Behind the scenes of a live broadcast from our venue

A live performance reaches far beyond the seats inside Teatre El Jardí or Sala La Cate. When cameras, microphones and streaming software join the production, the venue becomes a shared space for audiences in Figueres, Barcelona, Melbourne, Sydney and everywhere in between. The energy of the room still matters, even when some viewers are watching from a lounge room.

A broadcast begins well before the curtain rises. Artists, stage managers, front-of-house staff, technicians and digital producers work through a detailed running sheet so the performance feels natural rather than interrupted by the technology supporting it. Every cue is tested, from the first lighting change to the final applause.

For viewers in Australia, the time difference adds another layer to the experience. A performance scheduled for an evening in Catalonia may be watched in the early morning in Perth, late at night in Brisbane, or during a different part of the day in Sydney and Melbourne. Clear information, stable access and thoughtful communication help the event feel live wherever the audience is located.

The venue becomes a broadcast studio

The first task is to understand the building as both a theatre and a production environment. Camera positions must capture the stage without distracting the audience, while cables, tripods and monitors need to stay clear of performers, ushers and emergency routes. At Teatre El Jardí, the broadcast team works around the architecture, sightlines and atmosphere that make a live event distinctive.

Sala La Cate offers a different scale and character. A smaller room can create intimacy in a stream, allowing viewers to notice a performer’s expression or the texture of a musical arrangement. It also means that microphone placement, camera movement and crew activity must be especially discreet. A minor noise that disappears in a large theatre can become very noticeable in a close, quiet performance.

The technical plan usually includes several cameras, a vision mixer, audio interfaces, lighting control and a dedicated internet connection. Equipment is selected according to the show rather than applied as a fixed package. A dance work needs room to reveal movement, while a talk, chamber concert or children’s performance may benefit from closer framing.

Sound carries the live atmosphere

Audiences often forgive a less-than-perfect image before they forgive poor sound. The broadcast mix must preserve dialogue, music, footsteps, applause and the natural response of the room. A microphone placed too close can make a voice harsh; one positioned too far away may lose important words beneath the stage ambience.

Sound engineers monitor the performance and the outgoing stream separately. The people seated in the theatre hear the room through its own acoustic system, while online viewers receive a carefully balanced feed. This distinction is essential for opera, concerts and dance productions, where the relationship between live instruments, recorded tracks and movement changes from moment to moment.

A reliable stream also depends on preparation for small failures. Spare cables, backup recordings, charged communication devices and an agreed emergency procedure give the crew options when something behaves unexpectedly. Testing takes place at different times of day so the team can identify network congestion and make suitable adjustments before the audience arrives.

Directing the story in real time

A live broadcast is not simply a fixed camera pointed at the stage. The director chooses when to show a wide shot, when to move closer and how to follow the rhythm of a scene. These decisions should support the work rather than compete with it. In a monologue, a steady frame can create concentration; in a fast circus sequence, a wider image may be needed to show the performer’s full physical vocabulary.

The production team follows the stage manager’s cues while also watching the performers and the online feed. A camera operator may prepare for a soloist’s entrance, while the vision mixer checks that the next shot is ready. Communication through headsets has to be brief and precise, especially during music, comedy or scenes where timing cannot be repeated.

Intermissions require their own plan. The stream might display a holding image, a short conversation with artists or practical information about returning to the performance. For viewers learning the customs of live theatre, this is a useful moment to understand intermission etiquette, including why the pause matters to performers, staff and fellow audience members.

Access matters beyond the camera frame

A successful online event should welcome people with different ways of seeing, hearing and participating. Captions can support deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers, while clear audio description or an additional descriptive track can make movement and visual detail more available. Simple digital instructions also help people who are unfamiliar with streaming platforms.

Australian audiences are accustomed to planning around large distances and varied schedules. Someone in regional Victoria may have a different internet connection from a viewer in inner-city Sydney, while a family in Brisbane may be joining after school or work. Offering replay access for a limited period, publishing running times in Australian time zones and explaining the technical requirements can make participation more practical.

Language is part of accessibility as well. Catalan and Spanish cultural references may be central to the work, so translated captions, programme notes and artist information give international viewers useful context without flattening the identity of the performance. The aim is to create a genuine bridge between Figueres and audiences abroad.

Artists remain at the centre

Technology can expand an artist’s reach, but it should never turn the performance into a demonstration of equipment. Before filming begins, the production team discusses the work’s pace, visual priorities and sensitive moments with the artists. Some performers want a close connection with the camera; others need the audience in the room to remain the main focus.

This conversation is especially important for theatre made with children, young people and families. ATEB’s training activities show how performance develops through trust, play and shared attention. When young performers appear on camera, consent, privacy, supervision and appropriate framing are carefully considered. The online version should protect the participants while preserving the excitement of the live event.

Different art forms call for different broadcast languages. A dance performance may need a patient camera that respects choreography, while a puppet show depends on keeping the relationship between puppeteer, object and stage visible. Teams researching this form can find useful creative reference through Puppet24 resources, while the venue’s own production decisions remain guided by the particular artists and audience in the room.

From the first test to the final replay

The rehearsal before a broadcast is more than a technical check. It is a complete journey through entrances, scene changes, lighting states, microphones, graphics and transitions. Staff review what an online viewer will see if they join late, lose connection or return during the interval. They also check that tickets, access instructions and support contacts are easy to find.

Promotion needs the same care. Australian viewers respond to practical details: whether the event is live or available on demand, which time zone applies, how long the stream runs and whether the programme suits children. References to familiar local viewing habits, such as an evening event after work in Melbourne or a weekend morning in Perth, can make an international broadcast feel easier to join.

After the performance, the work continues through audience feedback, viewing data and a technical debrief. The team considers sound quality, camera choices, caption timing and the points where viewers stopped watching. These observations inform future broadcasts without replacing the instinctive, unpredictable qualities that make live performance worth sharing.

A broadcast from Figueres carries the character of its venues: the concentration before a cue, the murmur before the lights fade and the response that travels through a room after a moving scene. Join an upcoming performance, share the programme with your community and experience the work live from wherever you are. Discover the calendar at Figueres a Escena and make a place for theatre, music, dance and new encounters in your schedule.