Located in Rạch Giá, the capital city of Kiên Giang province in Southwest Vietnam, the Kiên Giang Music Theater provides a cultural and artistic hub both to audiences from within the province and throughout the wider region.

In addition to its contemporary programme, the venue has gained recognition for its commitment to preserving and promoting the folk-art form of cải lương – a complex artistic genre that blends traditional melodies with various musical instruments. The theatre, therefore, serves as a prominent focal point for national cultural exchange and enrichment, with audiences expecting performances and production values of high artistic quality.

When the time came to modernise the sound system at the large theatre, many considerations came into play. Beyond the coverage and quality required to clearly convey the nuanced content and powerful emotions of the traditional performances, the system also needed to provide ample output capacity for contemporary programme.

To achieve this goal, integrator Truong Thinh worked with experts from Electro-Voice and Dynacord on a solution comprising two hangs of nine Electro-Voice X1 line array loudspeakers supported by ten X12-128 dual 18-inch subwoofers, all driven by Dynacord IPX series power amplifiers. This is accompanied by multiple Electro-Voice ETX and EKX powered speakers serving as fill and stage monitors, and a selection of Electro-Voice wired and wireless microphones. As well as delivering the coverage and power the theatre required from an acoustic angle, the PA’s compact form factor minimises its visual impact from an aesthetic perspective.

This system solution provides an exceptional audio experience for shows and events at the theatre and has invigorated the presentation of cải lương for new generations to enjoy – reaffirming the its prominence on a regional and national level for audiences and performing artists alike.