Rich in tradition, the Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz – State Theater at the Gärtner Square in Munich, Germany – has recently completed significant renovations, restorations and technical updates. Now some 165 years old, this latest investment includes IP audio technology from Lawo that underpins a new season of productions whose sound is largely based on an AoIP infrastructure.
The central elements of the new set-up at Gärtnerplatztheater are two Lawo mc²56 audio production consoles with A__UHD core engine. I/O is via several A__line AoIP nodes, in addition to Lawo Dallis devices that were already in place in-house. Bavarian system integrator Digitech acted as general contractor for the design, implementation and integration of the new technology, which was completed in September, 2021.
The State Theater has been familiar with Lawo for years; in 2007, two mc²66 digital mixing consoles were installed in the auditorium and sound control room for use in sound reinforcement and to record musical, ballet, operetta and opera productions. Those earlier mixers have now been replaced by two 48-fader mc²56 (MkIII) consoles and an A__UHD Core engine. A software upgrade to A__UHD Core to facilitate further IP infrastructure expansion, is planned for the 2022 season in a second phase of the upgrades.
The existing Dallis I/O systems are integrated into the network via a Nova73 HD router core, with additional connectivity via WAN-capable A__stage AoIP nodes. This flexible approach permits the continued use of existing technology within new workflows, enabling a gradual transition to a comprehensive IP infrastructure. The entire system was implemented as a redundant network to ensure security.
‘We opted for a combination of existing equipment and new hardware and software, a perfect solution because the existing hardware, especially the analogue/digital conversion systems, are still in impeccable condition, work reliably and can be integrated seamlessly with the new Lawo systems that will bring the sound in the theatre up to the state of the art,’ reports Dirk Buttgereit, head of the theatre’s sound department.
‘This first step allows us to take advantage of an IP infrastructure and apply new features and workflows, with theatre-specific features such as cue lists, iso sets, fade sets, and DSP pooling via the A__UHD core. In coming years we will switch completely to IP technology. In our case, this smooth transition will only succeed with Lawo.
‘We appreciate the reliability of Lawo products and trust Lawo’s innovative spirit,’ Buttgereit concludes. ‘Through the close communication Lawo maintains with clients, the company succeeds in implementing this innovative power with products and solutions that are both practical and tailored to the customer, exemplified by our entry into the IP age of theatre and opera production.’
More: www.lawo.com
