Exploring the acoustics of the “Teatro Grande” of Brescia

One of the tasks of scholars and scientists is to highlight the values of the cultural heritage, a great patrimony that all the new generations should be acknowledged. One of the aspects that should be explored besides the construction restoration of all the historical buildings, especially Opera theatres, is the acoustics. This article deals with the acoustic investigation performed in relation to the Teatro Grande of Brescia. The outcomes have been analyzed by following both the standard requirements stated in ISO 3382-1 and by creating an overlay video that shows a real-time impulse response (IR). This latest innovative aspect calls the attention to the interactions existing between the sound waves and the construction elements of the room’s boundaries. This additional value has been realized by using a multichannel spherical array microphone, that allows a control of the sound propagation through the space. The authors of this paper introduce also a brief history of the Teatro Grande of Brescia, including the description of the architectural characteristics of this important historical building.