Exploring the Stage at the Opéra national de Lorraine
Take a look at the technical elements hiding behind the scenes at the opera house.
The Proscenium
The stage proscenium opens out onto the main hall of the opera house. It is a fixed opening (34 ft x 20.9 ft) at the edge of the stage, built into the architecture of the room.
The Safety Curtain
Found at the front of the stage, the safety curtain can immediately be deployed to protect the hall if a fire breaks out on stage.
The Fly Loft
Situated above the stage, the fly loft is made up of a grid and walkways. There are 59 feet between the stage floor and the underside of the grid.
The Battens
Battens are metal tubes in the fly loft, to which scenery, lighting fixtures, or other equipment is attached. Each one can support a load of 550 lb. Motors are used for heavier elements.
The Lines
Scenery technicians use lines to control the equipment attached to the battens. Blocks the same weight as the equipment attached to the battens are fastened to the other end of the lines. This counterbalancing system is used to lower or lift items attached to the battens.
These are the blocks, the same weight as the equipment attached to the battens, that counterbalance.
The Locks
The locks are used to raise a batten to equip it, park it (hide a piece of scenery in the loft), and also to secure a batten after adjusting it to ensure safety.
The Walkways
At each level, walkways overhang the stage, allowing technicians to pass from stage left to stage right (known in French as the garden and courtyard sides respectively).
The Grid
The grid is the top level of the stage set-up. Here, you can find the cables supporting the battens.
Grid's floor is made of boards, which are giving it the french denomination of "grill" as a reference to the kitchen tool.
The Head Blocks
Each batten is held by five lines: these steel cables start at the grid and are distributed by head blocks.
The Ghost Light
When the opera house closes its doors, the ghost light alone remains on the stage. This permanently illuminated light helps you to get your bearings when the stage is plunged into darkness.
You are all set!
Your first Culture Weekly will arrive this week.