DiGiCo has provided mixing consoles for the ‘Marvels of Saudi Tour‘ performance by the Saudi National Orchestra and Choir at the Palace of Versailles in France. Three DiGiCo Quantum 852s were deployed at the front of house, monitor and broadcast positions, with engineers using onboard features including the Mustard Source Expander and customisable surface for channel access.
The show included a 64-person choir comprising 16 French and 48 Saudi Arabian singers, with over 250 inputs on stage. The performance was broadcast live in September and featured traditional Arabic instruments, such as the oud, alongside French instruments like the accordion.
Audio equipment was supplied by French rental company MPM, with engineers employed by audio solutions company Loud N Clear. Loud N Clear, founded in 1985, owns several DiGiCo consoles, including SD8, SD10, Quantum 338, Quantum 7 and two Quantum 852s.
Roger Bou Farhat, founder, Loud N Clear, said: “No matter the style of music, DiGiCo consoles just adapt, it’s what we love most about them. One night we might be mixing a rock band, the next an electronic festival or a classical performance. DiGiCo consoles give us the tools to handle it all without compromise.”
Erick Deeb, front of house engineer, added: “I’ve used many DiGiCo consoles and they are definitely my favourite. When we’re touring, we can easily load our show onto any of them and the sound quality is always the same. I want the audience to feel the acoustic of room and the orchestra, so the PA has to feel invisible. Using DiGiCo consoles, I can go deep into details, so the sound is as natural as it can be.”
Ellie Itief, broadcast engineer, said: “We have huge amounts of inputs, so being able to configure the Quantum 852 exactly how we need it is a massive bonus. We don’t need any external gear, we can rely on the on-board processing, EQ reverbs and delays.”
The Saudi National Orchestra and Choir was formed in 2021. In 2024, the orchestra performed with the Royal Philharmonic in London, at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, and at Tokyo’s Opera City.
