Clay Paky chosen for Salalah Kharif Festival 2010

25 October 2010

Oman - Over 130 Clay Paky fixtures were recently featured during the opening of the 2010 Salalah Kharif Festival in Oman. Held every summer during the Kharif (monsoon) season, the Salalah Kharif Festival is one of the most famous tourism events in this tropical region.

With festivities usually running for six weeks. Attractions include folk music, traditional games, art shows, poetry, children's contests, seminars, awareness campaigns, sports and more. The majority of the celebrations take place at the Lake Amphitheatre, while other performances and activities are held at a number of locations nearby.

The opening ceremony of the festival was held was held on July 15, 2010 at the Wilayats Theatre in the Cultural Village at the Municipality Recreational Centre. It included more than 2,500 performers presenting four operettas under the theme March and Achievement.

To highlight the performances, lighting designer Ali Saab utilised an attractive mix of Clay Paky moving lights including 20 Alpha Beam 1500, 20 Alpha Beam 300, 40 Alpha Spot HPE 1200 and 56 Alpha Wash 575 fixtures, combined with Ignition LED screens. The fixtures were placed around the sides of 11 large Ignition FZ LED screens, with additional fixtures placed along the curved step dividing the sunken front half of the stage, achieving dramatic results. In addition, four Clay Paky Shadow QS-LT Follow Spots were used. Programmer Mohamed Tarakomyi and operators Taha Al Halak and Mohamed Haroun used 2 grandMA Full Size series 1, 3 grandMA Media Servers, and 3 grandMA NSP.

Lighting was supplied by Al Raisi Group and the show was produced by Al Watan TV. Diaa Shehadeh, General Manager for the Al Raisi Group explains: "We of course prefer Clay Paky fixtures because we have dealt with them for a very long time and know we can depend on them. In addition, it's at the present the most used brand of the LD and also of the programmer & operators for this show. In addition, it's one of the most used brand of the LD and also of the programmer & operators for this show."

Pio Nahum, Clay Paky sales and marketing manager said: "Clay Paky is very happy with the work that the Al Raisi Group has done in such a culturally rich region. The festival showcased our lighting in a very attractive way and Ali Saab is a very talented designer."

The 2010 festival has been such a success that on August 1, the Sultanate of Oman's Ministry of Tourism announced that it would be extended until the end of September, 2010.

(Claire Beeson)