CROATIAN NATIONAL THEATRE IN ZAGREB - CNT2 STAGE
Photo: Lorenz Vogel
A New Chapter for Croatia’s National Theatre
In 2025, the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb (HNK Zagreb) celebrated a milestone: alongside its 130th anniversary, it opened the doors of CNT2, a modern new stage at Božidar Adžija Street 7a. CNT2 was designed to complement the historic main theatre while offering a flexible, state-of-the-art space for drama, opera, ballet, and rehearsals.
This new venue provides performers and audiences with a versatile environment where productions of all scales: from intimate chamber performances to full-scale operas. To fully realise this vision, CNT2 needed an acoustic system capable of adapting the sound of the space to the diverse repertoire.
Photo: Lorenz Vogel
Enhancing Versatility with Active Acoustics
To meet the artistic demands of the new stage, CNT2 installed an Amadeus ART system in September 2025, giving sound engineers and performers the ability to shape the auditorium’s acoustic character at the push of a button.
The tuning was carried out by Mattias Winther and Marten Ihre (Winther Sound Solutions) in close collaboration with Clemens Frischmann and Jamilla Balint (Rohde Acoustics). During the on-site sessions, the team conducted detailed acoustic measurements and fine-tuned the system to respond naturally to the theatre’s geometry and usage patterns.
At the time of tuning, the orchestra shell had not yet been installed. As a result, presets that integrate the shell will be developed during a further tuning phase planned for spring 2026.
Presets Shaped by Performance Practice
The Amadeus system at HNK Zagreb is organised around clearly defined presets, allowing the acoustic character of the space to adapt intuitively to different artistic formats:
Drama (no pit, stalls out):
A preset optimised for spoken theatre, focusing on clarity, intelligibility, and natural projection.Small Chamber (no pit, stalls out):
Designed for chamber music on stage, supporting intimacy and detail while adding gentle spatial depth.Opera (pit down, stalls out):
Created for operatic performances with the orchestra positioned in the pit, enhancing blend, balance, and presence between stage and orchestra.Rehearsal Space (pit up, no stalls):
A flexible rehearsal configuration in which the stalls are retracted, transforming the auditorium into an open working space for orchestral and operatic rehearsals.
Additional presets incorporating the orchestra shell will be added during the next tuning phase.
Photo: Lorenz Vogel
Discreet Technology, Natural Sound
The system is based on a carefully integrated combination of microphones and loudspeakers, designed to remain visually unobtrusive while delivering a transparent and immersive acoustic experience.
Microphones
DPA 4060
DPA 4098
DPA 2017
Loudspeakers
PicoSpot (AD-Systems)
X8i (L-Acoustics)
KIVA II (L-Acoustics)
This configuration enables precise control over reverberation and spatial impression, allowing the theatre to sound natural, responsive, and musically coherent across a wide range of productions.
Photo: Lorenz Vogel
A Theatre Ready for the Future
With the Amadeus system in place, CNT2 combines the best of modern acoustic engineering with the artistry and ambition of Croatia’s national theatre. As additional presets are added in the next tuning phase, CNT2 will continue to provide performers and audiences with a space where sound, music, and theatre meet.
Further updates will follow after the next tuning phase in 2026.
Partners
Rohde Acoustics – system design and acoustics
Winther Sound Solutions – tuning and system optimisation
Related projects
