Teatro degli Arcimboldi ’s project was born from a requirement of Teatro alla Scala of having temporary and decentralised base during the renovation of the illustrious Piermarini building, situated in the centre of Milan.
The theatre, which can hold 2400 people, was chosen to be equipped with an electronic libretto system to guarantee a large turnout also to the temporary base and to try to achieve a younger public too.
Radio Marconi handled the design, the planning-phase, the installation and the coordination of the whole project, devising an over-seat mechanism provided with a clip. This system is modular, in order to provide the same service to every seat in the theatre, except the front row, which has special mechanical arms. All the technology was conceived to stand out against the hall, in order to achieve an immediate hi-tech effect.
The first experimentation with the Russian opera Boris Godunov took place on April 2001 and, after the opening ceremony occurred on 7 December 2001, the installation was finalized for the memorable première on 7 December 2002, with the opera Iphigenia et Aulide, directed from Maestro Riccardo Muti.
Large, glowing and enthusiastic were the attestations from both the public and the press which recognized Radio Marconi a unique technical and innovative ability.