One of Hungary’s most prominent intellectual and cultural cities, Debrecen recently opened the doors on a new cultural jewel, Csokonai Fórum – a multi-functional theatre and training complex designed to meet the needs of modern theatre productions. Chromasound was chosen as the audio supplier for the venue, installing a DiGiCo 4REA processor, along with a Quantum 7, SD12 and two mobile SD11 consoles.
‘Building a theatre from the ground up is the dream of every company, as it offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create a historic landmark,’ says Chromasound Project Manager, Gábor Gallai. ‘The experts working on this project wanted to establish a modern theatre complex that also brings the classic vibe of the city’s much-loved Csokonai Theater to its visitors.
‘We were thrilled to support theatre’s team and bring this remarkable project to life,’ he continues. ‘The brief was short and clear – the audio technology had to be future-orientated so it would last for many years, be both versatile and easy to handle, while delivering exceptional sound.’
In all, the 9,000m2 facility boasts three spacious multi-purpose auditoria – the Zoltán Latinovits room that can accommodate up to 350 people; the Árpád Kóti room, built for 150 people; and the Aszimmetria Restaurant, that is also suitable for staging theatre productions.
One of the most spectacular areas of the building is the foyer, with a high ceiling filled with thousands of lights. This was also the most challenging part of the project for the contractors from an architectural point of view. ‘That makes the final result all the more rewarding for the theatre team. It’s absolutely stunning,’ says Gallai.
With the Csokonai Theater having used DiGiCo’s SD9 for many years, there was little doubt as to which consoles would go into the new venue. ‘It had to be DiGiCo,’ says Chromasound’s Daniel Enyedi. ‘Their flexibility, rock-steady reliability and exceptional sound quality, combined with an intuitive workflow, meant there was no other option. Not to mention that such a complex network of consoles, I/O racks and locations could not be handled any other way.’
Following equipment delivery and installation, which took additional time due to Covid-19 lockdowns, every area of the Csokonai Fórum theatre has now been equipped with DiGiCo systems.
‘The flagship console of our DiGiCo fleet is the Quantum 7 – the first of its kind in Hungary – which now serves the Zoltán Latinovits hall, the theatre’s largest space,’ Enyedi explains. ‘An SD12 is used in the slightly smaller studio stage, Árpád Kóti, with both set-ups using SD-Racks populated with DiGiCo’s 32-bit cards. The two mobile SD11s offer flexibility and can be used in any location within the theatre, depending on the production type and the size of the room.
‘Additionally, the theatre’s diverse programme also required in-ear monitoring, with transparent immersive mixes via a Klang:fabrik processor.’
Bálint Rédei, head engineer at Chromasound further notes that each device and location is connected via a venue-wide Optocore network running at 96kHz. ‘This gives us the stability and speed needed in such a multi-functional facility, and the possibility to expand the system in the future,’ he says.
With the daily operation requiring a high degree of flexibility, a Dante network is also being used to connect other devices, such as A168D and A164D IO expanders, microphone receivers and the in-ear system.
Sitting at the heart of the system is the 4REA4 processor, linking both networks and carrying out tasks such as connecting to the background music and intercom systems, or taking over duties on piano rehearsals and directors’ mics. ‘Basically, it takes care of all operations where no sound technician is needed, with the processor fulfilling an important 24/7 job reliably and in the background,’ Rédei says.
‘From the outset, we wanted to have a DiGiCo solution implemented throughout the Csokonai Fórum because we knew it was the best brand for theatre productions,’ says András Endi, Live Sound Engineer at Csokonai Színház [the holding company for Csokonai Theatre and Csokonai Fórum]. ‘Following the installation, our opinion of the brand and the system have remained unchanged – DiGiCo is the brand for theatres.
With the theatre audio crew already familiar with the SD-Range, giving an overview of the complete system was easy and straightforward for Chromasound. ‘Even though the team was well versed on the consoles’ features and interface, they were and are still amazed by how much DiGiCo consoles let them be part of the creative process,’ says Enyedi. ‘This also gives inspiration to the other departments within the theatre.’
Following the official opening of the Fórum, the company has embarked on a major renovation of Debrecen’s oldest and largest theatre, Csokonai Theatre.
‘We are working very closely with the Csokonai Színház theatre group to bring DiGiCo’s sound signature to the historic Csokonai Theatre, a project we hope will also be completed with flying colours very soon,’ Gallai concludes. ‘DiGiCo has been invaluable during the entire process, from the first sketches of planning to the official opening, they have offered great support. We look forward to continuing working with DiGiCo on the Csokonai Theatre project and many more in the future.’
