DG 1110.3.120
DESIGN GUIDE: MUSIC AND DRAMA CENTERS
JANUARY 1981
C H A P T E R 3: ACCESSORY EQUIPMENT
Chamber music and small ensembles
a. Legitimate Drama:
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would not suffer greatly if some adjust-
Not possible.
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ment were made, especially at the stage
enclosure.
b. Dance:
Skillful lighting and backdrop design can
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Similar concerns of 650 seat Music, with-
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mitigate apparent distortion of human
out benefit of Open Stage suspended grid.
scale.
Existence of balcony improves potential
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The Room is slightly large for recital inti-
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for Dance, although house size would
macy, and too reverberant (1.4-1.6 sec-
mean extreme distance from rear seats.
onds desirable).
Extension into audience would be more
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f. Opera:
feasible, especially with 3-side balcony,
but extension introduces problems of en-
Provision of stagehouse and pit essential
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try of dancers, stage lighting, and reorient-
(5000 s.f.).
ing fixed seats. Not likely except for "rug
Operatic drama begs for a flyloft, deep
concert" seatless occasions.
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stage and generous orchestra pit. Operatic
drama also fares better with shorter sight-
c. Musical Drama:
lines and more intimacy than afforded by
Provision of stagehouse and pit (4500 s.f.)
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the plan described. This typically leads to
essential.
the high, tiered horseshoe plan.
Stagehouse accommodations may dis-
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Serious consideration of opera would be-
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pense with flyloft if generous offstage and
gin at this capacity normally, in particular
wingspace is included. This means com-
"intimate" opera as opposed to Wagner-
promise of primary use by requirement of
ian spectacle.
demountable orchestra shell.
Treated as light opera, Musical Drama con-
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Orchestra pit is essential for reasonably
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siderations would apply with somewhat
unobstructed vision and Drama lighting
less success dramatically, but better per-
angles.
formance musically.
Reverberation time should be cut drasti-
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If serious effort is to be devoted to opera,
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cally. Introduction of sufficient absorption
consider designing the Room for it, since
will select out mid and high frequencies,
opera criteria combine requirements for
resulting in a weak, unnatural voice qual-
orchestral Music and large scale Drama.
ity. Selective sound reinforcement would
be desirable.
House size and viewing distance sightlines
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acceptable for infrequent Musical Drama
3-8. ACCESSORY
use, or Broadway revues.
EQUIPMENT
d. Choral:
50 musicians and 200 voices could occupy
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the stage described, without pit.
Accessory equipment includes fixed and move-
With an extended stage for more musi-
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able devices, fittings, scenic properties, draper-
cians, large works (Beethoven's Ninth
ies, rigging and control systems that are desir-
Symphony) are possible.
able and often necessary to each performance
With 50 musicians in an 800 s.f. pit, major
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type. Equipment design cannot be separated
choral works for 350 voices might be
from or sequential to the Room design; it should
heard.
not be thought of as "added to" the building.
Acoustical design and theater stage technology
Reverberation time would be just right
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are subjects for specialized technical consultants.
(1.7-2.0 seconds desirable).
The architect's role is to coordinate consultants'
e. Recital:
efforts with the concerns of using service and
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