Acoustics of Unique Baroque Theatre in Český Krumlov
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Acoustics of Unique Baroque Theatre in Český Krumlov 1 Ing. Jana Dolejší 2 PhDr. Pavel Slavko 3 Ing. Ladislav Pouzar - photoes 4,5 Ing. Monika Rychtariková, PhD. 1 Studio D – akustika s.r.o., Žižkova 12, 371 22 České Budějovice, Czech Republic [email protected] 2 PhDr. Pavel Slavko, director of Castle Český Krumlov , Czech Republic 3 Ing. Ladislav Pouzar - www.pouzar.cz , Czech Republic 4 Laboratory of Acoustics and Thermal Physics, K.U.Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200 D, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium 5 Department of Building constructions, STU Bratislava, Radlinskeho 11, 81368, Bratislava, Slovakia Abstract The castle theater in the Český Krumlov is a unique historical site in Europe which represents a valuable example of a theater with Baroque scenes from the late 18 th century. It was preserved with exceptional completeness and authenticity since it was never destroyed by fire, and during the last two centuries it was not modernized. The baroque period must be understood as a universal style with many methods of expression which act in harmony, and the individual elements must complement each other and be interconnected to produce an effective unit. It was a challenge to experimentally prove these relationships and connections in as wide context as possible (i.e. relations between the architecture, contemporary scene lighting, perspectives and proportions, roomacoustic properties, contemporary musical interpretations and vocal techniques, placing of the orchestra and other. According to musicians, actors and audience is this theatre known as a hall with excellent acoustic condition. However, no room acoustic measurements were performed in the theatre in the last century. This article report on results from the acoustical measurements and simulation in the main hall of the theatre which help us to understand which acoustical values people find pleasant in the room of this character. History of Baroque Theater by PhDr.Pavel Slavko The Unique Baroque Theater is situated in castle in the historical center of the town Český Krumlov and the entire state castle complex are both a national cultural historical reservation, both on the list of UNESCO. The town of Český Krumlov is an exceptional historical site from the 16 th century Renaissance and the 18 th century Baroque and has a very special atmosphere. On the fifth courtyard of the castle there is a very special historical object, the castle’s Baroque theater, which is a unique historical site in Europe. It represents a valuable example of a theater with Baroque scenes from the late 18 th century. It was preserved with exceptional completeness and authenticity. It has never burned, and during the last two centuries it was not modernized. In 1680 the duke of Eggenberg, Johann Kristian, had the first theater built, because the capacity of the theater hall inside the castle was no longer big enough. According to historical documentation of the workers, much of the work on the theater continued until 1683, and some of the work continued until 1686. The architect of the theater is not definitely known. We do know that the construction work was organized by the Italian builders Giacommo Antonio de Maggi and Giovanni Maria
Transcript of Acoustics of Unique Baroque Theatre in Český Krumlov
Acoustics of Unique Baroque Theatre in Český Krumlov
1Ing. Jana Dolejší
2PhDr. Pavel Slavko
3Ing. Ladislav Pouzar - photoes
4,5Ing. Monika Rychtariková, PhD.
1Studio D – akustika s.r.o., Žižkova 12, 371 22 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
[email protected] 2PhDr. Pavel Slavko, director of Castle Český Krumlov , Czech Republic
3Ing. Ladislav Pouzar - www.pouzar.cz , Czech Republic
4Laboratory of Acoustics and Thermal Physics, K.U.Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200 D, 3001 Heverlee,
Belgium 5Department of Building constructions, STU Bratislava, Radlinskeho 11, 81368, Bratislava, Slovakia
Abstract The castle theater in the Český Krumlov is a unique historical site in Europe which represents
a valuable example of a theater with Baroque scenes from the late 18th
century. It was
preserved with exceptional completeness and authenticity since it was never destroyed by fire,
and during the last two centuries it was not modernized.
The baroque period must be understood as a universal style with many methods of expression
which act in harmony, and the individual elements must complement each other and be
interconnected to produce an effective unit. It was a challenge to experimentally prove these
relationships and connections in as wide context as possible (i.e. relations between the
architecture, contemporary scene lighting, perspectives and proportions, roomacoustic
properties, contemporary musical interpretations and vocal techniques, placing of the
orchestra and other. According to musicians, actors and audience is this theatre known as a
hall with excellent acoustic condition. However, no room acoustic measurements were
performed in the theatre in the last century. This article report on results from the acoustical
measurements and simulation in the main hall of the theatre which help us to understand
which acoustical values people find pleasant in the room of this character.
History of Baroque Theater by PhDr.Pavel Slavko
The Unique Baroque Theater is situated in castle in the historical center of the town Český
Krumlov and the entire state castle complex are both a national cultural historical reservation,
both on the list of UNESCO. The town of Český Krumlov is an exceptional historical site
from the 16th
century Renaissance and the 18th
century Baroque and has a very special
atmosphere.
On the fifth courtyard of the castle there is a very special historical object, the castle’s
Baroque theater, which is a unique historical site in Europe. It represents a valuable example
of a theater with Baroque scenes from the late 18th
century. It was preserved with exceptional
completeness and authenticity. It has never burned, and during the last two centuries it was
not modernized.
In 1680 the duke of Eggenberg, Johann Kristian, had the first theater built, because the
capacity of the theater hall inside the castle was no longer big enough. According to historical
documentation of the workers, much of the work on the theater continued until 1683, and
some of the work continued until 1686.
The architect of the theater is not definitely known. We do know that the construction work
was organized by the Italian builders Giacommo Antonio de Maggi and Giovanni Maria
Spinetti, and later by Giovanni Canevalle. Johann Martin Schaumberger, a painter from
Salzburg, painted the decorations for 16 scenes. Laurentius Khuenmihlner did carpentry work
on the roof of the building and construction of the theater machinery.
In May 1732 a very special visitor came to Cesky Krumlov from Vienna, the “Director of the
Emperor’s Music and Theater, Count Lamberg, theater engineer of Bibiena and Pietro
Metastazio”. He came to prepare the castle and theater for the visit of the Viennese Emperor
Charles the Sixth. But during a hunting accident, the emperor shot his host, count Adam Franz
of Schwarzenberg, the ruler of Cesky Krumlov castle. The preparations for the visit were
stopped, and the celebrations and planned theater performances were cancelled.
In 1762 the count of Schwarzenberg, Josef Adam, had the theater reconstructed. The plans for
the Baroque reconstruction were probably prepared by Andreas Altomonte, Josef Franz
Fortini was the builder, and Laurentius Makh did carpentry work on the wooden construction
and machinery.
Most of the work like construction, carpentry, painting, weaving, blacksmithing,
locksmithing, stove mending, glass fitting, stone working and other work was done mostly
before 1766, and some work continued up until 1768. Johann Wetschel and Leo Merkhel, the
theater painters from Vienna, painted the fresco artwork around the stage and a collection of
decorations for at least 11 scenes. The painters were obviously inspired by the classic Baroque
theater art of Guiseppe Galli-Bibieni.
Plans and information about the reconstruction of the roof of the Baroque theater have been
preserved from 1879. This work changed some of the special Baroque effects in the area
above the stage, but they did not fundamentally change the theater.
All of the artistic and technical equipment of the theater is located partly in the theater itself
and partly in the neighboring building, which is used as a theater museum.
The preserved theater repertoire is very large and very valuable. During the 17th
and 18th
centuries over 2,400 librettos for dramas, comedies, operas and ballets were collected in the
castle library. Part of this collection is several hundred volumes of musical scores and
partituras.
Proof of the rich theater culture of the Český Krumlov castle is preserved in material objects
(the theatre building, stage, orchestra pit, auditorium, stage machinery, fire-fighting and
signalization technology, technical props, etc.), in written pieces (librettos, partituras,
particelas, notes), in literature (books about theater art, about the repertoire, dances,
ceremonies, festivals, construction and craftsmanship principles), in pictures and iconographic
materials (examples of costumes, scenes, drafts, studies, portraits, with musical, dance and
theater subjects). This rich study material offers the possibility of the complex study of theater
history.
Cesky Krumlov castle theatre is unique also because there are not many places in Europe that
offer the possibility to study the complex relations, individual connections and context of
theater culture, or to verify it in its authentic environment.
In the beginning of the 20th
century the castle theater was used only sometimes and usually
not for the public-publicly. Only two records from 1903 and 1906 talk about the use of the
theater for social events.
In 1966 the theater buildings and equipment were declared to be in catastrophic condition.
The state historical caretakers finally had good reasons to have the theater closed. The theater
was closed for regular theatrical performances and to the public.
Discussions and regular professional meetings were important, because they decided on the
concept of renovation which is used today.
The construction and restoration work on the technical and artistic principles of the castle
theater gave us deeper knowledge, which was revealed by the inventory and documentation
work. This opened up another area of problems associated with historical usage of the
theater. In the beginning, the restoration and completion of the stage devices required only
simple analyses of the functions of the individual stage mechanisms. The completion of the
scene and decorations required more demanding analyses of the principles of scene changing,
and this whole process led to the experimental investigation of historic theater techniques.
The Baroque period must be understood as a universal style with many methods of
expression. These methods must act in harmony, and the individual elements must
complement each other, intertwine and be interconnected to produce an effective whole. It
was a challenge to experimentally prove these relationships and connections in as wide a
context as possible – the relation of the architecture, the illusive paintings of the interior, the
period scene lighting, the reflectivity of materials, intensity of contours and colored areas, the
perspectives and proportions, acoustics, period musical interpretations and the placing of the
orchestra, period scenes and director practices, Baroque gesture traditions, facial gestures,
period vocal techniques, dance and ballet, costumes and costume accessories, makeup, and
more. The technical knowlegdes by using the newest methods in the area of acoustics have
been also part of this research.
Photoes from interieur of Baroque Theatre
2. Acoustics properties of Baroque Theatre in Český Krumlov
One of parameters which were checked up in interieur hall of Baroque Theatre was room
acoustics, too, what has never been examine before. Measuring of reveberation time was
provided in 1998 as in empty as in full hall. Acoustcs simulation of theatre hall was provided
in 2007. Measured values correspond to chamber music and singing solos. The Baroque
Theatre was above all established for chamber music. Impressions of movement and head
and on the top of it uncertainties about accurate limits of space have been characteristics for
chamber theatre. As the spectacor as auditor are looking forward to these all. Different
sound effects exciting impression of secrecy to be exponentiated which were very oft used in
baroque dramas, operas and musical plays. It is evident from measured values of reveberation
time but also from simulation od room acoustics the architect had calculated with this fact
and he understand how to advise this one.
Picture 1 : Schema of measuring of reveberation time
Photoes from interieur
Roomacoustic simulation of the theatre This report contains results from the acoustical simulation of the baroque theatre in the castle
in Český Krumlov. All simulations were performed in the roomacoustical prediction software
CATT acoustic v8.0e. Model was calibrated according the measurement of the reverberation
time in the occupied hall.
In the calculations, omnidirectional soundsource (A0) with a white noise spectrum (80dB at
1kHz) was chosen. Results are given in the six octave bands 125 – 4000Hz on 11 receiver
positions (0-10). In the simulation, 80 000 rays were used for each octave band calculation.
Picture 2: Interior of the theatre model
The acoustical simulations confirmed good acoustical quality of theatre. Distribution of tone
in area has seemed as uniform which is evident on the picture 2 ( strenght G). Values of
clarity C80 move between valuese 2 – 8 dB which is profitable for chamber music and
singing solos. Sound transmission index reachs value about 60% .
Reverberation time RT (s)
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
1.6
125 250 500 1k 2k 4k
T3
0 [s
]
f [Hz]
average reverberation time
measurement
simulation
Strenght G(dB)
0
1 0
2 0
3 0
4 0
5 0
6 0 L F [ % ] 1 k H z
A 0
- 1 0
0
1 0
2 0
3 0 G [ d B ] 1 k H z
A 0
Clarity C80(dB)
3 0
4 0
5 0
6 0
7 0
8 0
9 0
1 0 0 D - 5 0 [ % ] 1 k H z
A 0
- 4
1
6
1 1
1 6
C - 8 0 [ d B ] 1 k H z
A 0
Sound transmission index STI (%)
%
R #
S T I u s e r ( w i t h / w i t h o u t n o i s e )
0 2 4 6 8 1 0 0
2 0
4 0
6 0
8 0
1 0 0
B k g S P L : < 4 5 . 0 3 8 . 0 3 2 . 0 2 8 . 0 2 5 . 0 2 3 . 0 : 2 1 . 0 - > d B
B A D
P O O R
F A I R
G O O D
E X C .
[ 0 - > 9 9 ] S T I u s e r [ % ] ( w i t h n o i s e )
%
R #
T I o c t ( w i t h o u t n o i s e )
0 2 4 6 8 1 0 0
2 0
4 0
6 0
8 0
1 0 0
S R C A 0 1 2 5 2 5 0 5 0 0 1 k 2 k 4 k 8 k
Clearness D 50 (%)
3 0
4 0
5 0
6 0
7 0
8 0
9 0
1 0 0 D - 5 0 [ % ] 1 k H z
A 0
- 4
1
6
1 1
1 6
C - 8 0 [ d B ] 1 k H z
A 0
Picture 3 Results of acoustical simulation of chosen parameters
0
1 0
2 0
3 0
4 0
5 0
6 0
7 0
0
1 0
2 0
3 0
4 0
5 0
6 0
0
1 0
2 0
3 0
4 0
5 0
6 0
0
1 0
2 0
3 0
4 0
5 0
6 0
A 0
L F [ % ] 1 k H z 0 . 0 0 < t < 2 0 . 0 m s
A 0
L F [ % ] 1 k H z 2 0 . 0 < t < 5 0 . 0 m s
A 0
L F [ % ] 1 k H z 5 0 . 0 < t < 8 0 . 0 m s
A 0
L F [ % ] 1 k H z 8 0 . 0 < t < 2 0 0 . 0 m s
Picture 4:
Literature: 1. The acoustics of Baroque Theatre AKUSTIKA ISSN 1801-9064 Vol. 9/2008
2. Protocol about Measuring of reveberation time L23/237/1999 Studio D – akustika
s.r.o.
3. The archive of Castle Český Krumlov
