the direct competitors. Following another personal product presentation and discussions with consulting partners Müller BBM, in June 2007 the contract was awarded to Lawo.
Two networked mc²66
In September 2007, Lawo delivered two mc²66 consoles that had been previously tested and accepted by the State Theatre. With 192 DSP channels, two 3000-crosspoint router cards and two DSP boards for room equalization, (providing around 400 parametric filters for the loudspeaker channels) it is possible to handle very large productions. “ One Lawo console is installed in a control room, equipped with an retractable window, on the second balcony level. During rehearsals, the sound engineer uses the mobile mc²66 console in the auditorium to devise presets for the performances” explains Buttgereit.
The clever part is that both consoles are fully networked, so all the settings can be transferred to the console in the control room. Parallel operation is also possible, enabling a show to be mixed in the auditorium while the second mc²66 in the control room is used for recording. The mobile console is housed in a flight case, and can be moved to different locations extremely easily. Another benefit is that the Bavarian broadcaster BR’s OB trucks, which are also equipped with mc²66 consoles, can directly share the console data.
A very special project
The installation at the Gärtnerplatz is the first one in a theatre that uses networked Lawo consoles. The Munich State Theatre originally regarded this solution as an ideal; today they own two identical, networked, mixing consoles.
The theatre has been using its two mc²66 consoles since October — the start of the 2007/2008 season in. In the run-up to the season, there was not much time to realize the project. “The time-factor played a prominent role — the time frame was remarkably tight. The tender was issued by the end of March, however, awarding the project to Siemens and from there to Lawo, took until July”, explains Buttgereit. In such a short time frame, it is almost impossible to avoid complications. “Yet Lawo always reacted quickly, providing suggestions for solutions and implementing them,” elucidates Buttgereit. He concludes: “Accomplished in such a short time, this project with all its challenges has been solved without problems!”
