KLASSIK PICKNICKT with Alcons LR18With the jubilee edition of "Klassik Picknickt" ("Classic Picknicks"), the Saxonian Staatskapelle ("State Capelle ") Dresden and the Gläserne Manufaktur ("Glass Factory") celebrated their ten-year partnership on June 17, 2017. Plácido Domingo presented over ten thousand listeners on the Cockerwiese pieces of Verdi, Tchaikovsky, and Bizet. The company B-EST from Dresden, as a technical service provider, used the large-format LR18 pro-ribbon line-array system from Dutch manufacturer Alcons Audio. The 150 loudspeaker sound system was supplied by Profi Musik from Lüneburg, the ribbon network partner (Alcons Audio's dry-hire network). Where during the morning, the focus was on the children's program, in the evening classical music lovers where served; the Spanish star-tenor and conductor Plácido Domingo performed with the Staatskapelle Dresden through the evening. Giuseppe Verdi's overture to "La forza del destino", Pjotr I. Tchaikovsky's first piano concerto in B minor, or the "Carmen" suite no. 1 by George Bizet inspired the audience of all age classes. The performance of the Russian star pianist Denis Matsuev -- stepping-in for Lang Lang due to illness -- was the highlight of the concert. The circumstances, however, were far from favorable; Only on the previous day a heavy storm had swept over the grounds, and on the evening of the concert too, strong wind blasts threatened to push the sound back towards the stage. However, Hendrik Pfeiffer -- from the Halle-based company event-net GmbH as a system technician on site -- was impressed by the performance of the Alcons LR18 pro-ribbon line array: "The wind is dealt with surprisingly good. I would have expected it to be much worse. You know the sound quickly deteriorates under such conditions, but the LR18 covers the 60m, 70m really well, despite the strong side wind." In addition to the main PA, two delay lines were also used to cover the area of a total length of 140m. The main sound system consisted of two times 18 pieces of LR18 pro-ribbon line arrays. The first delay line comprised four towers, equipped with a combination of Alcons LR16 and LR16B pro-ribbon line-arrays. For the second delay line, a further four towers were fitted with Alcons LR14 pro-ribbon line-arrays. For the outfills Pfeiffer and his Berlin colleague Uwe Biesgen from Creativsound relied also on Alcons LR14. As nearfills, they choose the Alcons VR8 point-source system in combination with Alcons BF362 subwoofers as bass support. Thanks to Alcons' multiple-patented pro-ribbon driver technology for mid-range and high-frequencies, with an ultra-fast transient response with up to 90-percent less distortion, all Alcons systems achieve uncompressed, identical tonal balance at any sound pressure level. The natural cylindrical wavefront of the specially designed RBN702rs 7" pro-ribbon transducer and the acoustically and electronically symmetrical component configuration achieve a remarkable sound control in the HF range in both the vertical and horizontal planes, without any distorting converting horn assemblies. Pfeiffer is convinced of the performance of the LR18: "Alcons always sounds outstanding, but plays its strengths especially in classic productions. At Klassik Picknickt, we have achieved a resolution with the LR18 under adverse conditions, which is very difficult, if not impossible, to achieve with other systems. The system has an excellent high-frequency reproduction and throws very far. These are for me the points that make Alcons stand out from the competition." The sound of the Alcons LR18 convinces also Biesgen: "The LR18 is always titled 'excellent throw' and I think that's correct. The extension with the third way, with the 6.5" behind the pro-ribbon, brings the system further forward in the mid-range. In addition, also the throw is significantly improved in this important tonal range." Stephan "Barfi" Barfknecht, chief sound consultant and leading engineer at the front-of-house, is also convinced of the quality of Alcons pro-ribbon technology: "I've heard the LR18 here for the first time -- the hammer!" he raves behind the controls. "The pro-ribbon tweeters make the system open, honest, and natural. If you have such a fine instrument, you can control it much better -- a pleasure for every sound engineer." At the end of the evening, the audience, the musicians and, not least, the technicians behind the scenes went home happy despite the stormy circumstances and are already looking forward to 2018 when it is again in Dresden: "Klassik Picknickt." 
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