Adelaide Festival Theatre
King William Street

B 1979 Rieger Orgelbau, Schwarzach, Austria
3 manuals, 50 speaking stops, 6 couplers, tracker & electro-magnetic stop action

Rieger-Orgelbau of Austria were commissioned in 1978 to build a striking concert hall organ for the new Festival Theatre. $400,000 had been raised to pay for the construction of a significant instrument to mark the 25th year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II and the organ was named the "Silver Jubilee Organ".

Because the stage is used for opera, ballet and drama, the organ needed to be able to be removed and so a hovercraft system was designed so that the organ could be "floated" back into the world's largest cupboard.

The pipes are all open toe voiced on relatively high wind pressures with minimal nicking. The Hauptwerk Principal 8' has double pipes for most of its compass.

The organ was inaugurated by Dr Peter Hurford on 2nd April, 1979.

The specification (taken from "Pipe Organs of Adelaide Volume 6" AMCD 96126) is:

Hauptwerk (Man I) Bordun Principal Spitzflöte Rohrflöte Octav Hohlflöte Quinte Superoctav Mixtur Major VI/VIII Mixtur Minor IV Cornett Trompete Clairon Schwellwerk (Man II) Gamba Schwebung Bleigedackt Principal Koppelflöte Nassat Blockflöte Terz Sifflet Mixtur VI/VIII Fagott Trompete Oboe Schalmei Tremulant Positiv (Man III) Salicional Holzgedackt Principal Rohrflöte Sesquialter II Octav Quintlein Scharff IV Rankett Chamade Krummhorn Tremulant Pedal Untersatz Principal Subbass Octav Gedackt Choralbass Pommer Rauschpfeife IV Bombarde Posaune Posaune Zinke Couplers I/P II/P III/P II/I III/I III/II

16 8 8 8 4 4 2-2/3 2 1-1/3 1/2 8 8 4 8 8 8 4 4 2-2/3 2 1-3/5 1 2 16 8 8 4 8 8 4 4 2-2/3 2 1-1/3 1 16 8 8 32 16 16 8 8 4 4 2-2/3 32 16 8 4

Adjustable Unenclosed Adjustable

Combinations: 8 general and 8 per division, 12 stage crescendo pedal, tutti

Compass: 61/32

The two 32' ranks are located in the ceiling on electric action

Total number of pipes: 4,200

Wind pressure 100mm (32' ranks 120mm)

Photos TB & MQ