The system comprises an iDR-32 MixRack and iLive-R72 Control Surface, and was chsen for its compactness, flexibility and versatility, making it well suited to tours and installed in the company’s home venue, the Theatre Maisonneuve at the Place des Arts.

For the Leonce et Lena production, audio sources included 30-plus pre-recorded tracks, sound effects and a live orchestra. Three Macbooks were sued – two at FOH and one in the orchestra pit – to run different software packages, including Cricket V2, Qlab V2 and ILive Editor. The pit Macbook contained organ tracks to be played by one of the musicians, while all additional music and sound effects had redundant back-ups and the musicians tracks were controlled from FOH through a screen-sharing app. Different scenes were triggered/recalled on the iLive system via Midi. A multitrack recording of the show was also made using Adat via an iLive MMO card.

‘We chose iLive as we wanted a good-sounding, compact console that is versatile and flexible,’ says Raymond Soly, head of audio for Les Grands Ballets. ‘The Company extensively tours medium concert hall venues and the iLive-R72 surface is perfectly sized as it easily fits at the rear of this type of venue. The ability to control the MixRack using a PC running iLive Editor, was another attraction, as was the possibility of having both FOH and monitors split from the MixRack’s I/O. Finally, having the flexibility to assign anything anywhere? Yes!’

The ballet company plans to expand the current system by adding an iPad2/Mixpad as well as a 64-channel Dante networking card in preparation for a forthcoming tour of China.

More: www.allen-heath.com