Backstage at the Royal Opera House – The Opera Machine
The Opera Machine resource is an excellent way to see the variety of specialisms (and the large number of people) at the Royal Opera House during a show. http://www.roh.org.uk/opera-machine
You can view any of the 17 cameras at any point during the 1 hour 20 minute performance of Act III of Wagner’s Die Walküre, and even follow along with an interactive prompt-script.
From The Stage Guide, 1971 Electrics: Strand board in FOH control room. Dimmers – 240 (238 x 5kW and 2 x 10kW): 14 presets; groups – 40 memories.
Circuits – FOH 44; Flies 20; Stage dips 40; and 4 patch
Socket type – 15A BESA and 30A Reyrolle
Patching system: all battens and cycs; 28 FOH side spots and outlets, 40 on grid, 8 on bridges, 4 on stage.
Total capacity available – 1200A on 3 phases.
Special effects supply – 480A on 3 phases and 900A on 1 phase, and 2 x 3 phase supplies at 100A per phase.
Follow spots – 4 Xenon in dome
Footlights installed and cannot be covered. Sound: Console in basement. Amplifiers: 6 x 100W, 4 x 50W, 3 tape decks, 1 turntable.
Mic sockets – 40 (Reslo), 16 live inputs.
Loudspeaker sockets – 40 (including 2 in dome)
Seen on Film
Parts of the exterior of the building, as it was in 1948, can be seen in The Red Shoes, including Mart Street, which defined the edge of the Opera House at that point, before Covent Garden redevelopments removed it. The Bow Street (public) and Floral Street (stage door) entrances are shown clearly. More details.
