Acoustic Reconstruction of Eszterháza Opera House Following New Archival Research
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
applied sciences Article Acoustic Reconstruction of Eszterháza Opera House Following New Archival Research Lamberto Tronchin 1,* , Francesca Merli 1 and Marco Dolci 2 1 Department of Architecture, University of Bologna, 47521 Cesena, Italy; [email protected] 2 Gruppo C.S.A Spa, via al Torrente 22, 47923 Rimini, Italy; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 20 October 2020; Accepted: 25 November 2020; Published: 9 December 2020 Abstract: The Eszterháza Opera House was a theatre built by the will of the Hungarian Prince Nikolaus Esterházy in the second half of the 18th century that had to compete in greatness and grandeur against Austrian Empire. The composer that inextricably linked his name to this theatre was Haydn that served the prince and composed pieces for him for many years. The Opera House disappeared from the palace complex maps around 1865 and was destroyed permanently during the Second World War. This study aims to reconstruct the original shape and materials of the theatre, thanks to the documents founded by researchers in the library of the Esterházy family at Forchtenstein, the Hungarian National Library, and analyze its acoustic behavior. With the 3D model of the theatre, acoustic simulations were performed using the architectural acoustic software Ramsete to understand its acoustical characteristics and if the architecture of the Eszterháza Opera House could favor the Prince’s listening. The obtained results show that the union between the large volume of the theatre and the reflective materials makes the Opera House a reverberant space. The acoustic parameters are considered acoustically favorable both for the music and for the speech transmission too. Moreover, the results confirm that the geometry and the shape of the Eszterháza Opera House favored the Prince’s view and listening, amplifying onstage voices and focusing the sound into his box. Keywords: Eszterháza Opera House; acoustic simulation; room acoustics; cultural heritage; virtual 3D acoustics 1. Introduction The research on the acoustic characteristic of historical buildings is becoming more and more frequently a theme on which researchers focus their attention, because acoustic is more often considered a cultural heritage and an important feature of several ancient important buildings such as Opera House [1–5]. To analyze the sound field of Opera House, in situ measurements are performed, placing a lot of receivers in the hall and some sound sources on stage and orchestra pit [6,7] and recording monaural and binaural impulse responses (RIRs). Finally, measured impulse responses are used for the calculation of the room acoustic parameters. Unfortunately, a lot of public and private theatres and their intangible cultural heritage, i.e., the acoustics, were devastated and demolished during past fires, wars, and natural disasters [8–10], such as for Eszterháza Opera House, a theatre built by Prince Nikolaus I Esterházy was destroyed during the Second World War. For this reason, computer simulation became an essential tool for the reconstruction of the acoustic field of ancient and destroyed theatres. The creation of a virtual acoustic model of a theatre allows to generate a signal and process the impulse response, from which it is possible to analyze the acoustic features and acoustic parameters of the reconstructed historical building. The 3D model of the historical Eszterháza Opera House was realized to rediscover the acoustics of this theatre and to analyze the position occupied by Prince Nikolaus I Esterházy during performances. Appl. Sci. 2020, 10, 8817; doi:10.3390/app10248817 www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci Appl. Sci. 2020, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 16 The 3D model of the historical Eszterháza Opera House was realized to rediscover the acoustics Appl. Sci. 2020, 10, 8817 2 of 15 of this theatre and to analyze the position occupied by Prince Nikolaus I Esterházy during performances. The second section illustrates a brief history of Eszterháza Eszterháza Opera House reporting some figures figures and drawings ofof thethe originaloriginal shape. shape. The The third third section section explains explains the the assumptions assumptions considered considered during during the thedevelopment development of the of the 3D model3D model and and scenarios. scenarios. Finally, Finally, the the results results and and conclusions conclusions are are discussed discussed in the in thelast last paragraphs. paragraphs. 2. The The History History of of Eszterháza Eszterháza Opera House EszterházaEszterháza is aa palacepalace locatedlocated in in Fert˝odtown, Fertőd town, a a location location in in northwestern north-western Hungary Hungary born born from from the theunion union oftwo of two towns towns Eszterh Eszterházaáza and and Süttöra Süttöra in in 1950. 1950. The The palace palace was was built builtin in RococRococòò stylestyle and was called the Hungarian Versailles. In 1720, Prince NikolausNikolaus EsterhEsterházyázy was used to spendspending much much of his of histime time in a in hunting a hunting lodge lodge called called Süttör, Süttör, which which was was designed designed by Antonby Anton Erhard Erhard Martinelli. Martinelli. In 1768, 1768, the the Prince Prince permanently permanently settled settled in inthe the hunting hunting lodge lodge that that was wasrenamed renamed “Eszterháza” “Eszterh áandza” becomeand become the nucleus the nucleus around around which which Eszterháza Eszterh Palaceáza Palace was built. was In built. 1763, In Nikolaus 1763, Nikolaus Esterházy Esterh startedázy thestarted construction the construction of the palace, of the palace, including including the Oper thea OperaHouse, House, which which had to had compete to compete in greatness in greatness and grandeurand grandeur against against the theAustrian Austrian imperial imperial residences. residences. The The Prince Prince entrusted entrusted the the construction construction of of the palace to the architect Melchior Hefele, and the new palace had to be an extension of a pre-existing hunting lodge. SinceSince 1768,1768, thethe constructionconstruction of of the the first first Opera Opera House House was has completed been completed and many and musical many musicalentertainments entertainments were performed. have been However, performed. the Opera However, House burned the Opera down inHouse November burned 1779 down and was in Novemberreplaced by 1779 a second and Operawas replaced House, andby a the second construction Opera House, of the second and the theatre construction continued of from the second 1779 to theatreFebruary continued 1781 [11 ]from (Figure 17791). to February 1781 [11] (Figure 1). Figure 1. DrawingDrawing of of the the second second Eszterháza Eszterháza Opera Opera House. House. Enlarged Enlarged detail detail of of Antonio Antonio Pesci’s Pesci’s painting painting depicting thethe south south facade facade of theof the palace–Modified palace–(Építés (Ézetipíté szetiMúzeum—Museum Múzeum—Museum of Ar ofchitecture, Architecture, Budapest). Budapest). The new,new, reconstructed reconstructed Opera Opera House House was was inaugurated inaugurated with with the performance the performance of Haydn, of Haydn, La fedelt Laà fedeltàpremiata. premiata. The construction The construction phases of phases the second of the Opera second House Opera and House the materials and the usedmaterials for its used realization for its wererealization tidily were registered tidily by registered the Esterh byázy the administration. Esterházy administration. A document A entitled document “Extent entitled of the “Extent masonry of workthe masonry regarding work the regarding new playhouse” the new of playhouse” the court engineer of the court Michael engineer Stöger Michael confirms Stöger that the confirms new theatre that wasthe new built theatre on the was site thatbuilt had on the been site previously that had occupiedbeen previously by the firstoccupied Opera by House. the first Prince Opera Nikolaus House. Princeordered Nikolaus that the secondordered theatre that the had second to be theatre very similar had to in be dimensions very similar to Schönbrunnin dimensions theatre. to Schönbrunn From the theatre.examination From ofthe the examination drawings ofof thethe Operadrawings House of the dated Opera 1784 House (Figure dated2) and 1784 recent (Figure pictures 2) and ofrecent the picturesSchönbrunn of the theatre Schönbrunn (Figure theatre3), one can(Figure discover 3), one that can some discover of the that main some characteristics of the main ofcharacteristics the current oflayout the current of Schönbrunn’s layout of Schönbrunn’s interior resemble interior the historicalresemble planthe historical of Eszterh planáza: of the Eszterháza: oval hallwith the oval a raised hall withgallery a raised on three gallery sides, on in three which sides, the in central which section, the central opposite section, to theopposite stage, to was the reserved stage, was to thereserved Price tofamily. the Price The Royalfamily. box The was Royal supported box was by supported stone columns by stone and coveredcolumns by and a canopy covered and by surrounded a canopy and by two side-boxes. At Eszterháza Opera House, the Royal box was connected with the galleries and with such an arrangement, the Prince could leave his Royal box and visit his visitors and his court sitting Appl. Sci. 2020, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 3 of 16 surrounded by two side-boxes. At Eszterháza Opera House, the Royal box was connected with the galleriesAppl.