Figaro Systems

Figaro Systems, Inc.

Company type	Private
Founded	1993
Headquarters	Santa Fe, New Mexico , United States
Key people	Patrick Markle, president and CEO, Geoff Webb, VP
Website	figarosystems.com{dead link}

Figaro Systems, Inc. is a U.S.-based firm that specializes in the development and installation of seatback and wireless titling software systems tailored for opera houses and music venues around the world. Established in 1993 by Patrick Markle, Geoff Webb, and Ron Erkman in Santa Fe, the company was among the first to introduce assistive technology that allows audience members to view personalized, simultaneous multi-language librettos and dialogue presentations.

History

The inception of Figaro Systems traces back to a 1992 conversation between opera industry professionals: Patrick Markle (then Production Director at The Santa Fe Opera), Geoffrey Webb (Design Engineer at the Metropolitan Opera), and Ronald Erkman (a technician at the Met). At that time, subtitle solutions were confined to single-language displays projected on either large or small screens.

In response to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Markle sought to enhance accessibility for patrons with disabilities, including those who are deaf. Collaborating with Webb and Erkman, he created the inaugural personal seatback titling device. John Crosby, who was General Director of The Santa Fe Opera then, acknowledged its potential to significantly improve the audience experience.

The founders obtained patents for their invention, utilizing this technology to break down barriers to performing arts access on a global scale. Their enterprise centers on providing tailored subtitle systems catering to a wide range of clients such as leading opera houses and performance venues.

Alberto Vilar, an investor holding majority shares, contributed Figaro’s electronic libretto technology to prominent European institutions including London's Royal Opera House, Milan's Teatro degli Arcimboldi, Barcelona's Gran Teatre del Liceu, and Vienna's Wiener Staatsoper. Nevertheless, his inability to meet funding obligations resulted in financial setbacks for several recipients.

In 2005, Figaro encountered legal disputes initiated by the Metropolitan Opera concerning advertising assertions related to its "Simultext" system and alleged unauthorized use of the Met’s name.

Products and technology

Figaro Systems produces a range of products including seatback titles, surtitles, electronic libretto systems, opera supertitles, projected titles, and libretto translations used internationally by opera venues. These solutions provide librettos in various languages such as English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Russian, and Spanish. Their software supports any written language and delivers translations individually through a dedicated screen for each user.

Typically mounted on seat backs for optimal visibility, these displays have evolved from vacuum fluorescent (VFD) technology to liquid-crystal displays (LCD) around 2000 and advanced further to organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screens by 2004. Each unit offers eight concurrent text channels along with program annotations; users can control them via a single button and switch them off if desired. The software integrates seamlessly with existing venue systems or Figaro Systems' proprietary "Simultext," allowing real-time synchronization of each line with live performance cues.

The company also provides fully modular systems featuring wireless handheld devices designed for patrons unable to access fixed seatback units—such as individuals using wheelchairs or those seated in areas lacking permanent displays—thereby enhancing accessibility and expanding their market reach.

Venues

Within the United States, the company's technology has been implemented in notable locations including Denver's Ellie Caulkins Opera House, The Santa Fe Opera, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York's Metropolitan Opera (referred to locally as "MetTitles"), the Roy E. Disney Theatre at Albuquerque's National Hispanic Cultural Center, Seattle's McCaw Hall, the Opera Theatre of St. Louis, the Des Moines Metro Opera, and the Lyric Opera of Kansas City.

Across Europe, the company's systems are featured in prestigious opera venues such as London's Royal Opera House, Milan's renowned Italian theatres Teatro alla Scala and its Teatro degli Arcimboldi, Barcelona’s Gran Teatre del Liceu, and Vienna’s esteemed Wiener Staatsoper.

Awards

In 2001, the company received the Technology Commercialization Award from Los Alamos Laboratories for its Simultext technology. Later, in 2008, its software was nominated as a finalist for the Excellence Award for Commercial Software presented by the New Mexico Information Technology and Software Association.