Theatre Design & Technology - Winter 2005 - 17

While the acousticians were virtually modelling the ceiling in their
software, the staff of the opera started modelling lighting
positions in WYSIWYG...the auditorium was imported into the
program, including the planned FOH cove and boom positions.

boom positions. A series of operas from the COC
repertory were then placed on the stage, and existing plots for these operas by Michael Whitfield
and Steve Ross were "hung" in the planned FOH
positions. The designers then tried to focus the
plots virtually. These experiments led to the decision to substantially enlarge and modify the
house boom positions, and to add a third FOH
cove. The best positions in the ceiling for the
follow spots were also confirmed.
The revised lighting positions were then
taken back to the acousticians, and Sound
Splat was unleashed upon the walls and ceilings with the new openings. The acousticians

also had to deal with a series of slots that provide access to hanging positions for chain motors, which can be used to rig trusses for rental
clients. Ultimately, the rectangular FOH openings became tapered-narrow at the ends and
wide in the centre. A section of the final ceiling
shows precisely modelled progressive curves
around the lighting positions. According to
Julian Sleath, technical director for the COC,
the final ceiling will look like a series of concentric Mobius strips.
Acoustical considerations also drove the decision to specify sinusoidal dimming, which-
compared to the chopped waveform of
traditional dimming-produces very little noise
at the lamp filaments, and much less of the electrical "noise" that easily finds its way into sound
and communication systems. While this relatively new technology is considerably more expensive than traditional electronic dimming, it

turns out that the additional cost is almost cancelled out by savings in the required electrical
infrastructure. Sinusoidal dimming, watt for
watt, requires smaller gauges for both supply
and circuit wiring, and smaller transformers.
Early reports from the Royal National Theatre
in the UK also indicate an overall power saving
of sixteen to seventeen percent.
The two principal companies will take up
most of the time at the Centre, but a few weeks
will be available for rentals. Potential clients include official and corporate clients, although
popular music concerts or short-run, large-scale
theatrical performances are also a possibility.

EURO DISNEYLAND * ORDWAY MUSIC THEATER * SEATTLE REPERTORY THEATRE * EXPO 86
STANFORD SHOPPING CENTER * CALIFORNIA PALACE OF THE LEGION OF HONOR * HARRAH'S
YERBA BUENA CENTER FOR THE ARTS THEATER * JOHNSON COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
RICE UNIVERSITY * ELIZABETHAN THEATRE, ALLEN PAVILION, OREGON SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL
SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM OF MODERN ART * NEBRASKA STATE CAPITOL * NIKETOWN HONOLULU,
HAWAII AND DENVER, COLORADO * SANTA FE OPERA * PORT THEATRE * PHILADELPHIA ACADEMY
OF MUSIC * SAN FRANCISCO WAR MEMORIAL OPERA HOUSE * TEMPLE EMANU-EL * BERKELEY
REPERTORY THEATER * AQUA RESTAURANT * CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY * JESSE JONES HALL
RENOVATION * PORT OF SEATTLE, PIER 69 * TRENTON WAR MEMORIAL * VANCOUVER
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT * CONFERENCE CENTER CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY
SAINTS * NATIONAL STORYTELLING CENTER * SPACE CENTER HOUSTON, NASA VISITORS CENTER
PORTAVENTURA THEME PARK * CELEBRITY CRUISE LINES * MEYERHOFF SYMPHONY HALL
HAYDEN PLANETARIUM * YERBA BUENA CENTER FOR THE ARTS, GALLERIES AND FORUM
NEW ORLEANS CONVENTION CENTER * HYATT REGENCY SAN FRANCISCO * CLARKE COUNTY
CLASSIC CENTER THEATER * MINNEAPOLIS CONVENTION CENTER * VERN RIFFE CENTER
FOR THE ARTS * NAUTILUS THEATER, SEA WORLD * YUKON ARTS CENTRE * ANN TAYLOR
MADISON AVENUE AND UNION SQUARE * JUILLIARD SCHOOL OF MUSIC * BENEDICT MUSIC
TENT, ASPEN MUSIC FESTIVAL * CARNEGIE HALL, JUDY AND ARTHUR ZANKEL HALL
DENVER ART MUSEUM * DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE AND SCIENCE PLANETARIUM
FOX CALIFORNIA THEATRE * COPIA: AMERICAN CENTER FOR WINE, FOOD AND THE ARTS

SAN FRANCISCO * 225 Green Street, San Francisco, CA 94111, Tel 415 392 7528, Fax 415 392 7530
NEW YORK * 49 West 38th Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10018, Tel 212 764 5630, Fax 212 764 5632
MINNEAPOLIS * 6113 Arctic Way, Edina, MN 55436, Tel 952 930 0818, Fax 952 933 8167
www.auerbachconsultants.com * info@auerbachconsultants.com

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Winter 2005
