Sydney Opera House has announced the appointment of two internationally respected theatrical acoustic consulting firms to advise on improvements to the acoustics in the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall and the Opera Theatre.
The two consultants – Arup Acoustics for the Opera Theatre and Nagata Acoustics for the Concert Hall – will commence work next month on studies which will determine the acoustic needs of both venues and which will form the basis of improvements to both as part of the Venue Improvement Plan.
“We are delighted that with these two key appointments we have taken the first critical steps to implement the Venue Improvement Plan based on Jorn Utzon’s Statement of Design Principles,” said Sydney Opera House Chief Executive, Norman Gillespie.
“Once the preparatory planning and studies are completed by Arup and Nagata, Jorn Utzon will then become involved in the creation of additional architecture and design,” Mr Gillespie explained.
Using their Sydney office as a base, Arup Acoustics will bring th eskill and resources from their London, Melbourne and San Francisco offices to advise on the acoustics in the Opera Theatre.
Arup has received acclaim for its acoustic work on the Glyndebourne Opera House and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London. The company has also been appointed as acoustic designers to the Danish, harbourside Copenhagen Opera House for opera and ballet.
Nagata Acoustics, from Japan, will work on the Concert Hall acoustics. Nagata has provided acoustic design for over 30 years to concert halls and theatres around the world. The company received wide acclaim for the creation of “vineyard style” concert halls of superb acoustic quality. Past successes include the Suntory Hall in Tokyo, the Sapporo Concert Hall and the Queensland Conservatorium of Music.
The two contracts are worth $2.35 million. Work on assessing the Performance capabilities of both the Concert Hall and the Opera Theatre studies will commence in October.