intercom system Riedel The installed kit consists of three wireless antennas with bracket assembly, 15 Bolero belt pack, three 5 bay chargers with rack mount kit, and one NSA-002A interface box.

Based in the iconic Wales Millennium Center (Wales Millennium Centre) from Cardiff, Welsh National Opera (Opera Welsh National Opera – WNOs) is one of Britain’s most prolific ensembles of its genre, with a national and international touring schedule averaging 120 shows a year.

WNO, in need of a new internal communication system, invested in a wireless intercom system Riedel Bolerodetermined by Signature Sound.

«We spend between 5 and 7 weeks, twice a year, at our headquarters in the Millennium Center, producing our operas. From there, we toured for about 7 weeks at a time,” he explains. Benjamin Naylor, Head of lighting and sound for WNO. “We move around a lot and we need a communication system that helps us, not hurts us.”

Prior to the upgrade, the WNO team was using an outdated digital wireless system, which had served them well for about 7 years, but had depleted as upgrade and maintenance requirements started to incur significant costs.

“Legacy systems had a lot of glitches, and from a health and safety perspective, we needed a solution that would provide clear communication,” explained Naylor. “Reach is also important to us because our team covers a lot of things.”

Autograph recommended a wireless system from Riedel, which met the critical needs of the WNO.

“Welsh National Opera emphasized the fact that they wanted a system that was fast and efficient to get set up while they were on tour,” he explains. Nacho Lee, UK Sales Director for Riedel. “Clear communication is the second most important requirement. The Bolero ticks a few boxes for systems on the go: clear communication, ease of use, and great range, regardless of location. So we recommend it.”

“The system consists of three wireless antennas with bracket assembly, fifteen Bolero belt packs, three 5-bay chargers with rack mount kit, one NSA-002A interface box with rack mount kit, and a separate license for the system. Also part of the package is a network switch for communications and provision of POE to the antenna unit and NSA,” he said. will cottrellSignature Sales Technical Engineer.

Once installed, the system is tested both at home and on tour. “We seamlessly introduced the system to ensure everyone uses the Bolero with confidence,” he explains. thomas robert, WNO’s lighting supervisor. “During season one, we set up the Bolero system as our legacy system before rolling out more company-wide features.”

“We use 2-4 channels at a time, with roles assigned by department, plus a separate chat channel in addition to the main channel, to avoid having one channel overload,” continues Roberts. “This system not only offers the best audio quality, but is also much better than our previous system in managing the distance between team members. It’s like having a normal conversation with someone. You can hear the inflections in people’s voices, so it’s easy to tell who’s talking.”

The intuitive user interface of the Bolero system also enhances WNO communications.

“The user experience is very easy. The screen is easy to understand and the buttons are much better than the competition,” emphasized Roberts.

stage Manager, Amy Batty, echoing these claims, added: “The ergonomics are good and the buttons are intuitive and easy to access. You forget you’re wearing them and they become part of the day, part of the routine; no need to think, we just use it.

One of the most important requirements of this system is its portability. “With the new Riedel system, we just put it in the flight case and take it with us,” explains Roberts, who is responsible for maintaining and managing the communications system. “Once we got to a location, we dismantled the system, installed two antennas, and we were good to go.”

The project was a success for all parties involved, and WNO can now rely on the system for their entire touring season. “The end result of this project is a highly reliable, clear and portable system that allows for very good levels of communication whether in Cardiff or on tour,” comments Cottrell of Autograph.