The renowned Glyndebourne opera house, best known for hosting an annual summer festival, is a cornerstone of the UK’s operatic calendar. The Glyndebourne Festival runs each year from May to August, followed by an autumn season of opera and concerts that puts rising stars center stage.
Glyndebourne has consistently pushed boundaries in operatic production, most recently with Shure’s Axient Digital technology.
The Axient Digital system at Glyndebourne serves multiple purposes, from facilitating communication during rehearsals to supporting high-quality recordings and broadcasts of productions. The system’s flexibility has proven particularly valuable in Glyndebourne’s repertory setting, enabling rapid redeployment of configurations among different productions.
To meet the complex audio demands of multiple simultaneous productions, Glyndebourne’s technical team turned to audio experts HD Pro Audio to implement a solution that could handle the rigorous requirements of live opera.
The Shure equipment deployed at Glyndebourne consisted of a comprehensive array of Axient Digital technology. This included seven AD4Q Four-Channel Digital Wireless Receivers, 20 ADX1M Micro Bodypack Transmitters, one AD600 Axient Digital Spectrum manager, two AD3 Digital Plug-on Wireless Transmitters, and four AD2 Handheld Wireless Microphone Transmitters. This sophisticated suite of equipment provided Glyndebourne with flexibility and reliability in managing audio setups across productions.
“The Axient Digital frequency management’s ability to handle large numbers of channels within the same bandwidth,” says Andy Huffer, Sales Director at HD Pro Audio. “It was invaluable in managing the frequency-dense environment at the festival.”
“Glyndebourne’s adoption of Axient Digital showcases the system’s versatility in high-stakes performance environments,” says Jonathan Moss, Head of Sound & Video at Glyndebourne Productions LTD. “The small, lightweight beltpacks have been a game-changer, allowing for easy concealment without compromising the intricate costume and wig designs or performer comfort. The integration with our SSL desk and the system’s frequency management capabilities provides a new level of freedom, control, and reliability that is crucial for live opera productions.
“Reliability and consistency are paramount in live opera, and Axient Digital delivers that unequivocally,” Moss continued. “Shure’s Wireless Workbench software was straightforward to use and the Axient system’s integration with our production network makes simultaneous use across multiple applications effortless. It’s not just about sound quality – it’s about having a system we can trust night after night, regardless of the production’s demands.”
In the coming years, the Glyndebourne team plans to explore the Axient Digital Quadversity options to provide coverage in its dressing rooms for testing as well as on the stage.
