Recording "Rigoletto"

For this style of orchestrations we do not need to put up a lot of microphones in the pit.
We installed 2 microphones on the brass but did not use them in the mix because they blended nicely in the other omnidirectional microphones.  There were 4 DPA 4006 on the first row of strings and 2 Schoeps MK2H as a large spaced pair in front of the orchestra.  There were 2 other Schoeps Omni's above the woodwinds, a Sennheiser MKH40 on the French Horns and a Neumann KM184 o the timpani to get some of the attack. Another DPA 4006 was placed at the big drum for the same reason.

Since the singers were flying in this production we installed 2 hypercardioide on the same level as which "Gilda" was singing.  This microphones were useful too for the choir singing in the set.  Two miniature DPA's were hidden in the center of the set and backstage was a Schoeps MSTC for the backstage choirs and a double setup of MD421 and DPA 4006 with different gains to capture the enormous dynamics of a big drum in the back.  We placed 6 Schoeps MK4 on the proscenium as directional boundary microphones.

In the hall we installed 3 pairs of microphones for ambiance, a pair of Schoeps MK2, a pair of AKG C414 for surround and a Schoeps MSTC for applause.

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Radio Mix

For the Radio Mix this setup was ok except for 1 moment where Rigoletto was too far from the main microphones, placed at the footlight.  All singers had wireless microphones but only for this one occasion was used his microphone on the radio mix.  The Mix was done on a stagetec desk installed in the OB Van from the flemmish radio.  The only outboard used was a TC Electronic Finalizer on the stereo buss.

Streaming Mix

For the stereo mix we mixed on a Protools HD9 system with  subgroups for orchestra, wireless, ambiance, footlight, stage, parallel compression and reverbs.

On the ambiance Aux was a Waves C1-SC with the side-chain focused on 1k to balance the applause and color the natural reverberation of the Hall.  The footlights aux had a C4 multiband compressor on it to reduce the footsteps with band 1 and the proximity effect with band 2, other bands were bypassed.

Where the radio mix must bring the listener to the theater, for video the voices must be in the center for 99% of the time.  In radio the singers must walk trough the stereo field and front and back to make the experience for the listener as if he or she is in the theater, but this approach does not work when looking at a screen.  Here were the wireless microphones much more important.

Theater Mix

The previous mix will be used for a 5.1 mix.