Auditoria delivered the audio systems for the debut concert of the UAE National Orchestra, staged at Emirates Palace Theatre in Abu Dhabi last month. Produced by Done + Dusted, the performance marked the orchestra’s first public appearance and a significant cultural moment for the UAE.
Auditoria worked closely with Done + Dusted and the UAE National Orchestra to shape an audio approach that supported an immersive orchestral experience, alongside full multitrack recording and a broadcast-ready stereo mix prepared for immediate release.
“This was a special moment,” stated Scott Willsallen, Auditoria’s CEO and Sound Designer. “It was an important performance for the Orchestra, and everyone involved wanted to do it justice. The focus stayed on the music, how it sat in the room, how it connected with the audience, and how it could be presented in a way that felt right for the orchestra.”
Emirates Palace Theatre is a highly refined space, but one with clear limitations when it comes to contemporary audio design. Rigging opportunities are restricted, and many productions rely on ground-mounted loudspeaker systems positioned either side of the proscenium.
For this performance, there was a shared feeling that the orchestra deserved more than a standard solution.
Using Soundvision modelling, Auditoria explored alternative ways of working with the space, including placing the main frontal scene slightly upstage of the proscenium. Surround and overhead loudspeakers were treated as core elements of the design rather than optional extras, allowing the orchestra to be presented with a sense of depth and scale across the auditorium.
Delivering this required close collaboration with Pitchblack’s Mark Hammond, who supported the complex rigging requirements while preserving the intent of the design.
“It would have been easy to accept the usual approach,” Willsallen explained. “However, for a debut performance like this, that didn’t feel right. The challenge was finding a way to create space and dimension without compromising the theatre itself.”
At FOH, a DiGiCo Quantum 7 console supported the main orchestral mix, with a dedicated Quantum 7B handling the broadcast mix. Dual-redundant L-ISA processors provided spatial control, while AVB and AES signal paths ensured resilience throughout the system.
A carefully selected package of Schoeps microphones was used for orchestral capture, supporting both the live mix and the multitrack recordings. Dual-redundant QLab systems handled pre-show playback, while Reaper recording systems at both FOH and Broadcast positions ensured the performance was captured in full.
In addition to the main concert, Auditoria also designed and delivered audio and control systems for the theatre’s pre-function spaces, ensuring a cohesive experience from arrival through to performance.
“Everything needed to work together,” Willsallen commented. “The live mix, the recording, the broadcast feed, they all influence each other. If you don’t design for that early on, it becomes very hard to fix later.”
The performance was met with a very positive response from the client, musicians and audience alike, and was recorded and mixed on the night so it could be shared beyond the theatre.
For the UAE National Orchestra, the concert marked the start of a new chapter, supported by a production team focused on presenting orchestral music with care, craft and attention to detail.
