DiGiCo delivers flexibility to Csokonai Fórum
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Part of the oldest and largest theatre in Debrecen, the Csokonai Theater, Csokonai Fórum is a new multi-functional theatre and training complex, created to meet the needs of modern theatre productions. DiGiCo’s Hungarian distributor, Chromasound, was chosen as the audio supplier for the new venue, supplying a DiGiCo 4REA processor along with a Quantum 7, SD12, and two mobile SD11 consoles, which are used throughout the multi-purpose facility.
“Building a new theatre from the ground up is the dream of every company, as it offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create a new historic landmark,” says Gábor Gallai, project manager at Chromasound. “The experts working on this project wanted to establish a modern theatre complex that also brings the classic vibe of the city’s much-loved Csokonai Theater to its visitors.”
In 2020, after looking for a company capable of implementing the theatre’s plan to ensure the smooth operation of a newly built, contemporary Csokonai Fórum with multiple event rooms and a variety performances, from classical plays with an orchestra to modern pieces and live concerts, Chromasound was chosen as the preferred audio equipment supplier.
“We were absolutely thrilled to be able to support theatre’s team and bring this remarkable project to life,” continues Gábor Gallai. “The brief was short and clear – the audio technology had to be future-oriented so it would last for many years, be both versatile and easy to handle, whilst delivering exceptional sound quality.”
The 9,000m2 facility boasts three spacious multi-purpose auditoriums: the Zoltán Latinovits room that can accommodate up to 350 people; the Árpád Kóti room, built for 150 people; and, finally, the Aszimmetria Étterem Restaurant, that is also suitable for theatre productions.
One of the most spectacular areas of the building is the foyer, with its incredibly high ceiling housing thousands of lights that look like the stars in the night sky. The foyer was also the most challenging part of the project for the contractors from an architectural point of view. “That makes the final result all the more rewarding for the theatre team. It’s absolutely stunning!” exclaims Gábor Gallai.
With the Csokonai Theater using DiGiCo’s SD9 for many years, there was no question about which consoles would be installed in the new venue.
“It had to be DiGiCo,” says Daniel Enyedi, audio expert at Chromasound. “Their flexibility, rock-steady reliability and exceptional sound quality, combined with an intuitive workflow, meant there was no other option. Not to mention that such a complex network of consoles, I/O racks and locations could not be handled any other way.”
Following equipment delivery and installation, which took additional time due to pandemic lockdowns, every area of the Csokonai Fórum theatre has now been equipped with DiGiCo’s creative mixing solutions.
“The flagship console of our DiGiCo fleet is the Quantum 7 - the first of its kind in Hungary – which now serves the Zoltán Latinovits hall, the theatre’s largest space,” Daniel Enyedi explains. “An SD12 is used in the slightly smaller studio stage, Árpád Kóti, with both setups using SD-Racks populated with DiGiCo’s exceptional 32-bit cards. The two mobile SD11s offer flexibility and can be used adhoc in any location within the theatre, depending on the production type and the size of the room.”
András Endi, live Sosund engineer at Csokonai Színház [the holding company for Csokonai Theatre and Csokonai Fórum] says, "From the outset, we wanted to have a DiGiCo solution implemented throughout the Csokonai Fórum because we knew it was the best brand for theatre productions. Following the installation, our opinion of the brand and the system have remained unchanged; DiGiCo is ‘the’ brand for theatres.
