Lyric Opera 2021-2022 Issue 2 The Elixir of Love

Lyric Opera of Chicago | 15 We also were concerned that the new chairs not generate noise—no squeaking as people shift their bodies, and no loud thumps when patrons stand up and the seat bottom swings out of the way!” Myers added, “There was interest in slightly thicker padding on the back for comfort reasons, which meant each seat was likely to be slightly more absorptive. However, the re-spacing of the chairs on the main oor meant there were fewer chairs covering the same area, which somewhat reduces absorption. We needed to con rm that the increased absorption per chair would not result in an overall increase of absorption in the theater. Once a chair that met all the criteria had been selected, we arranged for it to be tested at Riverbank Laboratories. We measured the absorption of eight of the existing old chairs, then measured it with eight of the proposed new chairs, and then swapped out some of the preferred new backs with more thinly padded backs. For each of the occupied tests we used the same people, in the same positions, in the same clothing so the comparisons could be as accurate as possible.” Myers’s team also measured the overall reverberation in the empty house, and adjusted calculations to account for the new chairs and spacing. When it came to the installation, Bulley & Andrews (B&A) were the ideal choice, as the company specializes in construction and renovation of performance spaces. Brendan Keane, project executive at B&A, revealed more details: “Our main focus was proper layout and coordination. Given what was to change, every inch mattered. This project reduced the seat count by nearly 300, so it was not a ‘like-for-like’ replacement. We had to coordinate new electrical components that needed to be concealed, and this is a challenging task in an historic, 90-year-old building. Additionally, because of the new layout, more than 350 oor return grills had to be lled or relocated.” Although this colossal renovation was certainly successful, it wasn’t without its challenges—not the least of which, a global pandemic. “We were originally planning to begin the renovations in June 2020, with everything to be completed before the opening night of our 2020/21 Season. However, the trajectory of the pandemic forced us to come up with alternative plans to continue the project. The main concern was keeping everyone safe and well throughout,” Smallwood explained. Keane added, “Similar to other projects, the pandemic threw a wrench in our initial schedule. The seat manufacturing was delayed several months. To protect both our workers and the Lyric crew, we implemented strictly enforced COVID-19 safety measures, including daily health screenings for every crew member and social-distancing protocols.” Away from the challenges brought about by COVID-19, there were other areas that required patience, as Myers revealed: “Perhaps the biggest challenge we came across was coordinating with the mechanical engineers to work out the best approach for returning air through the vents in the oors. Many of the old vents could no longer be used because of the new chair locations. Eventually, we worked out a combination of approaches for reusing and replacing vents.” Lyric Opera of Chicago Darris Lee Harris Photography