An examination of the acoustic characterization of Teatro India "Sala Oceano" in Rome

Can old theater spaces provide the acoustic environment needed for emerging artistic performances? What are the acoustic characteristics of a theater with modern structural features as distinct from the traditional Italianate theater? These two questions prompted the authors to explore the acoustic characteristics of Teatro India. The conventional acoustic parameters of the Sala Oceano of the Indian theater in Rome were first collected and assessed following the ISO 3382-1 criteria. The arrival direction and strength of sound reflections were detected as well, employing a combination of multi-channel microphones and a 360°camera. The acoustic quality of the Sala Oceano was evaluated and analyzed in comparison with measurements of the other two main performance spaces of the India theatre, Sala A and Sala B.