SOLUTIONS: ASTANA OPERA HOUSE Curtains up KAZAKHSTAN
As the third-largest theatre in the world opens its doors, Mike Clark looks at the leading-edge technology that’s helping to attract the biggest names in opera to the Kazakh capital
[ABOUT THE MAIN CONTRACTOR]
Founded in 1991 by its former president, Behgjet Pacolli, and a group of engineers with wide experience in civil and industrial construction, the Mabetex Group is headquartered in Lugano, Switzerland
Romeo and Julietwas one of the first productions to be staged at the theatre
BASED ON sketches by Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev and built in the country’s capital by German, Italian, Swedish and Czech architects at a cost of over €220 million, Astana Opera House is the world’s third-largest theatre. At its October 2013 official
world premiere, the venue hosted critics and key players from the international opera world, who were able to appreciate the state-of-the- art digital AV, lighting and broadcast facilities as well as the impressive architecture. The building, which has a total area of 64,163sqm, features a main theatre seating 1,250, a three-level
pit able to host a 120-strong orchestra and a chamber music hall able to accommodate 250 spectators. Public areas include the majestic foyer with its splendid Italian marble, a museum (which has already hosted exhibitions by the Bolshoi, La Fenice and a photography exhibition illustrating the birth of the opera house), a restaurant and a press room. An impressive range of
facilities is at performers’ and productions’ disposal: 26 rehearsal rooms of various sizes (the main 550sqm orchestra rehearsal room can also host a full chorus), 68
dressing rooms (including eight for VIPs) and technical rooms.
Numerous specialised
workshops (carpenters, metalworkers, sculptors, painters, plasterers, decorators) with storage space, costume workshops, countless makeup rooms, a sewing shop and a laundry/ ironing room are also contained in the building. The stage’s dimensions are on a par with key international theatres, with four main elevators and large wings along with a backstage area that can hold three acts’ scenery as well as that already on stage. The Swiss Mabetex Group,
The Bosch simultaneous translation systems consists of an Integrus system with eight interpreter desks 56 March 2014
founded and owned by Behgjet Pacolli, worked with a group of professional architects invited from around the world to create the new arts venue. (Mabetex built many of the buildings in the Kazakhstan capital). The façade and entrance to the theatre may be based on a combination of Greco- Roman and traditional Kazakhstan architectural styles, but the venue has a high-tech ‘heart’.
The theatre’s chief lighting technician Igor Davlesupov is rightly proud of the Astana Opera House’s leading-edge technology: “Thanks to the in- house stock of about 1,000 lighting fixtures [a combination of Clay Paky, Spotlight and ETC moving head, moving yoke and conventional models], the theatre can meet the lighting requirements of classical, opera and contemporary productions.”
Lighting is controlled via
two WholeHog III light consoles. The design of the control system was carefully studied, and the Art-Net control network installed around the perimeter of the stage enables fixtures to be connected virtually anywhere on stage and the lighting console to be switched on anywhere.
He adds: “There are over 1,200 (ETC ThruPower) dimmer channels, and 16 DMX universes. There is a portal bridge located over the apron stage, five main lighting trusses and an additional truss flown backstage, each with 24 16A and 12 32A sockets, which
Projects include the renovation of the former Russian Parliament building, construction of the Russian Federation Houses of Parliament, reconstruction of La Fenice theatre in Venice, and projects for the German, Saudi Arabian, Kuwait and Turkish governments. In 1996 it won the tender for the construction of the new Kazakhstan capital
The company also carries out humanitarian work through its Foundation for the Reconstruction of Kosovo project
can be controlled as dimmable or direct, plus two DMX lines switched as required. Each of the five towers on either side of the stage has four 16A and two 32A sockets plus a DMX line.” In the event of a console
crash, control automatically switches over to the (identical) WholeHog III back- up desk and a standby power generator ensures operation in the event of a mains power failure.
MODERN MUSIC Evgeniy Shpakov, head of the sound department at Astana Opera House, enthuses: “The audio set-up here is designed for modern digital transmission systems and audio signal routing. The Astana Opera House has a right to be called one of the most technically advanced theatres in the world as the
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Picture: Astana Opera, 2013. Photographer: Karla Nur
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