Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoë was guest of honour at the inaugural event on the 21 June, timed to coincide with a popular music festival in the Champs de Mars gardens surrounding the tower. At the stroke of midnight, the 500,000-strong local festival audience, together with viewers of the live broadcast from television station France 2, watched as the 1000s of light bulbs that make up the installation were turned on. The Eiffel Tower shimmered in blues and golds behind the festival stage, where the new Vari*Lite Series 3000 luminaires, mounted on a circular truss, were focused to shine on the tower, adding dynamic colour for the impressive ceremony.
The innovative zoom and powerful output of these 1200W units meant that just 24 VL3000 Spots were needed, supplied by Phase Four via VLPS Lighting Services' French Dealer, CSI. The project was supervised by Fredérique Dorieux.
(Ruth Rossington)
