CLIENT
Betty Productions
LOCATION
Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, UAE
YEAR
2019
PROJECT TYPE
National Ceremony – Live Event
Scope
Stadium-wide audio system design and control for national broadcast event
Services Provided
- →Audio system design and optimisation
- →Signal distribution and show control
- →Playback system design
- →Onsite support and technical direction
- →Broadcast mix interface
- →FOH and Broadcast mix engineers, Replay operators, systems engineering
The Brief
The 48th UAE National Day Ceremony was staged at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, celebrating the country’s rich heritage through a powerful blend of storytelling, tradition and live performance.
Working alongside Betty Productions, our role was to deliver an audio system that supported both the creative ambition and technical demands of the production, ensuring that every word, note and effect was clearly heard across the 40,000-capacity venue, while also meeting the precision required for international broadcast.
The Challenge
While the audio system had a clear structural layout, the complexity lay in the scale and precision required. The stadium’s asymmetrical architecture, tiered seating and designated VVIP tribune required us to deploy an intelligent system that delivered consistent sound across varied listening positions.
Another key challenge was the tight coordination between FOH, broadcast, and show control, particularly with theatrical cues and pre-recorded content needing to align to exact timecodes and camera cuts.
Our Approach
We designed a distributed stereo system across three key zones: the lower bowl, upper bowl, and VVIP seating area.
For the ground-stacked arrays covering the lower bowl, we used 12 clusters of L-Acoustics K2, each paired with SB28 subwoofers to provide warmth and low-end energy. These provided powerful yet controlled coverage close to the performance zone.
The delay ring, mounted higher in the structure, comprised 12 arrays of L-Acoustics KARA, ensuring intelligibility and balance in the upper tiers.
In the VVIP area, we implemented a highly focused, low-profile solution using L-Acoustics 5XT, X8 and Syva SUB loudspeakers, carefully integrated into the seating layout. Each 5XT was mounted on a plinth between every two guests, providing intimate stereo imaging while maintaining visual elegance.
At FOH, a dual DiGiCo SD5 system was used for mixing, operating in mirrored configuration to provide redundancy. Signal routing and distribution were handled via Optocore network devices and SD Racks, with signals feeding multiple LA-Racks distributed around the stadium.
Show control was managed through a dual-redundant Ovation playback system as the timecode host for the show, operated by Steve Logan and Federico Rizzi, allowing for high-precision triggering of music, FX and atmospheres in sync with staging and lighting.
Technical Highlights:
Audio Design
Loudspeaker System
- Lower Bowl: 12 ground stacks of 3x K2 + 4x SB28 (36 K2 and 48 SB28 total)
- Upper Bowl Delay Ring: 12 arrays of 6x KARA
- VVIP Tribune: 150x 5XT in stereo pairs, 16x X8, 6x Syva SUBs
Audio Control
- Dual DiGiCo SD5 consoles receiving replay inputs via MADI
- Optocore fibre network for distribution
- Multiple SD Racks and LA-Racks for system management
Show Control Design
Dual-redundant Ovation systems by Merging Technologies
Horus audio interfaces each delivering 128-channels of MADI output
Operated by Steve Logan and Federico Rizzi
The Results
The ceremony was a seamless audio experience, rich, articulate and immersive, supporting the storytelling and emotional arc of the event with clarity and precision.
From the grandeur of the full-stadium cues to the intimate moments shared in the VVIP tribune, the system delivered a coherent and compelling soundscape that matched the ceremony’s artistic ambition.
Broadcast requirements were met without compromise, and the collaborative effort across FOH, replay and systems ensured flawless delivery on the night.
Acknowledgements
Our Client
A huge thanks to Catherine and Kate from Betty Productions for inviting us to be involved in this project and congratulations to the whole team for delivering a beautiful piece of stadium theatre.
Our Team
The Audio system was designed by Scott Willsallen. Our team also included Fabio Venturi on FOH, Steve Logan and Federico Rizzi on replay, Martin Dineley on systems and Tim Summerhayes looking after the broadcast mix.
Our Supplier
Thanks to Andy Jackson and his team from PRG Delta Sound for supplying, installing and maintaining the system for us.
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