SOUND SPACE VISION

The opening of a brand-new new opera house anywhere in the world is bound to bring equal measures of trepidation and anticipation. Will the acoustics meet with the approval of critics and the public alike? And will the whole experience—the sightlines, the ambience created by the décor, the comfort of the audience and the confidence of performers in the venue—add up to an unequivocal success?

Whether the venture is funded by a public body or a private individual, minimising the risks is always a priority. A firm of acousticians with a good track record is therefore likely to find itself much in demand. This was certainly the case with Sound Space Vision (SSV), the company given responsibility of the sonics at the new 400-seat opera house at Nevill Holt, a private estate in the middle of rural England. For a decade, opera performances at Nevill Holt were staged in a temporary