Whether music fans, artists, or live sound engineers, the pursuit of higher-quality audio experiences has never ceased. In live performances, there is growing emphasis on sound fidelity, overall audio quality, as well as the convenience and smoothness of the workflow. A brilliant performance requires not only "perfect timing, ideal setting, and human harmony," but also relies heavily on high-quality equipment and hardware.
AAmong recent performance events, the youth edition of Gan Opera: Dream of the Red Chamber made a remarkable debut at the opening ceremony of the 8th Jiangxi Arts Festival, playing to a full house. Additionally, Kitten for a Crown Prince, a specially recommended production at the 9th Chinese Qinqiang Opera Festival, was also met with widespread acclaim.
Youth Version of Gan Opera A Dream of the Red Chamber
The youth edition of Gan Opera: The Dream of Red Chamber takes the "Begonia Poetry Club" as its narrative prelude, recreating classic scenes such as Baoyu and Daiyu's first meeting, Daiyu Burying the Blossoms, and Xiangyun Drunkenly Napping. It vividly portrays the shifting destinies of the various characters from the original masterpiece. The production not only demonstrates the unique charm of Gan Opera's stage artistry but also showcases the pinnacle of classical Chinese aesthetics.
The creative team behind the production is first-class nationally: Zhang Manjun, Vice President of the China Theatre Association and a renowned Chinese opera director with multiple national award-winning works to her name, serves as the director. The team also includes Liu Xinglin, Vice President of the China Institute of Stage Design, responsible for set design; Xing Xin in charge of lighting; and Li Ming handling sound design. Furthermore, the costume design was entrusted to the team behind the celebrated Poetic Dance: The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting from the CCTV Spring Festival Gala.
Stage design, costumes, styling, music and body movements all run through the concept of "youth". Integrating modern design concepts into the keynote of traditional aesthetics marks a breakthrough in ancient costume stage plays, which won full-house applause at the premiere.
In these traditional opera and drama performances, Mr. Li Ming has consistently chosen audio products from brands like Rupert Neve and Whirlwind. With the exceptional performance of these hardware devices, he has brought one splendid audio-visual feast after another to the live audiences.
Li Ming
Traditional Chinese opera performances are one of China's traditional arts. From a musical perspective, they can also be regarded as China's equivalent to opera and musicals. With a wide variety of fascinating genres, their performance forms integrate singing and dancing, recitation and vocalization, as well as literary and martial elements, combining the four essential skills of "singing, acting, reciting, and combat". Almost all opera performances are threaded through with music, which is why we often say that music is the soul of opera—an opera without music is incomplete. However, as our artistic taste has evolved, the audio requirements for live opera performances have gradually increased. Aware of this, Mr. Li Ming has been constantly exploring in his artistic journey, keeping pace with the times to discover the "audio marvels" in performances.
Next, let's take a look at which audio products from Rupert Neve and Whirlwind he used in these performances, and what magic attracted him? Let's explore together~
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Rupert Neve
As a "magic tool" that can enhance sound texture and expressiveness, the Rupert Neve 5045 Dual-Channel Sound Source Enhancer is reputed as "the most natural feedback suppression in the world".
The Rupert Neve 5045 Dual-Channel Sound Source Enhancer reduces the gain when there is no signal. During performances, it automatically allows the signal to pass through upon detecting someone speaking or singing into the microphone. When the person stops speaking or singing, it automatically senses the pause and appropriately reduces the gain, thus minimizing the tendency of system feedback.
Rupert Neve Designs features custom input and output transformers. Its all-analog circuitry delivers exceptional control and sonic performance without compromising the integrity of the sound source, allowing audiences to enjoy an "authentic" theatrical experience. This is also why the 5045 has become a processor on the market that can intuitively, naturally, and effectively reduce feedback.
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Rupert Neve Designs
The MBP is a multi-purpose VCA compression processor. The Neve Portico II MBP features dual-channel compression and limiter functions, as well as sound field width expansion and a powerful Silk transformer saturation function. While the MBP is simple and easy to operate, it also enables users to quickly achieve the quality and functional guarantees required for bus processing.
In live performances, Mr. Li Ming primarily uses the MBP for musical output to achieve overall timbre modification. When processing sound, he performs fine-tuning through the Silk function, which offers three different modes (OFF/Blue/Red) for selection. Considering the need for string instruments to have a "warmth" characteristic, Mr. Li Ming chooses the SILK RED mode. The principle of this mode is that by reducing negative feedback information in the output transformer, the corresponding harmonic information is perceived as strengthened, thereby altering the auditory experience.
Additionally, Mr. Li Ming also mentioned the sound field width expansion function of the MBP. The stereo sound field processing characteristics of the MBP enable it to "control" the width and depth of the stereo sound field. This capability effectively "amplifies" the performance of live traditional Chinese orchestras, making the on-site sound more shocking and immersive.
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Whirlwind pcUSB
The Whirlwind pcUSB converts digital audio into high-quality balanced stereo analog signals via a USB interface. It can be directly used as an output sound card for computers, supports long-distance transmission, and easily connects to PA systems, mixers, and other devices.
The plug-and-play feature and stable digital-to-balanced output of the pcUSB make it the ideal companion for portable digital-to-analog conversion and computer audio output applications in professional sound reinforcement.
In these theatrical performances, Mr. Li Ming spoke highly of the audio - products of Rupert Neve and Whirlwind brands. The high - quality products make the sound or music of the performance more highly restored, allowing artists to convey the most authentic sound to the audience and express their emotions through music. With the joint efforts of the director, the main creative team and the actors, the audience can enjoy the beauty of Chinese opera art more heartily.
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