How Riedel technology transforms the Bregenz Festival’s legendary lake-stage productions

In the heart of Austria’s stunning Lake Constance, where the Bregenz Festival’s legendary floating stage rises each summer, a new wave of technology is transforming the magic behind the scenes. Riedel Communications has announced a major expansion of its cutting-edge intercom and media distribution systems at the world-renowned festival, empowering its ambitious lake-stage productions with unprecedented precision and coordination. By integrating Riedel’s Bolero wireless intercoms, Artist digital matrix, and MediorNet real-time media network, the Bregenz team has streamlined its technical workflow to match the scale and spectacle of its open-air operas, as Headliner discovers…

Held each summer in the picturesque province of Vorarlberg, the Bregenz Festival is celebrated globally for its breathtaking opera performances set on a vast stage floating above the lake. Beyond the iconic “play on the lake,” audiences also enjoy a rich cultural program in the Festspielhaus, the workshop stage, and the Theater am Kornmarkt, making the festival one of Europe’s most extraordinary artistic destinations.

“Riedel’s technology has become absolutely essential to our operations,” said Clemens Wannemacher, head of sound for the Bregenz Festival. 

“Every department, from lighting and stage management to props, relies on Bolero for clear, reliable communication. The Artist system gives us the flexibility we need to manage complex routing across multiple teams, and MediorNet has transformed how we handle video distribution. 

"It’s not just about transmitting signals; it’s about creating a seamless connection between the conductor and performers, managing simultaneous rehearsals, and adapting to the dynamic nature of live production. These tools have allowed us to push the boundaries of what’s possible on the lake stage.”

Famous for its spectacular open-air opera performances on the lake stage with seating for 6,700 guests, the Bregenz Festival strives to replicate the acoustics of an opera house in an outdoor environment. 

For its production of Freischütz by Carl Maria von Weber, the sound team deployed 400 loudspeakers and 24 subwoofers, supported by advanced mixing consoles and directional audio systems to achieve precise sound localisation and immersive effects.

Managed by the festival’s in-house sound department, the deployment includes over 60 Bolero beltpacks, more than 20 antennas, five Artist frames (including 1024, 128, 64, and two 32-port frames), and a comprehensive MediorNet video distribution system. 

The Artist intercom system provides flexible IP-based communication, while MediorNet facilitates real-time video distribution, including conductor-to-singer visual links and dynamic multiview configurations.

These technologies enable the Bregenz Festival to maintain precise communication across departments and ensure high-quality audio-visual transmission between performers and conductors, with support for simultaneous rehearsals and events. The festival plans to continue scaling its Riedel systems to support increasingly complex productions and enhance operational efficiency across its venues.

Serving as the system integrator, PKE played a central role in implementing Riedel’s advanced media and communications infrastructure within the festival’s stage management system, which was also supplied and installed by PKE. Thanks to the integrator’s extensive expertise, the cross-departmental deployment and interoperability of the Riedel systems were seamlessly achieved, fully meeting the festival’s complex technical and artistic requirements.

“Bregenz Festival represents the pinnacle of technical artistry in live performance,” said Christoph Thalinger, sales manager Austria, Riedel Communications. 

“We’re proud to see our technologies play such a central role in enabling the festival’s creative vision. The integration of Bolero, Artist, and MediorNet not only enhances operational efficiency but also empowers the team to deliver breathtaking experiences to audiences. It’s a testament to how scalable, interoperable systems can support even the most demanding production environments.”