How CRALTECH Ultra-Low Latency Monitors Provide Strong Support for Live Opera and Ballet Performances at the Latvian National Opera and Ballet

The Latvian National Opera and Ballet in Riga required a reliable, low-latency video monitoring system to provide live stage visibility across multiple technical and operational areas throughout the venue. The objective was simple: allow staff working behind the scenes to see exactly what is happening on stage in real time, regardless of their location within the building. This includes stage management positions, technical galleries, backstage areas, fly systems, lighting positions and other operational workspaces distributed throughout the theatre. To achieve this, the venue selected a network of professional CRALTECH monitors specifically designed for continuous operation and low-latency video monitoring.

The Challenge

In live performing-arts environments — especially where the conductor dictates the tempo — timing is critical. Stage managers, performers, technicians, lighting operators, rigging crews and production staff often need immediate visual awareness of on-stage activity while working in locations where direct sight of the stage is impossible. Traditional video distribution systems can introduce delays that affect artistic quality for upstage singers, performer cue timing and operational coordination. The solution therefore needed to provide:

The Solution

CRALTECH supplied a combination of professional low-latency monitoring displays installed throughout the Latvian National Opera and Ballet:

• CM101PB — 10.1″
• CM238PB — 23.8″
• CM185P — 18.5″
• CM320PB — 32″

Each display was selected according to the operational requirements of its installation location, and some of the monitor features were fine-tuned for the theatre environment. Larger displays provide greater visibility distance from the stage, while compact monitors are positioned directly at operator workstations where immediate visual reference is required — and that is where the CM101PB was born: a small-size monitor with the full functionality of its bigger siblings.

Real-Time Visibility for Technical Teams and Artists

The monitors are distributed throughout the building, providing continuous access to live stage feeds from locations that would otherwise have no direct visual contact with the performance or the conductor. This enables:

• Stage cue monitoring
• Precise singing by larger upstage choirs and orchestra ensembles
• Backstage coordination
• Lighting and rigging operations
• Technical supervision
• Production management support

The result is improved situational awareness across the entire venue while maintaining operational simplicity.

Ultra-Low Latency Performance

For live production environments, image quality alone is not enough — latency is often the most important parameter. To verify performance, latency measurements were performed by comparing a live camera source with the image displayed on the monitoring system. The results demonstrate an extremely low delay between source and display, allowing operators to react to stage events virtually in real time.

Conclusion

The deployment at the Latvian National Opera and Ballet demonstrates how professional low-latency monitoring can improve coordination and situational awareness across complex performing-arts venues. By combining multiple display formats with real-time video performance, the solution provides technical teams with immediate access to the information they need, exactly where they need it.

Whether installed backstage, in technical galleries or at operator workstations, every display contributes to a more connected and efficient production environment.

About the Venue

The Latvian National Opera and Ballet has been one of the leading cultural institutions in the Baltic region since 1918, presenting opera and ballet productions in its historic venue located in Riga, Latvia.

The Latvian National Opera and Ballet's productions highlight the values of classical and romantic art while also seeking contemporary forms of expression. The institution is open to both the Latvian public and the world: it gives guest performances and regularly collaborates with outstanding guest soloists, conductors, choreographers, directors, stage designers, costume designers, and lighting and video designers, both at home and abroad.