Hoan Kiem Theater - perspective from 'architectural acoustics'

Leonard Bernstein - American conductor, composer, author, music teacher and pianist, "one of the most talented and successful musicians in American history according to The New York Times , said so, in a lecture on acoustics on CBS, first broadcast in 1962.

"Conductor" of the theater

It's not the people holding the baton conducting the orchestra. It's a different concept in the theater.

Violinist Caroline Campbell performs at the August Symphony Concert at the Hoan Kiem Theater

In 1999, during the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Sydney Chamber Orchestra conductor Edo de Waart told Australia's ABC that the backstage sound amplification system at the Sydney Opera House was extremely bad, largely due to poor acoustics. The theater's untreated acoustic environment caused direct and reflected sound waves to constantly interact, add to, or cancel each other out. This uncontrolled sound reflection created a chaotic environment where listeners who needed to concentrate on listening to music were constantly distracted. The theater had to "pay" $153 million to hire a sound company to improve the acoustics.

From the "price" of the Sydney Opera House, many theaters around the world have increasingly emphasized the role of acoustics - something that can create an environment where sound is optimized for both performers and audience, enhancing the overall auditory experience.

Basically, when listening to music, the audience will hear two types of sounds, one is the sound from the instrument that goes straight to the ear, the other is the sound that is reflected by the walls and ceiling and reaches the ear after a very short time, called echo, but is often confused with reverberation - a taboo in a concert hall. The more echo, the more lively, loud and thick the music becomes. But if there is too much echo, the sound will be too thick and become chaotic. Acoustic research has found that the optimal reverberation time is about 2 seconds.

And to achieve this ideal number, it is necessary to control well the surfaces in the room where absorption and reflection occur such as walls, ceilings, floors, etc. and calculate the height, depth or width of the ceiling. In other words, it is the strong connection between acoustics and architecture, to create a quality theater. Therefore, designing a concert hall is like composing a symphony in which acoustics plays the role of a "conductor", helping to shape the flow of musical emotions, while creating a fascinating auditory experience for the audience.

The first international concert held at Ho Guom Theater

How "resonant" has acoustics become in theaters in Vietnam?

Let's consider the above acoustic standards in two theaters that can be considered to have the best facilities in Vietnam today, which are the Hanoi Opera House and most recently the Hoan Kiem Theater - a cultural project dedicated to the Ministry of Public Security and Hanoi City.

Typically, the architectural layout of theaters is designed to be curved to ensure optimal sound transmission and distribution. Elements such as walls and ceilings are strategically placed to prevent sound waves from being trapped, or overly concentrated in specific areas. The two theaters we are talking about are designed to accommodate a variety of musical genres.

Therefore, the Opera House is not a place for symphony music. Every time there is an academic performance, they have to build a wall with 3 panels to enclose the orchestra, so that the sound can be emitted outside. Not to mention that the theater uses velvet to cover the seats, carpets, curtains, etc., so the sound is absorbed and has no diffusion.

Until now, we have had a concert hall with quite standard acoustics, which is at the National Academy of Music. But it is too small, compared to the needs of a city of 8.4 million people like Hanoi.

What about the new Hoan Kiem Theater? It is also a theater designed to meet the diverse performance requirements of many different art forms, from the most demanding such as opera to symphonies, musicals, dance, to modern music performances, seminars, television shows...

Audience enjoying the August Symphony concert

Since the first show on August 17th, a series of art shows have been "tested" at the theater, as a way for the audience, artists, designers, and sound engineers to "soundcheck" and gradually perfect a theater sound system that, as far as I know, is the most modern in the world.

The acoustic principles in this magnificent theater's architecture, I dare not affirm that it has reached the most international standards today. But the theater's sound equipment that I know, is one of the systems that comply with the most advanced and modern standards in the world, provided by Meyer Sound - a supplier of sound equipment for Broadway stages and theaters around the world.

Mr. John Pellower - representative of Meyer Sound Laboratories (USA) affirmed that the Constellation speaker system, sensor microphones around the auditorium and stage shell area, sophisticated digital signal processor... can adjust the reverberation characteristics, ideal reverberation time at a location and distribute sound evenly throughout the auditorium, creating a natural sound experience at every seat.

I didn't really believe this until I attended the August Symphony concert at the Hoan Kiem Theater on the evening of August 18. The sound system was still under construction, but it brought listeners close to the point where they could "touch every sound".

The first concert at Ho Guom Theater was a success beyond expectations.

When Caroline Campbell played solo, her enchanting tones, her extremely individual and free-spirited staccato and drop-offs not only showed off the talent of the female artist considered a "master" of the violin. Those tones also showed off something else, which was the theater's sound system. Until Caroline Campbell stopped playing, the audience could still hear the tones floating in space, beautiful.

Three famous opera singers, Oliver Johnston (UK), Corinne Winters (USA), and Dao To Loan (Vietnam), took turns bringing the audience to the most sublime levels. The most impressive was Corinne Winters, she sang as if she wasn't singing. The sounds seemed to come from the air, flying through the sound system to the listener's ears, naturally like breathing, like the sound of flowing water, the sound of birds chirping in a heavenly space. Dao To Loan seemed to be grounded at first, but then, she performed with a truly worthy inner strength, which, in my opinion, was not much less than that of her seniors.

The Sun Symphony Orchestra (SSO) needs no further explanation. I have always considered this to be the best symphony orchestra that Vietnam has to offer. Under the direction of the talented conductor Olivier Ochanine, the August Symphony concert was very special in all three genres, especially opera. I have not missed a single performance of the SSO since its establishment and I can also say that all of the SSO's programs are very attractive. This time, the sound system has even raised that attraction to another level, as Roman Vorobyov - Belarusian violinist of the SSO said: "The sound system is superb. You don't have to worry about the sound, just play and go as you like. The notes become clearer. The 3D sound system creates a magical feeling".

If we compare an orchestra to a football team, then a stadium and a standard lawn contribute greatly to the success of a football match. Likewise, with a concert, the luxurious architecture of the theater and a good sound system contribute greatly to the success of the night. The Hoan Kiem Theater has done that, after nearly a century, Hanoi has only one cathedral, the Opera House - which is architecturally unparalleled, but not for symphony concerts.

Exterior architecture of Hoan Kiem Theater

People often say that academic art is selective of its audience. I think that perhaps the quality of our orchestras is still low compared to the world, and we don't have a standard theater yet. The programs of orchestras that have performed in Hanoi such as Philadelphia, Tokyo, Berlin Orchestra, or Dang Thai Son's solo shows... are always packed with audiences, and finding tickets at high prices is not easy. Therefore, ask yourself: Have I performed well? Is it still dirty? before asking: Why do audiences turn their backs on me? 9999 gold is always valuable wherever it is.

So, although I do not want to praise Minister To Lam, but perhaps frankly speaking, he dared to think about the culture and art of Hanoi, when deciding to build the Ho Guom Theater. The Ministry of Public Security has achieved a cultural feat that no other ministry has been able to do: Building a beautiful theater in the capital, opening a new page for Vietnam's performing arts. Along with the Opera House, this will be a new "arts cathedral", an "architectural art heritage" and "acoustic art" for future generations. And with what is modern as it is today, our artists will also have the opportunity to mature, like Dao To Loan of the August Symphony, standing next to two seniors, two globally renowned opera artists Oliver Johnston and Corinne Winters.

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