CLIENT
DAE Global
LOCATION
Al Ain, UAE
YEAR
2025
PROJECT TYPE
Reopening Ceremony
Scope
Full audio system and show control design, timecode and playback management, sound design, and broadcast audio supervision.
Services Provided
- →Audio system design
- →Show control and timecode management
- →Front of House mixing
- →Systems engineering
- →Sound design and SFX creation
- →Broadcast audio supervision
- →Project management
The Brief
Auditoria were engaged by DAE Global to design and deliver the complete audio and control systems for the reopening ceremony of the Al Ain Museum, the UAE’s first museum, originally founded in 1969 by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
The event marked the museum’s official reopening after an extensive redevelopment that blends heritage with modern design. Staged outdoors between the museum’s entrance and Al Ain Oasis, the ceremony told the story of Al Ain through a series of theatrical and projection-based sequences, moving through distinct eras through to the 20th century.
A combination of cinematic sound, narration, and performance created a rich and immersive experience for the audience, set against the historic backdrop of the museum and adjacent Sultan Fort.
The Challenge
The project timeline was particularly tight for a ceremony of this scale and complexity, with just eight weeks from concept to delivery.
The creative and technical teams faced a number of challenges
- Achieving excellent audio coverage across a large outdoor grandstand while preserving clean sightlines to the museum façade and stage.
- Integrating sound design and music playback that supported the storytelling without drawing attention to the technology.
- Delivering an immersive audio experience that felt natural, balanced, and emotionally engaging, all within a highly constrained installation footprint.
Our Approach
Auditoria collaborated closely with DAE’s creative and technical teams, including Chelsey Raysbrook, David Atkins, Tarmo Krimm and Shannon Gobell, with Musicom providing music content, Luke Halls Studio delivering video content design, and Electric Blue Design leading the lighting.
To balance the need for coverage, clarity, and discretion, the team adopted a combined nearfield, far-field, and rear-surround loudspeaker approach. Over 300 L-Acoustics 5XT and 50 SB10i loudspeakers were built into the grandstand seating to create a nearfield stereo experience for every listener, while four compact KARA II arrays and 14 X6i loudspeakers integrated within the stage fascia provided depth and spatial placement. A rear-surround layer of twelve X12 loudspeakers further enhanced the immersive environment.
At the heart of the system was a dual-engine DiGiCo Quantum 7 console, paired with dual-redundant Ovation replay systems delivering 128 channels of MADI each, all connected via a robust Optocore network. This configuration provided precise timecode delivery and management, and ensured seamless playback, redundancy, and flexibility.
Spatial audio control and room engine generation was provided by a pair of L-Acoustics L-ISA II Processors, one inserted across each engine of the Quantum 7 console for redundancy. Spatial movements were programmed during the mixing process and triggered by timecode during the performance.
In the final weeks of design, Auditoria adapted the original wide-stereo system to the layered configuration described above, a decision that greatly improved both immersion and visual discretion.
Technical Highlights:
Audio Design
Over 300 L-Acoustics 5XT and 50 SB10i speakers built into the grandstand seating for nearfield stereo imaging
Four KARA II arrays and 14 X6i speakers integrated within the stage fascia
Twelve X12 rear-surround loudspeakers for spatial enhancement
Use of L-Acoustics L-ISA platform for spatial audio control and programming
Dual-engine DiGiCo Quantum 7 console
Dedicated Optocore loop for MADI transport and timecode distribution
Backup AES feeds to amplifiers and synchronised program distribution to all departments
Dual-redundant L-ISA Processors for spatial processing
Show Control Design
Dual-redundant Ovation replay systems (128ch each)
Audio Production
Creation of sound design content including room tones and specific storytelling SFX
The Results
The reopening ceremony was a powerful celebration of Al Ain’s cultural legacy with a theatrical blend of projection, performance, and music that honoured the past while looking to the future.
Auditoria’s design delivered exceptional clarity, localisation, and immersion across the audience area, enhancing each chapter of the story with carefully crafted soundscapes and dynamic playback. Despite the compressed timeline, the integration between creative, technical, and production teams ensured an elegant, reliable, and emotionally resonant result.
Acknowledgements
Our Client
DAE Global
Our Team
Scott Willsallen – Sound Designer
Richard Sharratt – FOH Mix Engineer
Joe Callister – Replay Operator
Merlin O’Brien – Replay Operator
Ethan Curry – Systems Engineer & Broadcast Audio Supervisor
Our Supplier
Clair Global
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