ANCIENT ROMAN AMPHITHEATRES USED FOR MODERN SHOWS: ACOUSTICS AND PROBLEMS

The acoustics of Roman amphitheatres has received little attention in the scientific literature although some ancient Roman amphitheatres are used today for public shows. There are performances which require an adequate sound quality for both the audience and artists. The natural acoustics of these monuments does not support completely the needs of “good acoustics” especially for drama, orchestral music and opera. This paper considers five Roman amphitheatres which host regularly such kind of shows. After a brief description of the considered amphitheatres and the public shows offered therein, a qualitative analysis of their acoustical drawbacks is reported. It is not a surprise that more or less sophisticated electroacoustic aids are used to overcome the drawbacks mentioned previously. The social and cultural nature of the participation of spectators to various events is considered briefly.