UK - The BBC's The Nation's Favourite Prom at the Royal Albert Hall was screened on BBC1 on Sunday 25 July. Le Maitre provided the specal effects for the finale of the event, the Halle Orchestra's performance of Tschaikovsky's 1812 Overture, conducted by Mark Elder. Le Maitre's Tim Haddon used 16 Giant Theatrical Flashes and 16 Medium Concussions to simulate the firing of the cannons. This was followed by a row of 19 10x12 Stage Gerbs for the final 10 seconds of the piece. The Halle Orchestra's performance was hugely powerful and the effects thrilled a packed Royal Albert Hall. Haddon used the Pyrodigital system for the absolutely precise timing necessary, and Mark Elder was reported to be exceptionally pleased with the combination of the pyro with the music, and its accuracy.
(Lee Baldock)
