intelligentsoundsolutions
Project: National Centre for the Performing Arts , Mumbai
Artiste: Various
Venue: NCPA campus
Date: 2024-2025
Audience size: 200-1100 per event
As Technical Consultant to the National Centre for the Performing Arts Richard’s relationship with the centre continues to grow.
One of the primary functions within his role is to work on special projects including the refurbishment of the entire Campus. A master plan was conceived and presented to the senior management board, including our Chairman Mr Khushroo Suntook before taking it to the funders.
In brief, funding has now been secured for the Tata Theatre and work has begun albeit in early stages. We thank Tata Trust for their ongoing support in this matter.
The Symphony Orchestra of India – set up by Mr Suntook with Marat Bisengaliev as Musical Director- goes from strength to strength. In the last year alone it has performed with Maestro Zubin Mehta for two seasons with Sir Mark Elder closing the February 2025 season. Maestro Martyn Brabbins has agreed to join SOI as Chief Conductor from January 2026.
Maestro Placido Domingo’s annual opera competition Operalia came to our campus in September 2024 and SOI rose to the occasion. The standard of the international competitors was extraordinarily high, with expectations of the support required equally high. Mr Kale (Chief Executive- Technical) and his technical team brought together the requirements including 16m by 9m screen that provide the backdrop to the stage throughout.
Bruce Guthrie – Head of Theatre and Film- has kept the technical team busy with a huge range of shows from Constellations, shown here. 190 light bulbs had to be video mapped and coordinated with sound and lighting. The team brought together experience and knowledge to lock sound, video and lighting to a single control point to provide a seamless production in very limited timescales.
Connections brought together 16 schools, each doing a performance fully supported from the in house teams. This was, for the first time in 2024, supported by a dedicated education project called Backstage Pass designed to encourage and educate young students in the bizarre worlds of stage management, lighting, sound, set and costume design.
The Indian music and Dance department continue to present extraordinary artistes whilst International Music, the music academy and library continue to grow apace.
Richard’s personal involvement across the centre is a vital part of his yearly work and he thanks Mr Suntook, the senior management team and the entire technical for their tolerance of his mad ideas and their support in implementing them.