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The Metropolitan Opera

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The Metropolitan Opera

Customer:

The Metropolitan Opera

Location:

New York City, NY

The Customer

The Metropolitan Opera in New York City, NY is one of the world's leading performing arts institutions. With a legacy which dates back over a century, The Met is known for its creative ambition, vast technical scope, and a unique repertory model, staging multiple opera productions in rotation each week. John Kerswell has been the Director of Audio Operations since 2007, overseeing a team that delivers exceptional sound quality for both live audiences and global broadcasts through the Live in HD cinema series.

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Solution at a Glance:

  • The Metropolitan Opera in NYC, led by Director of Audio Operations John Kerswell, runs complex live and broadcast productions.
  • Rotating up to five operas weekly demands fast, reliable audio reconfiguration and handling of 80+ mics with live stereo/5.1 mixes.
  • Installed a Studer Vista V console system in 2019 with Infinity Cores, D23m/D21m units, and a Compact Stagebox.
  • Supports Dante, MADI, AES, and analog for seamless connection to wireless mics, radio, and OB trucks.
  • 4x Grammy-winning seasons with stable performance and expert support from Evertz.

The Challenge

As a repertory theatre, the Metropolitan Opera rehearses one production during the day and performs a different one in the evening, rotating up to five full-scale operas each week, placing unique demands on its audio system, which must be reconfigured quickly and perform reliably under pressure. Each production involves:

  • 30 x orchestral microphones
  • 10 x area vocal mics
  • 6 -8 x offstage mics
  • 2 x ambient mics
  • 8 x audience laughter mics (for comedy operas)
  • 28 x wireless mics for principal artists (14 primary +14 backup)

The Met also produces simultaneous stereo mixes for radio and discrete 5.1 mixes for cinema broadcasts, captured live with no retakes. With such complexity, operational flexibility and redundancy are non-negotiable.

The Solution

To meet these demands, The Met utilizes a Studer Vista V console, supported by:

  • 2 × Infinity Core (Compact Core 600)
  • 2 × D23m loaded with Dante, MADI, AES and analog IO
  • 4 × D21m loaded with Studer Transformer-based mic pre cards and analog line outs
  • 1 × Compact Stagebox

Prior to its installation in 2019, Kerswell had inherited a non-Studer setup, including an SSL C100 and outboard preamps, before reverting to Studer as the preferred solution. The Studer system enables fast, intuitive routing via the Vistonics interface and General Patch GUI, and supports a custom gain and panning strategy developed by the team to deliver simultaneous stereo and 5.1 mixes without the need for upmixing or downmixing. The Met's remote OB truck partner can also access a Studer Remote Stage Box to integrate with the in-house setup.

I was glad to move back to Studer. The microphone preamps are true to our microphones, the compressors are sweet, and the console's routing and channel control are unmatched. But more than anything, we rely on its robust redundancy. We've never had to switch over to the backup system, but without it, we wouldn't own the console. Our setup is uniquely complicated, and Studer makes it work, consistently, efficiently, and with a level of service that's second to none.

– John Kerswell | Director of Audio Operations & 4x Grammy winner | The Metropolitan Opera

The Conclusion

The Vista V setup hasn't changed since its installation, supporting four seasons of Grammy-winning productions for Best Opera Recording. It integrates with the Met's AV infrastructure via:

  • Dante (Sennheiser wireless microphone receivers)
  • MADI and analogue (remote truck interfacing)
  • AES (Axia Livewire for radio)
  • MADI (record machines)

The team responsible for live productions varies by scale and includes:

  • 2 - 4 audio team members placing body mics
  • 1 RF coordinator
  • 1 record machine operator
  • 1 mixer
  • 4 - 6 backstage and orchestra pit A2s
  • 1 radio broadcast/intermission mixer
  • Additional OB truck crew for cinema broadcasts (A1, audio EIC, console operator, intercom engineer, 3 A2s)

Since Evertz acquired Studer shortly after the Vista V was deployed, the Met has received consistent, expert support.

While most of the MET's recordings, which go back as far as the 1930s, have been digitized, there are some that remain on tape. This STUDER A807 is still used a few times each year to help in the digitization process.

We purchased the Vista V less than a year before Evertz acquired Studer. I'm happy to say it has been one pleasant professional and expert experience after another. Studer provides cards for all audio formats and, most recently SMPTE ST 2110 for integration with video networking systems. Service is unparalleled.

– John Kerswell | Director of Audio Operations & 4x Grammy winner | The Metropolitan Opera

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