Russia - While the founding of the Bolshoi Theatre dates back to 1776, its production team is looking to the future with the newest LED technology from High End Systems. The theatre – a cultural landmark and home to the Bolshoi Ballet, Opera and Orchestra – opened a second venue, the New Stage, in 2002 to host performances while the Historic Stage underwent refurbishment. By 2011, both neighbouring performance venues were offering a full schedule of events in the heart of Moscow. In 2018, it was time to make some changes over at the New Stage. Lighting designer Anatoly Samosadny was seeking an alternative to the older lamp-based fixtures. Preferring to work with a modern, LED-based automated luminaire in his productions, he turned to High End Systems’ Moscow-based distributor SiM, which recommended High End Systems’ SolaFrame Theatre fixture. Eight SolaFr
Sweden - Summerburst is the biggest EDM festival in Sweden. The inaugural event was held in Stockholm back in 2011, and by the following year had also opened its doors in Gothenburg. Since then it has remained a two-city festival, both with a capacity of around 25,000. Daniel Hellsten has worked closely with Summerburst since its inception, as production manager and designer. At the recent event at Gothenburg’s Ullevi Stadion he introduced GLP’s KNV Cubes for the first time as 25,000 came to see international DJs such as Tiësto, Alesso, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Tigerlily, Salvatore Ganacci and many others. He positioned 24 of the KNV Cubes in the arc roof surrounding the DJ booth following a design conceived by himself and assistant designer, Tobias Borén. Explaining the rationale behind his design, Hellsten said, “They were placed in a central po
Cyprus - The Corinthian columned façade of Cyprus’ largest theatre, the Municipality Théâtre in Nicosia, reflects the island’s theatrical heritage, but like a good play, the 1,000-seat venue holds surprises. Stepping inside the classical building, visitors will encounter an advanced and very modern theatrical lighting system made up entirely of 150 Chauvet Professional LED fixtures. Nicosia-base V Hypersound & Light, installed the lighting and audio systems in the building, which re-opened on 18 June after being closed for more than a decade. “This was a very big re-modelling project, the biggest one ever relating to theatre in our market,” said the company’s Kypros Shekkeri. “Regarding the theatrical lighting, the theatre management wanted to have an all-LED system in the building. “We won the project by offering a complete solution of compact an
Italy - The harmonising elements of light and water came magically together at Toce Falls by Lake Maggiore in the Alps of northern Italy (Cascata del Toce) during an evocative light and music show designed by Pierre Gèlil. For a special event held 28-29 June, the designer turned to colour-changing Elation Paladin lighting effects to visually paint one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the region. Gèlil, who also works as director of Teatro Maggiore in Verbania, was looking for a suitable product to illuminate the breathtaking but complex location. Seeking a watertight fixture that could put up with mist from the Falls as well as weather extremes, Elation’s Italian partner, Audio Effetti, proposed the Paladin, a versatile multi-functional LED wash light with high luminosity, chromatic performance and IP65 housing. Sealed against water or dust ingress, the Pala
Columbia - Teatro ABC de Bogota has added Claypaky Axcor Spot and Beam 300 fixtures to its rig to light musical and theatrical performances. Audio Concept de Colombia, S.A., Claypaky’s exclusive distributor in the region, advised on the purchase and provided technical support and service following the installation. Teatro ABC opened in 2016 in northern Bogota as a multi-faceted cultural space; an extensive remodel in 2018 extended seating to almost 1,000 people and upgraded the technology deployed for a wide range of productions. Lighting designer Dario Rodriguez, whose credits include working with Madonna, Metallica, U2’s 360 Tour and Cirque du Soleil, believed that Claypaky fixtures would optimise the flexible lighting design the venue requires. “We went for a brand that could give us local support and new technology,” he says. “Claypaky’s Axcor li
France - The Romanian Embassy was installed in the Palais de Béhague in Paris in 1939. Within its walls is a theatre, built in 1898, called the Byzantine Room, because of its largely Byzantine style decoration. This room can accommodate a variety of different events such as conferences, shows, parades, musical performances or theatre. When Luca Luculescu the current ambassador, decided to give a second life to this abandoned theatre, he discussed options with Sébastien Collin, co-founder of DID Technology. The goal was to revive the theatre whilst modernising the facilities and developing a versatile solution that could adapt to any type of event that was organised. For the stage element, eight Prolights Eclipse Fresnel units were selected in variable white along with eight Eclipse HD RGBA / Lime / Royal Blue. The floor lighting concept incorporated eight Proli
USA - Bandit Lites has announced the appointment of long-time Bandit Roth Edwards to the new position of director of operations. Roth has been at Bandit for 20 years and was most recently director of special operations. Edwards came to Bandit from Grand Island, Nebraska with a keen understanding of the lighting business, a desire to learn more, and a passion second to none. From that point, Edwards quickly ascended the management ladder at Bandit and now sits in a lead role. “You could never find a smarter, more dedicated person to have on your team or in the trench with you,” said Bandit chair Michael T. Strickland. “Roth has a relentless quest for knowledge and wants to get it right every time. There is no task he will not tackle, and he will always succeed. To add to that, his vast understanding of lighting technology and computer technology is simply stunni
USA - The team at WorldStage prides themselves in being “technology specialists at heart” and they have the track record to prove it, being among the earliest adapters of a long series of breakthroughs like moving LED fixtures. This summer, the innovative company took another step toward the future, when it added 50 Chauvet Professional Maverick MK3 Profile fixtures to its inventory. “This is a new technology fixture,” said Terry Jackson, vice president, director of lighting at WorldStage. “We have been searching for a large LED fixture to upgrade some of the older 3K range units we own, and this is it. This will definitely replace several fixtures in our inventory, so we can continue to grow and deliver a better experience to our customers. “We have already used these fixtures on the DRL/Formula E Kick-Off Party, and we have them ready for additional high
UAE - German wireless LED lighting specialist Astera has appointed NMK Electronics to distribute its products in the GCC region. The company was founded in 1987 to focus on the professional audio, video and lighting industry. From modest beginnings in Sharjah, UEA, it has grown into a leading distributor of professional AV products and musical instruments throughout the Middle East and is now headquartered in Dubai. Astera’s range of entertainment and architainment LED lighting has been used to illuminate numerous high profile and world-class events. “Having simple and powerful control of complex lighting programmes and effects coupled with the portability of Astera means that lighting designers can focus on being creative without worrying about potential limitations like cables and rigging,” stated Darren Caithness, lighting business manager - NMK Electronics. <
UK - Lighting and video rental specialist Colour Sound Experiment supplied stage and architectural lighting and LED screen to the 2019 Hampton Court Palace Festival, staged in the Tudor Courtyard of Hampton Court Palace in Richmond, Surrey. A star-studded line-up for the 2019 season included Kylie Minogue, Nile Rodgers & Chic, Tears for Fears, The Jacksons, Jools Holland and many more. The event was enjoyed by thousands who flocked to this unique venue to enjoy summer evenings picketing in the gardens and grounds before taking their seats for the evening concerts which ran over a three-week period in June. Ensuring that everything ran like clockwork onstage was Jonny Gaskell, production manager and production lighting designer, who has worked for the festival for the last seven years. Jonny provides a production design for the stage and lights selected archi
USA - High End Systems has introduced the TurboRay automated luminaire. Offering “a classic retro look with its radial diffusers, TurboRay brings a distinctive appearance to any lighting design”. High End Systems general manager Becky Koester comments, “We are thrilled to have TurboRay as the first entry back into fixture manufacturing in our Austin, Texas headquarters. The positive reactions we’ve had from lighting designers around the world has been staggering, and we’re very excited to bring this fixture to market.” Automated lighting product manager Matt Stoner adds, “TurboRay is an awesome new look built on a classic style. Beyond its’ classic and volumetric face look, the fixture employs a powerful LED system with multiple types of colour control. TurboRay gives users a wealth of tools to make any stage more exciting.” (Jim Evans)
Switzerland - Each August for the past 73 years, the Romanesque Piazza Grande is transformed into the world’s largest open air movie theatre. Flanked by detailed buildings, the piazza provides an enchanting setting for screenings at the Locarno International Film Festival, an event that draws the likes of Harrison Ford, Ethan Hawke and other Hollywood A-listers to this ancient town on the Italian-Swiss border. Earlier in the summer, this venerable site, which traces its origins back to Roman times, undergoes another transformation, as it is turned into an urban nightclub for the Connection Festival. For two days in June, the sounds or rap, pop, and electronic music resonate off the pastel walls of its buildings, accompanied by intensely bright light from over 40 Chauvet Professional Maverick fixtures, supplied and set up by Fumasoli Audio & Lights Rental. Enrico
Poland - The mercury hit record highs in Warsaw, while theatre-goers visiting the Stanisław Witkiewicz Studio Theatre were treated to a performance of Cameron Mackintosh’s Les Misérables staged by the Śródmiejski Teatr Muzyczny. The company - made up from school pupils aspiring to be acting / performance professionals - produces an annual musical which was lit by LD Michal Piskorski who has also lit the previous two such productions, 2017’s Footloose and the Monty Python’s Spamalot. He worked closely with programmer Krzysztof Gantner from the show’s technical sponsor, Prolight, on the spectacle which was directed by Antoniusz Dietzius who also designed the set. Six Robe T1 Profile moving lights were utilised, provided by Warsaw-based lighting and technical sales specialist Prolight. Also, part of this ‘specials’ package were five R
Europe – TSL Lighting Design director, Anthony ‘Turbo’ Hall, has set off on a mammoth 22,000-mile return road trip from Kent to Ulan Ude in Russia to raise money for the technical entertainment charity, Backup. Turbo set off on Friday 19 July in Poppy - a wholly unsuitable 1000cc Perodua Kanari – with his teammate Abby 'Henri' Cooper. Over the next 12 or so weeks, they will drive through 22 countries. The car joins a fleet of vehicles as part of the world-famous Mongol Rally. Turbo and Henri have named their intrepid team the Nomadic Numpties, which is certain to be eye-catching as they race through eastern Europe and into lesser travelled terrains towards deepest Russia. “I’ve known about the Mongol Rally for many years and it's always something I’ve dreamed of doing,” says Turbo. “When the chance arose to enter, we jumped at it. It’s an unsu
UK - Theatre lighting specialist Howard Hudson has deployed GLP’s new RGBY version of its best-selling impression X4 on the West End production of The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾ -The Musical. The adaptation of Sue Townsend’s best-selling book recently transferred to the Ambassadors Theatre. Hudson had first worked on the production back in 2015 when it was at The Curve in Leicester. He had previously collaborated with the director, Luke Sheppard and designer, Tom Rogers on various projects prior to this and we were all put together for that first production. The show was then produced at the Menier Chocolate Factory before transferring to the Ambassadors Theatre. In terms of how the show should be lit, much of the musical is written from Adrian’s point of view, with a lot of his sections of the piece as direct address to the audience. “Theref
USA - Production designers Robert Long and Sooner Routhier of SRae Productions, along with associate designer Ashley Zapar, specified the Vari-Lite VL6000 Beam luminaire to add a bold and dynamic presence to their show design for the farewell tour by KISS. The band’s End of the Road world tour, which continues through 2019, features all the rock and roll theatrics that fans expect of a classic KISS show (described by Long as “equal parts of fire, lasers, metal, leather, and controlled chaos”) but with a modern edge. “KISS requires an old school light show with simple cuing that accents the music but isn’t overly embellished,” says Long, discussing the KISS show style and their choice of lighting fixtures. “The music is simple, four on the floor, rock and roll with heavy guitar riffs. We need lights that reflect that, but in a modern, elevated way.
Australia - Riverside Theatres is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Parramatta CBD in the western suburbs of Sydney. Opened in 1988, its various venues include the 761-seat proscenium arch Riverside Theatre, the 213 capacity Lennox Theatre, and the Raffety's Theatre which can accommodate an audience of 88. In the last year, the Riverside has invested in Robe DL4S Profiles and LEDWash 300 moving lights for the main venue. These are the first moving lights they have owned and the second batch of LED lights to be installed in the space, part of a programme that will transition the entire complex to more sustainable light sources. The timing of the purchase was also designed to reduce the need for external sub hires of LED fixtures which had accelerated during the previous season. Technical co-ordinator Sean Clarke and his colleagues Mike Brew and Josh Stringe
Mauritius - The 26th annual World Travel Awards recently took place on the island nation of Mauritius and the tropical surroundings were made even more enticing with a dress of Elation dynamic lighting designed and delivered by Seven Amps. Seven Amps, a Mauritian gear rental and integrated systems provider, provided all the technical equipment for the event, which included outdoor lighting for the venue’s stately Manor House and cocktail area, as well as lighting for the awards ceremony at the indoor marquee. The company also handled decorative and branding elements for the awards event. Held on 1 June at the Sugar Beach Hotel in Flic-en-Flac, Seven Amps chose an array of Elation lighting fixtures for the awards event, along with lighting from sister company ADJ, as well as Duratruss. “We needed an IP-rated LED Par light and wash panel for the outdoor ligh
France - All eyes were on the pitch at the Stade de France even after the finals of the French National Rugby League’s Top 14 concluded on 15 June. French hip-hop brother duo Bigflo & Oli closed the event playing to packed stands as a large complement of Claypaky fixtures illuminated their set. The Top 14 competition has been played in France since 1892 and features 14 participating teams, hence its name. Lighting designer Damien Dufaitre deployed Claypaky Sharpy Plus, Sharpy and HY B-EYE K25 LED wash lights provided by Regietek for the brothers’ performance. He positioned 19 K25s at the ground around the edge of the field. “The power of the fixtures’ projector allowed me to alternately coat the lawn with solid colors or play their powerful beams tight in the bottom,” says Dufaitre. “Even at 40m, they did the job.” Sharpys, located at the
USA - TMB’s ProPlex IQ network tester was recognised with a Cine Gear Expo Technical Achievement Award, coming first from 130 entries in the Lighting Technology Accessories category. The tool is applicable to networks of all kinds - lighting, video, audio, special effects, rigging, etc. - this hand-held product is billed as the world’s first portable network tester for entertainment staging and production use. This is the third official accolade that the IQ tester has been granted by industry professionals, having already claimed the LDI Debuting Product award and a PLASA Award for Innovation. (Jim Evans)
USA - Swedish melodic death metal band Amon Amarth was one of three bands that opened up for Slayer this past spring on the metal rockers’ extended farewell tour. Martin Müller has been designing lighting and serving as lighting operator on Amon Amarth shows since 2016 and for the 16-date trek across the southern US and east coast chose to reinforce the band’s melodic guitars and growling vocals using Elation Smarty Hybrid moving heads as contre-jour lighting effects. With lyrical themes that deal with Norse mythology and history, the opportunity for interesting supporting visuals on Amon Amarth shows, such as a centre stage Viking ship, is great. “On an Amon Amarth tour, we have a lot of stage props, fabrics and other shushu that needs to be lit up in a tasty way so that the audience will always be able to discover something new when they look on stage,” Müller s
China - Hangzhou is the capital of the Zhejiang province on China’s eastern seaboard, and considered one of the country’s most prosperous areas. Its diverse nightlife scene has just been further enriched with the opening of a new One Third club destination, another of the NOA’s Arc Group’s premium entertainment ventures. At the heart of the lighting and visuals associated with the One Third identity is creative director Daan Oomen and his team from Netherlands-based Live Legends. They specified nearly 250 Robe moving lights to ensure One Third Hangzhou stands out in a competitive marketplace. Live Legends delivered all creative elements from concept to execution, including show production, interior and technical design which included co-ordinating all the visual disciplines and optimising the guest experience. Having a ‘named’ European manufacturer as
Italy - AMG International has recently purchased 150 Sharpy Plus units, Claypaky's new hybrid lights. Alex Vinciguerra, general manager of AMG International, reports: “Our initial requirements were to add a high performance light to our range, one which was suitably versatile for our events. In order to choose the equipment which suited our needs best, we carried out a series of comparative tests and asked lighting designers and operators for their opinions. Claypaky's Sharpy Plus was the only one that really had all the features we were looking for, including power, versatility and low weight.” The Claypaky Sharpy Plus is a fully-fledged hybrid light, with two independent operating modes, weighing only 23kg (50.71lb). In beam mode, its aerial effects stand out thanks to the unit’s extraordinary light output. In spot mode, its light is diffused more evenly allow
USA - Irma Suarez-Ruiz had one request for Dustin L. Derry when she asked him to light her dance composition Pasión Oculta, which premiered at Chicago’s North Shore Centre For The Performing Arts this summer. She told him to ‘think big’. The artistic director of Ensemble Español, Suarez-Ruiz wasn’t thinking in terms of a giant rig replete with special effects when she proffered this advice. Her words had more to do with the visual impact and emotional force of his design than its size. Derry, who has been working with Ensemble Español since 2015, did not let his friend and colleague down. His lighting for the sensual six-minute Flamenco-style dance piece glows with raw passion and the aching yearning that boils at the heart of this dance narrative as it swirls around hidden desires. Yet, at the same time, his design also flows gracefully with the dance’s
