49th National Day of the United Arab Emirates

49th UAE National Day celebrated in Abu Dhabi was a grand and vibrant display of the Nation's historical achievements and visions of a hopeful and culturally enriched future. The centerpiece of the display was a kinetic art sculpture featuring emotive video content playing on a 15m moving cube, backed by L-ISA technology's enveloping sound. The National Day organizing committee constructed a magnificent multi-layered production on Jubail Island, encapsulating the Nation's historical achievements while sharing visions of a hopeful and culturally enriched future with a brilliant immersive visual display.

The challenge to creating an immersive audio system for an outdoor show is the lack of envelopment due to absent sound reflections and reverberation from walls and ceilings, leading to audience disconnection from the show, particularly with classical and film music. The show's creative aspirations demanded an immersive audio system of some sort, so they worked with the music team to determine the soundtrack, audio system design, and recording techniques specifically for this project. The music was a complex blend of western orchestras and traditional Arabic instruments that can be difficult to mix.

The solution to this  challenge was using a small array of three K2 loudspeakers just above the waterline to minimize the visual impact of the spectacular 15m cube as much as possible. The relative levels of the K2, the cube, the cast walkways, and the lighting fixtures were all based on a target water level for the show, managed by pumping in additional water before the show's start. The panorama received eight arrays of six K2 and one array of 18 SB28 subwoofers. Two arrays of nine Kara and 11 SYVA loudspeakers were mounted beside and behind the audience for the surround. And 11 X8 are suspended overhead from the top of the lighting masts.

In addition to the L-ISA system, 180 L-Acoustics 5XT loudspeakers (1 for each guest) were deployed in a distributed mono arrangement to deliver the dialog and narration. This technique allowed the team to maintain the music's power and instrumentation while also providing excellent speech intelligibility.

The result was a breathtaking immersive audio and visual experience that left attendees impressed with both the spectacle and the sound. Since attendees enjoyed the immersive National Day experience so much, the National Day committee decided to extend the ceremony's spirit by creating a ticketed event spanning over two months, rather than just regaling it to one day. The display was a testament to the power of technology and creativity, showcasing the beauty and grandeur of the UAE National Day celebrations.