Sound Designer and Mix Engineer Phil Wright Trusts the Brand's Microphones for Reliable and Authentic Audio
Dubai's Al Wasl Dome is an architectural masterpiece, acting as a hub for visitors and vibrant performances alike. Originally the centerpiece of the EXPO 2020 Dubai, Al Wasl was recently repurposed into a 3,000-seat concert venue, outfitted with a 360-degree projection screen to offer an immersive audio and visual experience. To celebrate its reopening, the dome hosted GRAMMY-winning Composer A.R. Rahman's all-female Firdaus Orchestra and a 30-piece choir, accompanied by UK-based Indian singer Abi Sampa and her band, for a classical performance combining the sounds of the east and west. To assist with orchestral reinforcement for the show, which presented a slew of acoustical and environmental difficulties, Rahman's team called on Sound Designer and Mix Engineer Phil Wright, who turned to his tried and trusted DPA Microphones solutions for their durability and natural sound.
The acclaimed sound professional selected the brand's 4099 CORE Instrument, 2011 Twin Diaphragm, 4011ES Cardioid Condenser and 4066 Omnidirectional Headset Microphones to help elevate the production. The band and orchestra were primarily 4099s, he explains. This included the guitar, French horn and cello, as well as the more traditional instruments such as the tabla, harmonium, ney, oud, sitar, daf, frame drum and qanun. These are tiny, very quiet instruments and the DPA 4099s really brought out their sound within this massive orchestral texture we had going on. For those instruments that were a bit more open, we used the 2011s, and then the double basses in the orchestra were on my 4011ES mics with 19 mm capsules. For the choir, we had 30 of the 4066 wired headsets. Overall, we had around 120 people on stage between the 30-person chorus, a 75-piece orchestra and Abi Sampa's ensemble of fifteen.
Miking traditional instruments wasn't the only obstacle Wright had to overcome. The Al Wasl Dome's unique shape posed an interesting acoustical challenge as well, with its centrally located performance space and open sides, which exposed the stage to the natural outdoor elements. Assisted by Dave Scarlet, Paul Medley and Pete Austin of SFL Productions in the UK, Wright knew DPA mics would be a welcome aid to the audio team.
The durability of the 4099s was so impressive, Wright says. We weren't in an air-conditioned concert hall this was an open-air, outdoor venue with all the heat, high humidity and dust blowing in from the desert. Despite all of this, we didn't have a single microphone failure. The heavy-duty cable for the 4099s also allowed for easy replacements, which was useful as we had a few people trip and damage the mic cables.
Knowing they would be working in such a challenging environment, Wright notes that the team made the decision very early on to mic everything very closely. The flexibility and range of mount options for the 4099s was most appealing to me, he explains. I was able to get really close and tight on absolutely everything on that stage whilst retaining that natural sound and air. We had lots of positive feedback about being able to balance these very quiet and traditionally challenging instruments.
The complexity of the venue's acoustics, which has proven difficult for other seasoned audio professionals, along with the classical nature of the performance was exactly the reason Wright was entrusted by both Rahman and Mohanaselvan Jeyapalan, Vice President of the Portfolio Management Office for the venue, in the first place. Building off his background in orchestral engineering and over 25 years' experience working with DPA Microphones, Wright crafted an impeccable sound that was otherwise lacking in previous shows at the Al Wasl Dome. Both Mr. Rahman and Mr. Jeyapalan let me know that we had achieved everything that they had hoped for this show, Wright explains. With the DPAs, the concert sounded just how they wanted, and they were blown away.
The Al Wasl Dome re-opening concert on November 19, 2022, included performances of scores by iconic composers John Williams and Hans Zimmer, as well as collaborative work by both Zimmer and Rahman. To complete the merging of eastern and western sounds, Rahman's solo score compositions were also performed, accompanied by the choir. Prior to Rahman's production, the likes of Coldplay, Alicia Keys and John Newman had all graced the venue with performances of their own.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
26/03/2026
Extron and Audio-Technica have announced that their Design Solutions devices, Ce...
26/03/2026
SPORTEL Asia took place March 24-25 at the Orchard Hotel Singapore, drawing 370 participants representing more than 220 companies from 35 countries. Approximate...
26/03/2026
LTN will demonstrate satellite-to-IP migration solutions for broadcasters, cable networks, MVPDs, and station groups at NAB Show 2026 (Booth W2100).
The C-Ban...
26/03/2026
The Seattle Mariners have partnered with Daktronics to install an upgraded outfi...
26/03/2026
The Esports Foundation (EF) has awarded National Team Partner status to organizations and individuals across more than 100 countries and territories for the Esp...
26/03/2026
Telestream has announced expanded integration between its Vantage workflow platf...
26/03/2026
FOR-A Corporation has announced a partnership with Nippon TV and NVIDIA to distr...
26/03/2026
CBS Sports and the WNBA have expanded their partnership through a new long-term, multiplatform rights agreement. CBS Sports will feature up to 20 regular-season...
26/03/2026
Zac Brown Band will star in the Sunday Night Baseball show open on NBC and Peacock, NBC Sports announced. The open was filmed at American Family Field, home of ...
26/03/2026
Major League Baseball opens the 2026 season with nationally televised games across multiple media partners. Fans can visit MLB.com/Watch for a complete schedule...
26/03/2026
DIRECTV has announced an agreement to carry nine new MLB-operated team channels, covering the Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers (Detroit SportsNet), Kansas City R...
26/03/2026
Nationals.TV, the Washington Nationals' local broadcast channel, is now avai...
26/03/2026
Starting Thursday, March 26, MLB.TV will be available on the ESPN App, giving fans access to more than 2,000 out-of-market regular season games. Fans can also r...
26/03/2026
Spotify's partnership with NAVER, Korea's leading digital platform, is built around one simple goal: making it easier for listeners in Korea to discover...
26/03/2026
Exclusive to ComposerCloud for first month
Sample library and virtual instrument gurus EastWest have announced the upcoming release of a new virtual drum i...
26/03/2026
Friday 27 March
Friday 27 March will mark Dynamic Range Day 2026, the annual day of online activity that was started in 2010 by mastering engineer Ian Sheph...
26/03/2026
Includes four separate instruments
Max Richter's SRM Sounds venture have just announced their fifth release, ASMR Choir. Captured at the main live room ...
26/03/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC), has been tasked with administering the Sixth Presi...
26/03/2026
By Matt Klein
Hello to everyone reading this - whether you're a current YEP, HPA member, or just YEP-curious. I'm Matt Klein, one of the co-chairs of t...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
28 participating companies, from start-ups to blue-chips, lead the UK Group as part of the GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland presence across all the Halls at N...
26/03/2026
Arkona Unveils BLADE//planner and Major Usability Enhancements at NAB 2026
Brie Clayton March 26, 2026
0 Comments
New graphical configuration tool and...
26/03/2026
Bitfocus showcases complete control at NAB Show 2026
Brie Clayton March 26, 2026
0 Comments
Continuing development drives advances in security, availa...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Nevion introduces powerful new Panel Builder to enhance VideoIPath broadcast con...
26/03/2026
2026 Oscar Nominated Films Powered by Blackmagic Design
Brie Clayton March 25, 2026
0 Comments
DaVinci Resolve Studio used on 27 of this year's no...
26/03/2026
Leader to present full suite of advanced Test & Measurement solutions at NAB Sho...
26/03/2026
Boston Conservatory to Present New England and Collegiate Premiere of Groundbrea...
26/03/2026
Thursday 26 March 2026
HBO Max included for Sky and NOW customers from 26 March...
26/03/2026
Thursday 26 March 2026
Sky Sets Iconic Costumes Dancing Together Like Never Before' in Brand CampaignTurn on cookies to view this content. Go to Privacy o...
26/03/2026
Wuppertal March 26, 2026
CS live Builds Future-Ready OB Van With Riedel MediorNet and hi Control SystemRiedel Communications today announced that Czech-based ...
26/03/2026
Back to All News
Have a Wish Worth Dying For? Netflix's First Korean YA Hor...
26/03/2026
Back to All News
The Truthers, Starring Jose Coronado and St phanie Magnin, Pre...
26/03/2026
Enhancements to Harmonic's Sports Streaming Solution Introduce Server-Side Multiview, Contextual Metadata-Driven Advertising, Dynamic In-Stream Ads and Robu...
26/03/2026
Open the report
Our 2025 report brings together results from 79 business magazine titles across 22 market sectors, published by 49 media owners. Over the year,...
26/03/2026
Editor's note: This post is part of Into the Omniverse, a series focused on ...
26/03/2026
RT Commercial today announced Fiat as sponsor of The Louise Duffy Show on RT Radio 1, Weekdays 3pm 4pm.
The Louise Duffy Show is the home of daytime music...
26/03/2026
That gaming backlog won't clear itself - GeForce NOW is here to help. Stream the latest titles straight from the cloud across a variety of devices.
This we...
26/03/2026
Wayne, N.J., March 26, 2026 Phantom High-Speed announces the latest product li...
Sound Designer and Mix Engineer Phil Wright Trusts the Brand's Microphones for Reliable and Authentic Audio
