Australia-Based Production Gets an Audio Makeover
On the occasion of its 60th anniversary, GFO and Opera Australia recruited the original Eliza Doolittle, Dame Julie Andrews, to direct a production of My Fair Lady beneath the sails of the Sydney Opera House. This landmark production, which opened Sept. 6 and ran through Nov. 5, 2016, featured sets, costumes and lighting based on the original 1956 design, with a few more up-to-date touches, like seamless revolving stages and automated lighting. It also sold more tickets than any other production staged at the iconic venue. In 2017, a touring version of the production will be staged in Brisbane and Melbourne, Australia along with Sydney’s Capitol Theatre.
Bring On the Sound!
Of course it would have been silly to try recreate the original audio design, so award-winning sound designer Michael Waters was appointed to give it a welcome 21st century makeover.
Waters’ design portfolio includes productions of Fiddler On The Roof, Hugh Jackman’s Broadway to Oz, The Rabbits, Anything Goes, The King And I, Hot Shoe Shuffle and A Funny Thing Happened On The Way to the Forum. His world premiere sound designs include Priscilla — Queen of the Desert, An Officer and a Gentleman, Doctor Zhivago, Atomic — The Musical, Rolling Thunder Vietnam, Dusty — The Original Pop Diva along with Dirty Dancing — The Classic Story on Stage and Hairspray — to name a just few.
Providing audio support on the My Fair Lady production is Sydney-based (with facilities in Melbourne) JPJ Audio — the merged operation of Jands Production Services and Johnston Audio. The company’s audio roots date back to 1970 when Jands first began providing sound and lighting equipment and expertise for local and overseas entertainers, including Elton John’s first tour down under in 1971.
“We did see the original audio spec for the 1956 My Fair Lady production, which was only one page,” said Waters. “The sound pre-show check was ‘turn on an amplifier, have the reel to reel wound back to such a counter point and then press play at this time.’ That was it!”
Old Meets New
It was up to Waters to respect the intent of the original audio for the show while satisfying the modern audience who now have a totally different perception and expectation of audio.
Apparently, Dame Julie was very excited to learn that Michael could introduce surround sound, which bought a whole new world to the production.
“I was able to occasionally produce some soundscapes throughout the show,” commented Waters, who mixed on a DiGiCo SD10 console. “It’s not a sound effects-heavy show, but it does have its moments where you can have some fun — especially the Ascot horse race!”
Waters described the Dame Joan Sutherland Theatre — a 1,500-capacity venue within the Sydney Opera House complex — as a rather dead space (“dry as a nun’s proverbial” were his exact words). The hall specs out with a reverb time that’s approximately 1.7 seconds from 100 Hz to 8 kHz with a full audience. To liven it up, Waters employed some subtle reverbs around the room to fill out the space. (For more details on the venue, see sidebar, this page.)
“It’s such a funny piece with lots of comedic lines in the show, and when the audience erupts into laughter, it would be easy to miss the subsequent dialog,” Waters noted. “Being amplified, we could push over the sound of the laughter and that also encourages the audience to keep laughing without fearing they’ll miss the next line.”
The System Delivers
The P.A. was a mixture of L-Acoustics KIVA line arrays for the center cluster, SB18 subs, coaxial 5XT’s for surrounds and delays, Meyer Sound MSL-2 speakers for the dress circle and God’s proscenium and Meyer UPM-2’s for front fill.
“I chose the UPM-2 speakers for their narrow 45-degree dispersion, as the orchestra are not used to sitting in front of speakers,” explained Waters. “As the UPM-2’s are directional, they fire over their heads.”
While the orchestra microphones are wide and varied, the cast are on DPA 4061 miniature omnidirectional microphones on Shure UR1M micro-bodypack transmitters with Shure UHF-R receivers.
“I think we kept true to the intent of the show,” Waters concluded. “It wasn’t over-amplified, it was just enough for every audience member to hear it clearly all the way to the God’s at the back of the circle, and make the orchestra sound dynamic throughout the theater.”
About the Joan Sutherland Theatre
Set beneath the eastern sails of the Sydney Opera House complex, the Joan Sutherland Theatre is the building’s second-largest internal venue. Previously known as the Opera Theatre, the theater was renamed in 2012 in honor of Australia’s much-loved soprano, the late Dame Joan Sutherland, who gave so many legendary performances in the venue. One of only two proscenium arch theaters in the facility, the 1.500-seat venue delivers an intimate theatrical experience while showcasing the architectural grandeur of the Opera House.
Home to Opera Australia and The Australian Ballet for most of the year, the Joan Sutherland Theatre has also hosted an extraordinary range of performers, including the renowned Nederlands Dans Theater, electronic music pioneers Kraftwerk and the world’s most famous atheist, scientist Richard Dawkins.
The facility features seating made of white birch timber with red woolen upholstery, an extensive fly system and flexible staging. Up to 70 musicians can be accommodated in the orchestra pit.
