After more than five years of construction and a total investment of €65 million, the region of San Lorenzo Del Escorial in Spain has opened its new theatre complex. With a main hall of 1,200 seats – surpassed in capacity only by the Teatro Real in Madrid – and another theatre with room for up to 300 audience members the complex is a showcase of all that is excellent in theatre design.
The acoustics and machinery have been planned by a great team of international consultants including José Luis Tamayo (stage) and Vicente Mestre Sancho (acoustics). All of the state-of-art mechanics in the auditorium are motorised, making it the only venue other than the Teatro Real in the region with this feature. The audio system has been installed by the firm Auditel and their work continues the high quality theme. The auditorium has two YAMAHA PM1D mixing systems with 48 analogue inputs, 16 analogue outputs and 32 AES/EBU digital inputs/outputs capable of servicing both halls in the auditorium.
The two CS1D control surfaces can be repositioned as required in the control room, the stalls or on-stage using the YAMAHA PM1D’s cable system. The signals from both the main and second halls can also be shared between both YAMAHA PM1D units. Auditel chose the YAMAHA mixing systems because of their high audio quality, proven reliability, the flexibility to work in the two spaces and the high level of acceptance of the PM1D in the world of theatre production.
The building has ten floors, eight of which are underground, which required the excavation of the rock on which the theatre is constructed. The material chosen for the exterior is a type of granite rock in harmony with the environs which will age to match the colouring of the historic buildings in the area.
A performance hall, twenty dressing rooms, various hairdressing salons, tailor’s shops and laundrettes, five department stores, three cafes and offices account for the remainder of the premises, the design of which has safeguarded a type of pinsapo – a protected species of tree – situated in a prominent part of the theatre auditorium.
