The renowned Glyndebourne opera house, best known for hosting an annual summer festival that is a cornerstone of the UK’s operatic calendar, has embraced Shure’s Axient Digital Wireless System to deliver unparalleled audio quality for its 2024 season. The Glyndebourne Festival runs each year from May to August, followed by an autumn season of opera and concerts that puts rising stars centre stage.
Glyndebourne has consistently pushed boundaries in operatic production. With Axient Digital technology, the opera house sets a new standard for world-class audio experiences.
The Axient Digital system at Glyndebourne serves multiple purposes, from facilitating communication during rehearsals to supporting high-quality recordings and broadcasts of productions. The system’s flexibility has proven particularly valuable in Glyndebourne’s repertory setting, enabling rapid redeployment of configurations between different productions.
To meet the complex audio demands of multiple simultaneous productions, Glyndebourne’s technical team turned to audio experts HD Pro Audio to implement a solution that could handle the rigorous requirements of live opera while maintaining the highest levels of audio fidelity. Shure’s industry-leading Axient Digital Wireless System, the benchmark for this type of production, was specified for the project.
The Shure equipment deployed at Glyndebourne consisted of a comprehensive array of Axient Digital technology. This included seven AD4Q Four-Channel Digital Wireless Receivers, 20 ADX1M Micro Bodypack Transmitter, one AD600 Axient Digital Spectrum Manager, two AD3 Digital Plug-on Wireless Transmitters, and four AD2 Handheld Wireless Microphone Transmitters. This sophisticated suite of equipment provided Glyndebourne with unparalleled flexibility and reliability in managing complex audio setups across productions.
Andy Huffer, Sales Director at HD Pro Audio, commented: “The Axient Digital frequency management’s ability to handle large numbers of channels within the same bandwidth was invaluable in managing the frequency-dense environment at the festival.”
The Head of Sound & Video at Glyndebourne Productions, Jonathan Moss, added: “Glyndebourne’s adoption of Axient Digital showcases the system’s versatility in high-stakes performance environments. The small, lightweight beltpacks have been a game-changer, allowing for easy concealment without compromising the intricate costume and wig designs or performer comfort. The integration with our SSL desk and the system’s robust frequency management capabilities provides a new level of freedom, control, and reliability that is crucial for live opera productions.”
“Reliability and consistency are paramount in live opera, and Axient Digital delivers that unequivocally,” Moss continued. “Shure’s Wireless Workbench software was straightforward to use and the Axient system’s integration with our production network makes simultaneous use across multiple applications effortless. It’s not just about sound quality – it’s about having a system we can trust night after night, regardless of the production’s demands.”
Peppe Mallozzi, Sales Manager at Shure, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership: “Working with an institution as prestigious as Glyndebourne is always exciting. Their use, and planned future use, of Axient Digital’s features, demonstrates the system’s capability to meet the exacting standards of world-class opera. We’re proud to play a role in bringing these incredible performances to life with pristine audio quality.”
In the coming years, the Glyndebourne team plans to explore the Axient Digital Quadversity options to provide coverage in its dressing rooms for testing as well as on the stage.
