With Harmonic Design, the energy of the dance ensemble reaches all the way to the upper gallery

For the DSM Dance School end-of-season performance at Milan’s Teatro Lirico Giorgio Gaber, technical service provider SUONO E LUCE chose a Harmonic Design sound system to address one of the most demanding challenges: ensuring consistent coverage throughout a historic venue with almost 1,400 seats, right up to the last row of the upper gallery. Thanks to the system design developed by Audio Effetti, the installation delivered a coherent sound image and consistent tonal balance across every area of the theatre.

Teatro Lirico is one of Milan’s oldest theatres. Reopened in 2021 following an extensive restoration, it preserves its original Italian-style architecture while incorporating modern technologies for music, dance, theatre and major events. Its seating is arranged across several levels, in a layout that requires particular attention to sound coverage.

Named after Giorgio Gaber, the venue features acoustics that are both complex and fascinating, making it a demanding test for high-performance sound systems and for technical providers required to ensure consistent coverage and speech intelligibility all the way to the upper gallery.

For DSM Dance School’s end-of-season performance, Teatro Lirico Giorgio Gaber in Milan welcomed a completely sold-out audience.

The challenge

The main challenge was bringing the energy of the ballet all the way to the back of the upper gallery without compromising tonal consistency or intelligibility. The artistic requirements added further constraints:

• Highly dynamic choreography, with the dancers moving into the stalls during the second half of the performance
• A completely clear stage, with no floor-based elements that could interfere with the scene
• Unobstructed aisles to allow the performers to move freely
• Consistent coverage from the front row to the upper gallery
• Tonal consistency between near-field and long-throw coverage

A conventional sound system would not have been enough. The project required a system capable of combining output, control and tonal consistency without encroaching on the performance space.

The solution

SUONO E LUCE, a technical service provider based in Seriate, near Bergamo, and an Audio Effetti customer, selected a Harmonic Design system comprising the following elements:

Main clusters (L/R)

On each side, a flown cluster comprising:

• 1 × HLS24P-LT long-throw module, designed to reach the upper gallery

 

• 2 × HLS24P modules for near-field and mid-distance coverage

The renowned HybridLineSource technology ensured tonal consistency and controlled dispersion, maintaining a uniform sound image throughout the venue.

Front rows

For the front rows, a simple yet effective choice:

• 1 × HLS20 per side

The same sonic signature as the main modules ensured a smooth transition between the near-field system and the flown clusters.

Subwoofers

• 2 × Infra218 subwoofers per side, positioned at the edges of the stage to keep the passageways clear and avoid any visual impact on the performance space.

Amplification

• 2 × QT12-ETH Class-D power amplifiers, each delivering 4 × 3,000 W at 4 ohms

The results

The Harmonic Design system delivered consistent sound coverage from the stalls to the upper gallery, with no dead zones or imbalances. Tonal consistency between the front-fill system and the flown clusters ensured a natural transition, even during the most dynamic moments of the choreography. Sound pressure levels remained controlled and never excessive, while still providing the impact needed to support the physical intensity of Poliseno’s choreography.

Integration with the scenic requirements was complete: the entire system operated discreetly yet with great effectiveness, supporting the performance without ever overpowering it and enhancing every musical detail.

The result was a consistent and engaging listening experience, where the technology did exactly what it was meant to do: support the performance and carry it intact to the very last seat.

Here is a comment from Sergio Felleti, Technical Director at SUONO E LUCE: “the system did not simply reproduce sound: it amplified the energy of a performance that was already powerful in its own right. Coverage was consistent throughout the venue, all the way to the upper gallery. Audio Effetti’s contribution during the design phase was invaluable: a collaboration that allowed us to make the most of the Harmonic Design system’s potential.”

Want to learn more?

Email us at international@audioeffetti.com