WILD RICE
WILD RICE is recognised today as one of Singapore’s leading professional theatre companies. It was founded in 2000 by Ivan Heng, an internationally acclaimed and award-winning theatre practitioner. Having championed home-grown theatre for over 20 years, WILD RICE laid down its roots in Funan, a retail mall, in 2019. Read on to find out why they decided for Sennheiser Digital 6000 as their wireless solution.
Located in the heart of Singapore’s civic and cultural district, the performing arts complex has been two years in the making. The task of designing the vision that WILD RICE’s Founding Artistic Director Ivan Heng and Executive Director Tony Trickett harboured for WILD RICE @ Funan fell to Singaporean architecture studio Zarch Collaboratives, international theatre design consultancy Charcoalblue and acoustic design firm Radian Acoustics. Taking inspiration from the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Swan Theatre in Stratford-Upon-Avon, the main theatre is Singapore’s only dedicated thrust stage. The thrust stage design extends the performance space into the auditorium with the audience seated on three sides.
Occupying 20,000 square feet across three floors, WILD RICE @ Funan comprises the 358-seat Ngee Ann Kongsi Theatre; a 60-seat performance studio; rehearsal rooms and the company’s administrative office. WILD RICE @ Funan now bears testimony to those that played their own starring roles in creating this unique and intimate theatrical wonder. Its mission is to provide a forum for the shared experience of theatre, to celebrate our diversity, reflect on the problems and possibilities of our times, and present productions that inspire, challenge and entertain.
The EM 6000 UHF dual channel receivers can accurately switch the frequency in three different bands operating within a 470 – 718MHz bandwidth. ‘It’s continuously and automatically scanning available frequencies within an 88MHz switching bandwidth, allowing me to see where there’s interference,’ said technical manager David Sagaya. Before his engagement, he worked for the Singapore Repertory Theatre (SRT) for more than 14 years. Until today, he relies on Sennheiser as his preferred partner. ‘In addition to providing us with increased bandwidth, the Digital 6000 also offers more clarity and handling noise isn’t evident. It’s an easier set-up as it syncs automatically without having to locate an available frequency. Batteries can also be hot swapped during a performance.’
Sagaya’s loyalty began with the 5000 Series and it never failed during its use for more than 12 years – topping everything off with ‘sound quality beyond anything else’. All in all, the Digital 6000 series delivers wider dynamic range even in challenging RF locations. Moreover, the intermodulation-free HF technology guarantees additional channels which can be relied upon. Having enjoyed using a Sennheiser Digital 9000 series, Sagaya was happy to be working with the latest Digital 6000 series commissioned for WILD RICE.
The 14-channel set-up includes the SKM 6000 handheld transmitters, paired with the ME 9004 cardioid capsule heads, as well as SK 6000 bodypack transmitters with MKE 1 miniature lavaliers. In addition, portable audio flight cases – racked with Sennheiser ew500 G4 UHF wireless microphone receivers as well as e935 handheld transmitters – are available in their facilities. The Sennheiser systems were supplied by audio contractor Spectrum Audio Visual Pte Ltd.
Located in the heart of Singapore’s civic and cultural district, the performing arts complex has been two years in the making. The task of designing the vision that WILD RICE’s Founding Artistic Director Ivan Heng and Executive Director Tony Trickett harboured for WILD RICE @ Funan fell to Singaporean architecture studio Zarch Collaboratives, international theatre design consultancy Charcoalblue and acoustic design firm Radian Acoustics. Taking inspiration from the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Swan Theatre in Stratford-Upon-Avon, the main theatre is Singapore’s only dedicated thrust stage. The thrust stage design extends the performance space into the auditorium with the audience seated on three sides.
»Sennheiser sound quality is beyond anything else«
Occupying 20,000 square feet across three floors, WILD RICE @ Funan comprises the 358-seat Ngee Ann Kongsi Theatre; a 60-seat performance studio; rehearsal rooms and the company’s administrative office. WILD RICE @ Funan now bears testimony to those that played their own starring roles in creating this unique and intimate theatrical wonder. Its mission is to provide a forum for the shared experience of theatre, to celebrate our diversity, reflect on the problems and possibilities of our times, and present productions that inspire, challenge and entertain.
The EM 6000 UHF dual channel receivers can accurately switch the frequency in three different bands operating within a 470 – 718MHz bandwidth. ‘It’s continuously and automatically scanning available frequencies within an 88MHz switching bandwidth, allowing me to see where there’s interference,’ said technical manager David Sagaya. Before his engagement, he worked for the Singapore Repertory Theatre (SRT) for more than 14 years. Until today, he relies on Sennheiser as his preferred partner. ‘In addition to providing us with increased bandwidth, the Digital 6000 also offers more clarity and handling noise isn’t evident. It’s an easier set-up as it syncs automatically without having to locate an available frequency. Batteries can also be hot swapped during a performance.’
14-channel setup with ME 9004 capsules
Sagaya’s loyalty began with the 5000 Series and it never failed during its use for more than 12 years – topping everything off with ‘sound quality beyond anything else’. All in all, the Digital 6000 series delivers wider dynamic range even in challenging RF locations. Moreover, the intermodulation-free HF technology guarantees additional channels which can be relied upon. Having enjoyed using a Sennheiser Digital 9000 series, Sagaya was happy to be working with the latest Digital 6000 series commissioned for WILD RICE.
The 14-channel set-up includes the SKM 6000 handheld transmitters, paired with the ME 9004 cardioid capsule heads, as well as SK 6000 bodypack transmitters with MKE 1 miniature lavaliers. In addition, portable audio flight cases – racked with Sennheiser ew500 G4 UHF wireless microphone receivers as well as e935 handheld transmitters – are available in their facilities. The Sennheiser systems were supplied by audio contractor Spectrum Audio Visual Pte Ltd.
