Theatre Design & Technology - May 1974 - 26

control booth for lighting control. At the rear of the 2nd
balcony, another control block houses a booth for audio
control and a booth for translators. The auditorium also
co n ta ins a variety of outlets for loudspeakers,
licrophones and television cameras. There are also
spotlight positions and new inlets for air conditioning and
heating. All of this new technical equipment has been very
carefully incorporated into the historical interior of the
auditorium with a great sensitivity to the tasteful
surroundings.

theatrical and literary artists who lost their lives in World
War II are located. This gallery also contains a bust of
Bedrich Smetana for whom the theatre is named and a
tablet in his memory.
Cloakrooms on the ground floor (Figure 2.) were
relocated. The space gained in this change enlarged and
broadened the promenades at the sides and rear of the
auditorium shell. These areas also contain closed circuit
television monitors for the use of latecomers. The upper
balcony originally included terraces. These have now been
enclosed and contain restrooms as well as a number of
dressing rooms for performances (Figure 3, No. 12.).

The theatre's stage area was completely rebuilt. A drum
turntable measuring 15 meters in diameter and weighing
100 tons was installed. Space for the turntable was
provided beneath the stage and a special foundation
housing is isolated against underground water by
pressurized watertight treatment of the materials used in
its construction. The bottom position of this foundation's
footing is situated 4 meters below the wall footings of the
stage house and is thus unaffected by the pressures
generated by the walls. The turntable is divided into six
separate lifts and two circular segments. Each table may
be raised or lowered a distance of two meters from the
stage floor level. Each of the six sections can also be
turned independently of the others. The sections may also
be tilted individually or collectively. The theatre's section,
Figure 4., shows just such a configuration as a dashed line
above stage level.

In the auditorium, a new floor built at a steeper angle
than the previous one, provides improved sight lines
(Figure 4.). A new seating configuration was devised
simultaneously with the angle of vision in order that
optimal conditions would be present for the entire
audience. Auditorium lighting was redesigned. The
original fixtures in the boxes were retained. These were
abetted by some smaller lamps all designed to provide
improved illumination levels.
Complimenting the sight lines and auditorium
illumination was the attention paid to the auditorium.
The plaster walls were carefully repaired, the paintings
and stucco figures were renewed and all the stucco
ornaments and decorations regilded. A technical block
(Figure 5.) was installed at the rear of the orchestra
seating. It contains projection equipment and a separate

A new metal curtain, weighing 12.3 tons, was built into

16
15
14

Longitudinal Section

SMETANA THEATRE

26

~

1
2
3
4
5
6
7

-

Vestibule
Foyer
Foyer - Lounge
Auditorium
First floor balcony
Second floor balcony
Sound box

8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16

-

Projection
Lighting box
Orchestra pit
Stage
Lower Stage
Backstage
Soloist dressing room
Chorus dressing room
Chorus dressing room

THEATRE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

MAY. 1974
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