AES Show 2024 NY

Traditional opera recording techniques using large microphone systems are typically less flexible towards experimental singer choreographies, which have the potential of being adapted to immersive and interactive representations such as Virtual Reality (VR) applications. The authors present an engineering report on implementing two microphone systems for recording an experimental opera production in a medium-sized theatre: a 7.0.4 hybrid array of Lindberg’s 2L and the Bowles spatial arrays and a volumetric array consisting of three higher-order Ambisonic microphones in Left/Center/Right (LCR) formation. Details of both microphone setups are first described, followed by post-production techniques for multichannel loudspeaker playback and 6 degrees-of-freedom (6DoF) binaural rendering for VR experiences. Finally, the authors conclude with observations from informal listening critique sessions and discuss the technical challenges and aesthetic choices involved during the recording and post-production stages in the hope of inspiring future projects on a larger scale.