Acoustical design of the Opera and Ballet Theatre in Astana, Kazakhstan

Abstract

The paper explains the design of the new Opera House in Astana as a landmark building for the new capital of Kazakhstan, characterized by multifunctional functionalities to welcome different kinds of activities.As requested by the Kazakhstan government, the building is a semi-classical theatre with traditional country decorations. The four tiers of balconies and the upper gallery form a modest house shoe shape with a seat capacity of ca. 1300 spectators, a volume of 11.400 m3 and a Reverberation Time, with empty hall, of 1.7 s (house curtain open).The paper describes the acoustic field and the design process to achieve an acoustic quality similar to that of the most famous Baroque Opera Houses, and its ability to resemble a classical theatre whilst also harmoniously including modern facilities and equipment. The evolution of a historic theatre in a modern design concept is explained. Computer simulations were conducted throughout the design period and a 1:20 wooden model was built to test the process, followed by final measurements on site.