Italy - Claudio Mazzucchelli created Papa Watch My Fly, a livestreamed multi-media operatic work performed at the historic Teatro Coccia in Novara. Featuring over 70 socially distanced performers, representing a wide range of musical genres from classical and jazz, to pop and rock, as well as aerial dancers and a “live” painting by Giuseppe Ravizzotti, Papa Watch Me Fly portrays the evolving relationship between Mazzucchelli and his father over a 54-year period, from 1962 to 2016. Reflecting the passions and nuanced emotions of this story, was a Nicolò Damiani lighting designed that featured 26 Maverick MK2 Wash and 18 Maverick MK2 Spot fixtures. Audiosales Entertainment Solutions, which managed the production, rented the Chauvet Professional fixtures from Fumasoli Audio & Lights. Led by sales manager Marco Alterini and product specialist G
Germany - The Deutsches Theater in Berlin is one of Germany’s foremost producing houses. In the last year, the venue has added 20 x Robe T1 Profiles which are available across its stages, a move specified and overseen by head of lighting Robert Grauel and his team including Linus Zahn who is the lighting systems tech and person in charge of new technologies. The main stage was originally built in 1850 and the building now consists of two adjoining stages – the 600-capacity main stage and the 280-seat Kammerspiele established by the legendary Max Reinhardt in 1906 for modern drama – sharing a common, classical façade. The Box is a black box studio space located in the Kammerspiele foyer with seating for 80 people, and there are extensive rehearsal rooms, workshops, and storage facilities in a new building behind. The Robe T1 Profiles were selected from a s
UK - SES Entertainment Services has been working with JLLighting on their most recent batch of 72ways, HDPE distro and cables. “We got a call from Jack (managing director) at JLLighting looking to purchase some of our SES 72ways as they wanted to move away from their previous supplier,” says SES group director Gordon Cooper. “The quote started off as three of these units however quickly turned into HDPE distro, moulded rubber K9’s, soca splitters, custom fan outs and Powerlock linking sets as well. Quotes and drawings were supplied quickly as there was a tight deadline to stick to. “We worked closely with JL on the specs and branding to ensure they received exactly what they were after and only the best quality branded components were used on all the builds.” The 72ways are 27u 19” racks are made from Zintec steel and have a black powder coat on the
USA - Gerry Dintelman designed a show for sludge band Fister’s 90-minute Video Death livestream at the Arch City Audio Visual Services studio in St Louis. Working with a rig that featured over 50 Chauvet Professional fixtures, plus 104 PVP S5 LED video panels, he took viewers on a visual journey that wove its way seamlessly through his client’s heavy, often abrasive rhythms. “We wanted the rig to look as aggressive as Fister’s sound is, so the whole design revolved around the idea of sharp angles, tons of back light, and intense visuals,” said Dintelman. “I definitely needed all the firepower I could get to convey the spirit of the music.” Central to Dintelman’s design was a V-shaped truss configuration that converged on the drum stand. Made with four sticks of 8ft truss slanted at a 45-degree angle, each holding 11 Rogue R2 Wash fixtures and 10
Finland - Harman Professional Solutions recently partnered with Studiotec Oy and Turku Energia to illuminate the recently renovated Piispantorni building’s façade and its new whale mural with Martin Exterior Projection 1000 fixtures. Originally constructed in 1973, Piispantorni is the tallest building in the Finnish city of Kaarina and offers a dazzling view of the nearby Gulf of Finland from its upper floors. Formerly owned and utilised by Finnish brewing company Hartwall, the building’s new owner recently renovated the building to offer commercial office rentals to professionals in the Turku region of Finland. As part of the renovation, the building received a completely new steel façade featuring a stunning, 82-foot-long mural of a life-size blue whale titled Big Blue by artist Mauri Kosonen. In order to enhance the effect of the mural, Piispantorni
USA - This January, New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu passed up a long list of other possible sites, and delivered his inaugural address at Studio Lab, a production facility created by Events United. The address marked a milestone for Events United, which formed Studio Lab before the pandemic, but began pouring renewed energy into the space once the lockdown brought live events to a halt. “For us it was a matter of trying to stay busy,” recalled Messina. “But Studio Lab tapped into a strong demand for professional livestream studios and surpassed everyone’s expectations.” Outfitted with a lighting rig anchored by Chauvet Professional Maverick fixtures and featuring a massive 52’ wide by 14’ high curved video wall made with F2 LED panels, the production space has produced a steady flow of livestreams during 2020. Among these events was a Greater Manchest
Australia - Lighting designer Trudy Dalgleish appreciated the quietness and other features of Robe T1 Profiles and T1 Fresnels that are part of the new house rig at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Adelaide, which reopened in June 2020 after a major two-year redevelopment. The State Opera of South Australia’s production of Australian drama Summer of the 17th Doll was the first show to utilise the new facilities in the 1467-seat main auditorium – which includes the 24 new Robe moving lights, 12 of each type. The Summer of the 17th Doll action is set in the Melbourne suburb of Carlton in 1953, focussing on the lives of six central characters. Director Joseph Mitchell already had some very clear ideas for how he wanted the production to look and feel, so Trudy and set designer Simone Romaniuk worked closely to evoke the ambience and period feel of the pi
USA - Marc Janowitz of e26 design chose 30 Mistral-S - Ayrton’s LED spot fixtures as key features of his lighting design for Trey Anastasio’s The Beacon Jams. The eight-week ‘virtual residency’ was live-streamed weekly from New York’s historic Beacon Theatre throughout October and November 2020. In an unusual twist, since no audience was present, the filming took place on stage in a reverse set-up, with the musicians facing the back wall and the auditorium acting as a backdrop. “The jam sessions were aimed specifically at the home audience, for which we wanted to create an intimate connection that felt like we brought a series of music sessions into the viewers’ own home,” explains Janowitz. “The reverse angle gave us something more like a studio environment into which Mistral fitted beautifully – it was very much in keeping with the look we were trying t
Australia - While Australia’s national day might be a little different this year it is still, however, a day of reflection, respect, unity, gratitude and a celebration of many achievements. The day is a national holiday and celebratory events take place country-wide. In Sydney, the harbour is a focal point for a day-long of events but thanks to Covid-19, many activities were cancelled. Fortunately, the popular Australia Day concert was still held on the Sydney Opera House forecourt along with a spectacular fireworks display, a flotilla of yachts and jet-skis. The event was produced and managed by The Department of Premier and Cabinet. This year’s audience was capped at 1,200 with specially invited, social-distanced frontline workers. Chameleon Touring Systems supplied the lighting for the concert, lit by Stuart Anderson, and the surrounding lighting lit by Pa
Germany - GLP's Creative Light 1 (CL1) and Creative Light 1 Plus (CL1+) are billed as ‘the first battery-powered and completely wireless creative LED systems on the market’. They are designed for ‘maximum flexibility in an almost unlimited range of applications for professional and semi-professional users alike’. Both feature 24 RGB LEDs and offer many design possibilities with features such as main colour control, colour patterns, a sound-to-light feature via an integrated mic and three dynamic pattern macros. The Creative Light 1 (CL1), offers the same performance as the Creative Light 1 Plus, but is aimed more at the semi-professional user with its intuitive control options (Manual, IR Remote Control, and Android and iOS app). The Creative Light 1 Plus (CL1+), also features an integrated LumenRadio CRMX module. This makes it ideal for use in professio
Italy - With its light and airy Neo-Renaissance forms, the Nicolò Bruno-designed Politeama Rossetti theatre affords excellent views from each of its 1,531 seats. Regardless of where visitors find themselves in the historic venue, however, they can only see the stage from one angle at a time. No such limitation exists for livestream viewers, though, and that, believes Crt Birsa, changes the fundamental trajectory of a lighting design. “The live audience has just one point of view,” he explains. “But in a livestream each camera is a new point of view that has to look good. The viewer sees things from all angles, so your design has to present a very consistent image from one end to the other.” Birsa provided an example of this principle in December when lighting a one-hour livestream at Politeama Rossetti for the Trieste-based guitar quartet 40 Fingers. Covering
USA - Guests at Wisconsin’s Wilderness Resort are getting an aerial view of US National Parks, national landmarks and the Wisconsin Dells, onboard the new FlyRide Take Flight adventure ride. Developed by SimEx-Iwerks, the ride uses four Christie D4K40-RGB pure laser projectors with Christie Mystique, a camera-based multi-projector alignment and blending system. Wilderness Resort is located on over 600 acres of forest, where guests can stay at three properties, enjoy golf, indoor and outdoor waterparks, dining, and a range of activities for the whole family. Take Flight opened in September 2020, expanding the list of exciting activities for guests to enjoy. Take Flight begins as guests enter an airport-themed lobby, with ‘windows”’ looking out onto the National Parks. Guests are then queued at an ‘airport’ featuring airplane seats, before entering the ride.
Europe - Elation continues the Elation Coffee Break webinar series on Thursday, 18 February at 11:00 a.m. CEST with technical sales specialist Alistair Smyth and international sales manager Frederik Afif looking at the innovative qualities of the Paladin series of versatile wash/blinder/effect lights Since its debut on the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest, the IP65-rated Paladin range has emerged as industry staple luminaires useful for a wide variety of applications from vibrant stage wash and dynamic uplight to flexible effect light, audience blinder/strobe and eye candy effect. Valued for its versatility, as well as its all-weather toughness, the range encompasses the Paladin, Paladin Panel, Paladin Brick and Paladin Cube. The Elation Coffee Break is an online presentation series from Elation’s European office in Kerkrade, the Netherlands that takes an up-close look
Italy - DTS Lighting is set to reveal its new look company website (www.dts-lighting). The improved platform, on-line from March 2021, will be easy to use and navigate and will give the users a fast way into the world of DTS, says the manufacturer. The website is now a renovated hub for data besides being a new practical instrument for clients, distributors, architects, designers, and users all around the professional market. “Everything will be presented in a new way that will recall what has been already seen during 2020: the graphical restyling which highlights the orange and gray colours of the new company image.” Sales director Raffaella Scaccia comments: “For us it is always more and more important that information and instructions regarding solutions and services can be easily
UK - PLASA, the association for the live entertainment technology industry, and the ABTT (Association of British Theatre Technicians) are pleased to announce a collaboration that will bring the 2021 editions of both the PLASA Show and the ABTT Theatre Show under one roof from 5-7 September at Olympia London. For 2021 only, this partnership between the two established associations aims to reduce pressure on the exhibition calendar as the industry’s eco-system recovers from the impacts of the pandemic and will bring the broad sector together for one landmark event. As previously planned for 2020, PLASA Show 2021 - for this year with the ABTT Theatre Show - will debut at Olympia’s largest hall, the Grand. The ABTT Theatre Show will run in its own defined space, retaining its unique identity, and celebrating the ABTT’s 60th anniversary. The spacious Grand hall will
UK - Harman Professional Solutions has announced that Martin Professional has appointed Michael Straun and Nick Hansen as EMEA lighting designer relationship managers for Martin Professional. Created specifically to facilitate close working relationships with end-users throughout the region, the EMEA lighting designer relationship manager role involves collaborating with lighting designers, Martin distributors and the rental market in all sectors, including television, theatre, touring and more. In addition to bringing real-world experience, first-hand product knowledge and industry connections to the position, Michael and Nick will also provide insight for research and development at Martin. “We are excited to welcome Michael Straun and Nick Hansen onto the Martin team, especially in the current business climate,” said Ben Payne, head of lighting, Martin EMEA.
Slovenia - The marriage between lighting and set design is never far from Crt Birsa’s mind. Only when light absorbs itself completely in its surroundings, can it exert its full power to transform. This is always true, he believes, but especially so when lighting television productions, where the limited and less forgiving eye of the camera replaces live human vision. “In TV shows lighting has to walk hand in hand with set design,” he said. “There must be tight collaboration between the lighting and set designers for the total design to reach the level of perfection that the camera demands.” Birsa and his frequent collaborator set designer Greta Godnic achieved this level, and then some, for a NYE special run by Slovenian National Television (RTV) in its famed Studio 1. Powering his five universe show with a ChamSys MagicQ MQ80, he wove light from 101 fixtures
USA - Liberty University has invested in a complement of 20 Ayrton Khamsin-S LED profile luminaires for the new Liberty Arena on the Lynchburg, Virginia campus. Liberty Arena seats 4,500 spectators and is the home of the university’s men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball teams whose games are broadcast on ESPN+. Liberty University previously purchased Ayrton Mistral fixtures for a multi-use event space, which hosts a wide array of entertainment programs and gatherings. “We wanted bright LED fixtures that would really pop and enhance the fan experience in our new dedicated sports arena,” says Amy Caun, lighting director and Tier 2 production technician in Liberty’s Event Production department. Designed for scenic applications, the Khamsin-S is equipped with a new LED module delivering powerful metallic white light with a record-breaking output of
Europe - Netherlands-based architectural lighting control specialist Visual Productions has announced Matrix Sales as its new exclusive distributor for Denmark. Matrix Sales became an exclusive distributor of Visual Productions in the last quarter of 2020. It is now fully responsible for sales, project support and technical support in Denmark and distributes a full range of products from Visual Productions available from stock. “I am very impressed with the professionalism that one encounters with Visual Productions and its crew in handling service and backup on technical solutions and challenges,” comments Urs Friis-Alstrup, sales manager of Matrix Sales, specialising in light and staging. “A distributor's best wishes for cooperation in a demanding market. Looking forward to many good years together.” Hana Havrdo
UK - PLASA, the lead association for the entertainment technology industry, is running a free webinar on Wednesday 24 February to help attendees better understand the basics of the new UKCA marking which is now required for certain products being placed on the market in Great Britain. Following on from a series of webinars covering business, trade and HR, this session will explore terms and definitions that relate to the new UKCA and CE UKNI markings. PLASA will be joined by expert host Rob Hine, head of commercial partnerships at BSI (an approved body for UKCA), who will break down what these terms mean in the context of UKCA and what this means for those placing products on the market. Rob will also take the time to answer any questions. This webinar will prove essential for both UK and international businesses who sell products in the UK. Following the session, att
USA - Last year, in the midst of the pandemic, Squeek Lights owner Victor Zeiser converted the Ruby Stage at his company’s Middlesex. NJ facility into a performance space for livestreams and video productions. Rigged with Chauvet Professional Rogue BeamWash fixtures, the new studio was well-received, attracting name bands like Motionless in White and The Wonder Years, in addition to hosting the chart-topping trio AJR for their Biden Presidential Inauguration, as well as their appearance on The Late Late Show With James Corden. While most people at his improvised studio were watching the performers on stage, Zeiser was focusing his attention on LDs like Mike Null (Motionless in White) and Ezra Donellan (AJR) and their crews as they worked cameras and light to make these productions click. His observations led him to shake things up at his successful Ruby Stage
USA - Lightware Visual Engineering has announced the opening of its newest branch to expand its presence across the West Coast area. Co-incidentally, Steve Alexander joins as general manager of the US West Region. “We are delighted to welcome Steve Alexander to our team,” says Jason Tirado president, Lightware Inc. “Steve and I have been personal friends and professional colleagues for decades. Steve is one of the brightest minds in AV and one of the smartest people I know. He will be charged with ramping up our presence in the thirteen states in the Western Region.” “Lightware has been a growing presence in the market for the last several years,” says Alexander. “After meeting the team and completing my research, I am fully convinced that the Lightware brand is at a tipping point. I cannot imagine a more fulfilling development than using my experience to
USA - The Beacon Jams were a successful eight-week ‘virtual residency’ presented by guitarist and singer-songwriter Trey Anastasio (AKA lead singer of Phish) and MSG Entertainment in New York City’s Beacon Theatre. The shows were live-streamed free on Twitch at 8pm every Friday through October and November 2020. The artist played with varied arrangements of his Trey Anastasio Band (TAB), adding and changing line-ups and special guests each week, offering a dynamic mix of live music and interactive entertainment. With up to 12 musicians onstage and the challenge of playing live with no audience in such a famous venue, production and lighting designer Marc Janowitz from E26 Design thought out of the box. His mission was to adapt and redirect the visual drama and ambience that usually accompany a 3,000 strong live audience as well as light all the performers
UK - To mark the centenary of Stephen Joseph’s birth and the 60th anniversary of the founding of ABTT, the ABTT Stephen Joseph Committee has announced an award to commemorate the life and work of the influential theatre practitioner and pioneer of theatre in-the-round. A statement from the ABTT says: “Stephen Joseph was one of the most influential theatre practitioners of the last century. He was one of the founders of the ABTT and the Society of Theatre Consultants, now the Institute of Theatre Consultants. He promoted new writing, architectural standards and technical excellence, and was an inspiring university teacher. His pioneering work has given rise to the use of myriad forms of theatre and open staging in current practice. At the heart of his philosophy was the close and fundamental relationship between performer and audience. Above all, he established theatre-i
