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Journal of Undergraduate Research

Keywords

natural reverberation, The Phantom of the Opera, Broadway, audio technologies

College

Fine Arts and Communications

Department

Theatre and Media Arts

Abstract

They say the neon lights are bright on Broadway, but potentially more incredible is the sound achieved by the audio engineers of the famous theatre district. These artists apply the world’s best audio technologies to create the sound of the American Musical. One of the most notable sound experiences a theatregoer can find in New York is The Phantom of the Opera, the longest running musical in Broadway History. This production is famous for the powerful music composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber. It has a high level of spectacle-focused entertainment, from flying chandeliers to the Phantom’s mystical presence being audibly heard throughout the theatre. The sound of the show is clearly a main focus. So the question can be asked, “how is such a notable sound created each night?” One major component is considering the source of the sound – where is it being generated, or where is it being heard from? Anyone who has attended this production knows that its aural environment is unique. The Phantom’s voice is everywhere, and it actually sounds like he is in the crevices of the theatre; this is because there are many sources of sound. Having a diverse number of speaker locations takes advantage of natural reverberation of the space. It creates sound by using the space rather than digitally manipulating it. That is exactly what my creative project sought to identify: how can theatrical sound designers route audio signals to create this spectacular sound?

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