Perfect truss construction for the ROYAL STAGE IN LONDON
As one of the world’s most renowned opera houses, the Royal Ballet & Opera House London faced major technical challenges – and HOF delivered.
The growing load requirements of modern stage and lighting technology and the dead weight of the old steel truss construction would have simply overwhelmed the existing point hoists, each of which can bear a load of 420 kg.
At the same time, the available space above the stage was restricted by structural conditions.
Under these circumstances, one thing was clear: a complete redesign of the truss system for all five battens was needed.
HOF developed a customised, modular solution that delivers maximum stability with minimal weight – precisely engineered, quickly installed and around one third (!) lighter than the previous construction.
Ensuring fast installation and readiness for any production.
THE WHOLE STORY IN THE FILM
When construction becomes performance, HOF shows its strongest side: everything planned, designed and implemented in-house – every detail precisely tailored to the requirements of the Royal Ballet & Opera House London.
Five new battens, each 21 metres long – developed for maximum performance above the stage. The film shows the entire process: from planning and pre-assembly to installation in London.
Here's the whole story: Technology. Teamwork. London. Holy Shit!
Roll film – watch now!
FIVE GIGANTIC BATTENS. 21 METRES OF FULL PRECISIOn.
DEVELOPED FOR THE WORLD STAGE IN LONDON.
Each of the five newly developed battens measures 21 metres in length and is divided into three independently movable units. Thanks to the lightweight aluminium construction, the total weight of the structure was reduced by around a third (!) – from 7.9 tons to around 5.3 tons. At the same time, the overall height was reduced from 4.7 metres to 4 metres, with an impressive vertical travel distance of 25 metres.
CONSTRUCTION. PRECISION. PERFORMANCE.
At the heart of the construction is the Mother Truss – a modified MLT FOUR PRE RIG TRUSS, installed “upside down”. This open-top design allows it to accommodate around 70% of the height of the energy chain storage units.
The system is complemented by the Bottom Truss, a combination of the modified MLT THREE PRE RIG TRUSS and the modified HOFFORK 350-5. It is connected to the Mother Truss via a specially developed aluminium connection and fulfils several functions at once: It carries boundary and working lights, serves as a gangway for technical staff. Also, the suspended trusses can be removed from the load and placed on up to 50 MLT dollies – this means that the entire structure does not need to be dismantled, nor would the dollies be overloaded. This makes even short-term modifications to the lighting technology possible without any problems.
Around 9 tons of energy chains were used, with a total length of over one kilometre. The Mother Truss not only carries the dead weight of the energy chains, but also additional payloads of up to 15 tons. Specially developed deflectors prevent the closely spaced trusses from touching or snagging during travel.
The entire system is finished with the HOF Heavy-Duty Coating, ensuring maximum durability – Royal approved.
"For us, it was crucial to combine all requirements optimally — from load capacity and construction height to high demands on technical changeover possibilities. Combining the MLT FOUR, MLT THREE and HOFFORK 350-5 resulted in a bespoke solution that combines maximum functionality with an innovative design,” explains Torben Kleikamp, Head of Construction at HOF.
"At the Royal Ballet & Opera House in London, we stage up to 285 performances and hold an equally large number of rehearsals each year. The battens are used daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., so our operations are extremely tightly scheduled. The only maintenance period is three weeks in the summer. This meant that every component developed for the project therefore had to be operational immediately. HOF was an incredibly fast, competent and cooperative partner, enabling us to implement the project efficiently," says Musa Halimeh, Renewals Programme Lead at the Royal Ballet & Opera House.
PLANNING BECOMES REALITY
In Covent Garden, the project reached its decisive phase: final assembly at the Royal Opera House. Within just two weeks, the pre-assembled modules were transformed into the final structure above the stage. Precision, timing and teamwork were crucial – every component had to fit perfectly, every move had to be just right. The result: a highly complex truss structure, installed in record time.
PROTOTYPES & PRE-ASSEMBLY
Just one month after the order was placed, the first prototypes of the Mother Truss were manufactured at the HOF headquarters in Mettingen. These were then tested, inspected and jointly optimised.
A significant part of the pre-assembly – including the integration of the energy chains into the Mother Truss – took place at the RBO site in Aberdare.
This intensive preparation paid off: the installation at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden was completed in just two weeks.
OPERA(TION): COMPLETE!
With this project, HOF demonstrates what is possible
when design, expertise and passion come together:
From the initial idea to the finished overall construction – everything in-house, everything HOF.
The Royal Ballet & Opera House London is much more than just a job.
It is a statement – and a glimpse into the future of truss technology.
HOF - THE FUTURE OF TRUSS ENGINEERING.
FROM STANDARD TO CUSTOMISED DESIGN - YOU GET EXACTLY WHAT YOUR STAGE NEEDS.
The solutions for the Royal Ballet & Opera House are based on technologies from our modular series products – robust, flexible and developed for demanding stages. Whether you need standard trusses from the MLT family, modified trusses from our standard range or are planning a customised project, HOF will provide you with the right solution.
KNOWLEDGE TO GO
You’ll find all the key project information at a glance – compactly presented in our case study and poster.
Download the PDF now.
Thanks for reading all the way to the end – this project is truly close to our hearts.
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