Jordan - Auditoria designed and operated audio for composer, maestro and vocalist Sami Yusuf’s concert at the Roman Theatre in Amman, a live performance that blended ancient architecture, intricate musicianship, and modern sound design.
The one-night concert brought together more than 50 musicians, including traditional instruments and voices spanning the Middle East, South Asia, South America and Europe in a celebration of cultural tradition and musical unity, set within a historic performance space.
“It’s always a privilege to work with Sami Yusuf,” said Scott Willsallen, director at Auditoria. “He surrounds himself with exceptional musicians, and his music draws on such a diverse range of traditions. To bring that to life in a 2,000-year-old theatre was really special.”
The Roman Theatre, built entirely from stone into the side of a hill on three sides and curved in design, presents a uniquely challenging acoustic environment. Its geometry also creates strong reflections that return directly to the stage, making microphone choice, placement, and system tuning crucial.
“Amphitheatres are magical spaces, but they’re acoustically unforgiving,” Scott explained. “You can’t put equipment anywhere you like, every position has to respect the heritage of the site and the sound it naturally creates. Our design had to be precise and sympathetic to both the space and the performance.”
Compounding the challenge, many of the instruments in Sami Yusuf’s ensemble, such as the balaban, are naturally quiet and highly detailed. Capturing those subtleties without introducing feedback required careful planning and microphone placement.
The team had a complex challenge between the performance environments and rehearsal conditions, which took place in a closed space while the show was staged outdoors in an open-air amphitheatre, an environment that changes dramatically once filled with an audience.
“You can’t EQ for an empty stone amphitheatre the same way you can for a live crowd,” said Scott. “Our experience told us not to overcorrect during rehearsals. We made decisions we knew would work once the venue was full, that’s where experience really matters.”
Auditoria’s team designed the full audio and show control system, managing more than 110 live input channels and 60 stereo monitor outputs, with comprehensive signal distribution and full multi-track recording for post-production and digital releases post-performance.
