Chief sound engineer Marcin Pawlot reports that the Meyer Sound system has made a night-and-day difference. "The old system was almost 19th century in its sound quality," says Pawlot. "Now, the band sounds more natural and musical despite our using even lower SPL than before. The actors' voices are more intelligible as well, with much higher gain before feedback."
The new system comprises left and right hangs of six M'elodie line array loudspeakers, each with a single 700-HP subwoofer to provide powerful low end. A pair of UPJ-1P VariO loudspeakers cover front-fill, with two UPM-1P loudspeakers reinforcing the rear seating and FOH position. A Galileo loudspeaker management system provides system drive and processing.
Audience reactions to the new system are overwhelmingly positive, and ticket sales have increased accordingly. "We have received many comments from people on how good the new system sounds," says Pawlot. "It has also had a big influence on the actors and musicians, and has raised the artistic level of the performances."
Like much of Eastern Europe, Warsaw has seen a cultural renaissance, with a wealth of musical and theatre productions emerging in recent years. The city's theatres are beginning to modernise their technology as they offer a blossoming range of stage productions with improved artistic and entertainment value.
(Jim Evans)
