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Gerriets Equips New Oslo Opera House |
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Umkirch, October 21, 2008 A Curtain that simulates folded Aluminum Sheeting Gerriets, the theatrical equipment specialist, provided the new Oslo Opera House with draperies, curtains, track systems and projection screens. The new opera house in Oslo, designed by the Norwegian architects Snøhetta, is a highlight in design and architecture. The opening ceremony in April was broadcast live and celebrated across the entire country as a huge cultural event. The inauguration ceremony lured almost 1400 guests to Oslo. The building is 360 ft wide, 680 ft long and has a surface area of 414.410 ft² spread over more than 100 rooms. It has three stages including the main theater with 1358 seats. Norway spent more than 500 million Euros for the new opera house. Glass, Marble and a Spectacular Main Curtain: The opera house rises like an iceberg out of the Oslo fjord. Its marble roof made from 36,000 blocks of marble, is entirely accessible. Each block is computer designed, custom cut in Italy and then assembled like a huge three dimensional jig-saw puzzle. The building’s front consists of white Italian Carrara marble and Norwegian “Ice Green” granite mined from the west Norwegian area of Rennebu. The architectural conception has received international acclaim. The highest quality of materials was chosen for the new building. The same standards applied to the stage equipment. For the manufacturing of the main curtain, the American artist and designer Pae White worked closely together with Gerriets. A photograph of crumbled metal foil was transferred to a loom. The result is a woven, two-dimensional fabric with an amazing three-dimensional effect. The “aluminum-design”curtain is 74 ft x 36 ft and weighs 1100 lbs.
Draperies and Tracks All in all Gerriets manufactured and installed approximately 134,500 ft² of drops and projection screens and hundreds of meters of track systems in the building. For the main stage, Gerriets installed Pae White’s aluminum-design main curtain with a complete FENCE scissor track system that works for Tab and Venetian curtains. Gerriets also installed the textile covering of the proscenium arch and the vertically movable acoustic panels in the stage area. The complete stage equipment includes approximately 66,736 ft² of. Furthermore, Gerriets installed approximately 29,000 ft² of front and rear projection screens. In addition, Gerriets provided a 1200 ft of motor driven TRUMPF 95 track systems for a 19,300 ft² two layered sound curtain. The small stage was equipped with a 65 ft JOKER 95 track system and a main curtain made from CLIVIA in a customized red. The complete stage equipment consists of approximately 21,500 ft² of drapery and sound curtains. Furthermore there are approximately 12,900 ft² of projection screens and backdrops. A New Sound Curtain To meet the very high standard and specifications of the Norwegian technicians, Gerriets had to develop a new sound curtain material for the Oslo opera house. The result is Gerriets new CLIVIA 600 ECHO with its strong sound reflective qualities. The fabric has a velour-like texture and a sound reflective coating on the back. The newly developed acoustic curtains operate on TRUMPF 95 track systems with FRICTION-DRIVE motors. The FRICTION-DRIVE motors are developed by Gerriets and move directly on the track. Power supply is achieved through track integrated conductor rails. This track system enables extreme flexibility without the need for any operating cord. The careful choice of materials and planning of every detail of the new building has paid off. The overall effect is impressive. “The Oslo opera house is a powerful and beautiful statement, radiant with music and song, one that announces Norway's arrival as a cultural centre”, summarizes the Guardian. “Most of all, it's a building to be shared: anyone who travels to Oslo will want to see Snøhetta’s marble mountain.”
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