Emblematic Parisian cabaret venue reinvents itself with d&b Soundscape.
Home of the famed dancing troupe, the Bluebell Girls, Le Lido on the Champs-Elysée was one of the most iconic cabaret venues in Paris. Bought by the hotel group Accor in 2021, the curtain came down on the final cabaret performance in July 2022, marking the end of a glittering 75-year run. Since then, Le Lido has undergone a startling transformation to be reborn as Lido2 Paris - a highly original – and hi-tech – venue for international, original language musical theatre, complete with a comprehensive spatial sound system from d&b.
Unisson Design were charged with overseeing the full technical overhaul of the Lido. A ‘dry run’ in the pre-renovated building on the musical Cabaret – a fitting choice, perhaps – allowed the Unisson team to confirm their choice of a d&b system complete with full Soundscape capabilities for the new venue.
Initially the idea was to create a traditional theatre, but in the end the Accor Group elected to retain the spirit of the old cabaret with booths, tables and chairs and to keep the original front thrust stage – a choice that clearly adds to the intimacy of the venue given the proximity of the actors to the audience, but wasn’t without its challenges when it came to sound design, especially combined with the extremely low ceiling height.
Unisson Design opted for a point source solution as the most effective and least visually intrusive way of covering the room. In total, nearly 130 loudspeakers from Y-Series, xS-Series and E-Series are installed throughout the Lido2 Paris – along with Soundscape processing and management.
In terms of system management – operational rather than technical – Lido2 Paris is the first venue in France to opt for the new Subscription-Series model offered by d&b which gives access to the full d&b range via a monthly fee and includes a maintenance contract. Florian Fassenet, Technical director of Lido2Paris considers this to be a genuine part of the solution:
Today, Lido2 Paris is a sumptuous venue that recalls all the glamour of yesteryear – but with a thoroughly modern technical solution that elevates the experience into the contemporary era.
