Oslo's stunning new wedge-shaped Opera House – built specifically to house the city's Den Norske Opera an Ballett company – have completed commissioning of two TiMax delay-matrix systems with full programming of multiple on-stage and 3D surround effects audio images.
Alf Berntson of Swedish consultants Artifon AB created the advanced source-oriented reinforcement (SOR) specification for the venue's impressive main classical opera auditorium, ‘Stage One', which is partnered with an adjacent contemporary drama and music black-box theatre space known as ‘Stage Two'.
TiMax IM16 matrix is integrated with each theatre's Salzbrenner Stagetec Nexus dsp and routing core via AES3 and optical networking, allowing either TiMax matrix to be used in any room without physical re-patching. Salzbrenner Stagetec previously approached TiMax manufacturers Out Board to help implement the delay-matrix element of the SOR specification, resulting in this hybrid integration of TiMax with the Stagetec Aurus consoles. A networked KVM link allows operators to program and control two TiMax Cue One Showcontrol PC's from multiple locations.
Out Board director Dave Haydon was on-site to commission and program both systems with consultant Alf Berntson and Egil Eide from project contractors Benum. Training sessions were also staged over two days for Den Norske Opera's Nikolai Ekeberg, Gerhard Herzberg, Ken Theodorsen and Pol Sovik. The AV crew members learned how to create and run delay-based, animated soundscapes using TiMax SoundTablet effects playback and the TiMax Showcontrol software.
As well as the multiple surround images for Stage One, Alf Berntson requested special ambient height effects and distant far left, right and back localisations. Images were also created for front-fill and on-stage effects, which could also double as vocal localisations for occasional reinforced shows. These TiMax Image Definitions comprised different delay-matrixed combinations of the main Renkus-Heinz LCR and front fill systems plus the distributed surround cabinets hidden in the sumptious hardwood finishes around and above the three-tiered audience seating.
Alf Berntson comments: “It was helpful working directly with Dave Haydon from Out Board to learn how easily the localisations and images could be programmed in TiMax, and also good to hear how smooth the delay-panning effects sounded in the space”