CLIENT
Wizcraft
LOCATION
Jawaharlal Nehru (JN) Stadium, Delhi, India
YEAR
2010
PROJECT TYPE
Opening and Closing Ceremonies
Scope
Stadium sound system design and show control support for large-scale ceremonies
Services Provided
- →Stadium loudspeaker system design
- →Show control coordination
- →Signal distribution design
- →Systems engineering support
The Brief
Auditoria were engaged by Wizcraft to design the stadium audio systems for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games, staged at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
The ceremonies brought together large-scale performance, music and broadcast coverage for a global audience. The audio system needed to support both the in-stadium experience and the television broadcast while operating within the technical and environmental constraints of the venue.
The Challenge
The most significant challenges on this project were environmental. During the preparation period, the stadium frequently experienced flooding across parts of the venue, which made infrastructure deployment and power management particularly difficult.
Alongside this, the production period took place in extremely hot conditions. Protecting equipment and maintaining stable operation across the system required constant attention from the technical teams working on site.
Despite these conditions, the show systems still needed to operate consistently for rehearsals and the live ceremonies.
Our Approach
The audio system was designed around JBL Vertec loudspeakers powered by Crown amplifiers, providing stadium coverage suitable for both ceremony performance and audience reinforcement.
Yamaha mixing consoles supported the show operation, while signal transport across the system was handled through an Optocore distribution network.
Given the conditions on site, the focus remained on keeping the system stable and operational throughout the rehearsal and performance period. Much of the work involved adapting to the environment and ensuring the infrastructure continued to function reliably despite the challenges.
Technical Highlights:
Audio Design
JBL Vertec line array loudspeakers
Crown amplification
Yamaha mixing consoles
Optocore signal distribution network
The Results
Despite difficult environmental conditions throughout the preparation period, the ceremonies were delivered successfully at JN Stadium.
The audio system supported both the live stadium audience and the broadcast production, operating reliably across rehearsals and the live events themselves.
The project stands as a reminder that large-scale ceremony work often depends as much on resilience and adaptability as it does on system design.
Acknowledgements
Our Client
Wizcraft
Our Team
Scott Willsallen – Audio Design
Audio Suppliers
Norwest Productions
Sound.com
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