The Sound Engineering at the Vienna State Opera
Chief sound engineer shares the challenges of live performance in a world-class historical venue.
Judit Hollos Spoerli, Corporate Communications Manager at LEMO
Stage Events
Oct 19, 2026
Music
As twilight settles over Vienna, the curtain rises on Mozart's beloved opera The Magic Flute. When the Queen of the Night unleashes the piercing opening notes of her famous “rage aria,” over 2,000 pairs of eyes and ears are spellbound, drawn to the vibrant stage of the Vienna State Opera. Her dazzling coloratura soars effortlessly, carried with crystalline clarity through the Staatsoper's masterfully tuned sound system.
Backstage, unseen by the enraptured audience, lies a delicate cobweb of cables and connectors—an intricate, silent network binding microphone to loudspeaker, performer to listener. Athanasios Rovakis is the head of the Audio and Video Department and is responsible for ensuring that every performance sounds perfect—from rehearsals to final curtain, sound quality is paramount. Rovakis leads a team of thirteen professionals where a typical day involves rehearsals in the morning or an evening performance, and on some days both.
The iconic Vienna State Opera opened on May 25, 1869. A blend of Gothic and Renaissance elements, with some details even influenced by Emperor Franz Joseph himself. The now world-famous Staatsoper, cherished by the people of Vienna, offers 1709 seats and 435 standing places. Each season, around 350 performances of over 60 different operas and ballets take place on the main stage and in the state rooms, alongside over 800 guided tours and other events. In total, around 900,000 people visit the opera house each season.
Precision connectivity behind the scenes is handled by LEMO connectors, which play a crucial role in sound quality. The company’s 4S.304 connectors are hooked to the microphones and loudspeakers all over backstage, some of which have been there for nearly thirty years without failure. Other connectors include the 4E.675 and 3K.93C SMPTE, which are used to bridge to the world beyond the state—the Austrian Television’s OB vans linked to the heart of the stage. Again, these connectors have operated night after night for hundreds of performances every season—unseen but essential.
According to Rovakis, “The geometry of the hall, the materials used, acoustic reflectors, and the layout of the boxes all contribute to the unique sound.” Yet, working with a historic building has its challenges. All technological upgrades must be carefully integrated to respect the existing architecture. The overall setup uses a wide range of equipment because the selection for each production must ensure that any sound system change is compatible with all sixty productions in the repertoire.
Equipment selection is only made after thorough testing, to be sure that it meets the specific needs of the performances. “Over the past ten years, we have upgraded to a modern digital mixing console, installed wireless systems, high-quality modern loudspeakers, and a powerful video projector,” Rovakis said. The team performs a complete system check before every performance, which includes the connectors. According to Rovakis, “LEMO connectors have proven to be incredibly reliable.”
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Lead image credit: ©Wiener Staatsoper/ Michael Pöhn.