Staatsoper Berlin - Symphony of sorrowful songs

Umkirch, 25. November 2010

For the production of the “Symphony of sorrowful songs“ at the Staatsoper Berlin, Gerriets was asked to provide the mechanic and drive units for heavy slide-and-tilt wood panels.

For the production the stage designers of "Numen/For Use" around Sven Jonke created a wide open stage, with wood panel lanes defining a border between the main stage and the side stage.

Three pairs of parallel wood panels were fixed, four single panels should be able to slide horizontally over the stage and move between the dancers and actors of the Staatsoper Berlin.

The production was designed with Gerriets’ track system CARGO, a heavy duty track system available in four different profile sizes (S, M, L, XL) with a maximum load capacity of 1,200 kg ( 2645 lbs) per meter.
The final installation included four CARGO heavy duty track system configurations, each track system 17 m in length (56 ft) with a travel distance of 15 m (49 ft).

All movable panels and drive units can be positioned precisely and the numerous intermediate stops can be controlled anytime easily via touch screen.
Three of the CARGO M track systems were additionally equipped with a sophisticated horizontally movable tilt mechanism which allows an up to 15 degree tilt of the 11m (36 ft) high,  2 m (6.5 ft) wide and approx. 220 kg ( 485 lbs) wooden panels.

The production and the entire stage design with the respective technical equipment was planned to work as well for the stage at the Staatsoper as for the stage of the alternate venue Schillertheater.
The Staatsoper Berlin team was very satisfied with the technical solution and the stage designers thanked for the „perfect realization“ and expressed their willingness to continue the „successful cooperation“. Of course, we are very pleased with this feedback.

Please click here for the short “Symphony of Sorrowful Sounds” video on the Staatsoper Berlin website.