Renowned Opera Singer Maria Callas Returns to the Stage for Innovative Hologram Tour
DPA Microphones Delivers Magical Results For Unprecedented Event’s Live Orchestral Accompaniment.
For Callas in Concert, beloved opera singer Maria Callas was
brought back to the stage via hologram, 40 years after her passing. A live
orchestra accompanied digital remastered recordings of Callas for the
production, which presented FOH and Recording Engineer Howard “Howie” Lindeman
with a unique challenge. Since the show was focused around the visual of Callas
on stage, and the hologram system used to project her image, Lindeman needed to
find a low-profile microphone that would not be obtrusive on-stage, while still
providing the highest audio quality for the live orchestral instruments.
Lindeman turned to the 4099 Instrument Microphone from DPA Microphones because
of its sound, lightweight design and compact size of the instrument mic clips.
In all, Lindeman and his team deployed a total of twenty-seven 4099 Instrument
Microphones (with mic clips) for the 14 violins, six violas, five cellos and
two upright basses that were used for the concert.
“The major challenge on this project was the real estate that mic stands take
up on a stage,” says Lindeman. “DPA’s 4099 not only alleviated that problem,
but also allowed a close-mic recording. Instead of area miking with several
large condenser mics, and fighting potential feedback, the 4099s allowed us to
mic up all of the string players and really showcased the talent of each
musician.”
Produced by BASE Hologram, the tour launched in California before heading to
Mexico and South America, and then returned to the United States ahead of its
European leg. DPA was brought into the production through Sound Image, a leading
provider of sound reinforcement services for the music industry.
“The 4099’s were an effective tool in amplifying the sounds of the string
section,” adds FOH tech and A2, Harrison Ruhl. “The 4099s sounded transparent
and allowed Howie to make the entire orchestra sound incredible with minimal EQ
and the appropriate high-pass filtering. The basses and cellos sounded full and
present. The mic handled the low-end content incredibly well, and its low
profile made attachment very easy without hindering the player.”
A long-time user of DPA mics, Lindeman continues to be impressed with the
results he gets. “Regarding the audio quality of the DPA mics, the answer is
simple – flawless,” he says. “The 4099 is the ideal live mic solution for
any string player. The 4099s deliver a sound that is as close to flat as you
can get with little high-pass filtering. As expected, they worked wonderfully
well on this unique and creative project. I do prefer and, when I can, demand
DPA.”
Since implementation of the 4099 Instrument Mic for Callas in Concert, DPA has
released a new, upgraded instrument microphone, the 4099 CORE Instrument
Microphone that adds another layer of sound quality. The CORE by DPA technology
brings more clarity and details to music across the entire dynamic range.
Contact us for more information on DPA Microphone products.