The Royal Opera of Versailles is part of the famous Palace of Versailles commissioned by King Louis XIV and has its own iconic place in French history. Inaugurated in 1770, it was designed by Ange-Jacques Gabriel and is also known as the Théâtre Gabriel. The interior decoration by Augustin Pajou is constructed almost entirely of wood for enviable acoustics and painted with a faux marble technique.

After years of neglect, the venue was transformed by two complete more recent restorations, the 1200-capacity main room was re-gilded in 1957 and the stage and machinery were revamped in 2009. Since then, it has been busy hosting an annual program of concerts of baroque music, operas, and ballets.

More recently, a major lighting upgrade comprising 40 x Robe T2 Profiles was delivered in two batches by Robe France, an initial purchase of 30, followed by another 10 x T2 Profiles, which they liked so much that they purchased 12 x TX1 PosiProfiles.

Hosting 30-40 shows a year, all with varying needs, Marc Blanc, technical director for Château de Versailles Spectacles, explained that the need for extra flexibility and moving lights had been steadily growing. Furthermore, they were being frequently requested by incoming productions, resulting in a substantial budget being spent on rentals. During Covid, Marc also had time to do some calculations and realised the time was right for a general lighting upgrade.

He and his colleagues including chief electrician Thierry Giraud, console operator Guillaume Astier, and some of their regular lighting freelancers put their heads together and identified their main criteria for moving lights. They came up with silence, optical quality, power, and availability and looked at what other contemporary opera houses were using and specifying.

Additionally, Royal Opera of Versailles’ regular technical supplier, AudioScène, with whom they have worked for several years, was consulted and asked for their advice and opinions as well as if they could assist with arranging demonstrations with different brands. The options were narrowed down to two brands, one of which was Robe, and from that, the T2 Profile was selected.

Robe Lighting France’s regional manager Franck Veber noted that the French office and the brand generally has been specified for several high profile opera houses, and for Versailles’ specific configuration, scenography and production schedule, he thought from the start that the T2 Profile would be a perfect fit.

Robe products have also been specified, installed and are proving very successful in a number of opera houses around the world, with references at the Paris Opera, the Vienna State Opera, the Hungarian State Opera and The Baltic Opera in Poland to name a few, and this was another advantage when it came to making a decision.

In terms of the colour rendering, they wanted to see on the sets, costumes and skin. the choice had to be a multispectral LED source, and Robe France’s Vincent Bouquet also answered all their technical questions in great detail which further impressed everyone.
They were further impressed with the manufacturer’s guarantee and the fact that Robe products are entirely made in Europe, not just to be patriotic but also for practicality, as well as the brand’s superlative reputation for manufacturing robust and reliable products.

Nicolas Winkel, AudioScène’s general manager, commented that the multispectral LED source combines red, green, blue, white and lime green diodes to create a bright, crisp white which is superior to using subtractive colour mixing methods which filter white light and reduce intensity.
Robe’s highly innovative patented technology in this field adds the colours and preserves the luminous flux, so when it comes to mixing a specific colour, the corresponding LEDs are illuminated without filters. “This methodology offers an increased precision ideal for the demanding requirements of theatre and opera, where quality of light is essential,” he observed.

T2 Profiles also have an excellent CRI colour rendering index which guarantees a richness and natural quality of light which “is exceptional” says Nicolas, highlighting that currently, Robe is the only manufacturer to offer this type of moving light.

“Choosing the T2 Profile made it possible to renew the stock of equipment needed for above stage coverage,” stated Marc, adding that they have the benefits of “great support” from Robe Lighting France.
The 12 x TX1 PosiProfiles were purchased for rigging in the upper side parts of the auditorium, with no flying or attachment points they are positioned in the architectural bull’s-eyes, which present challenging angles and no room for fixtures to do their calibration ‘dance’.
“The TX1 PosiProfile, is packed with remarkable ingenuity,” Marc declares referring to the fact it does not move during the calibration routine, making them ideal for this position.
Joining them shortly will be 10 x FORTE Fresnels for front and key lighting which will be delivered in the coming months.

Nicolas explained that the FORTE was picked for its power with fluxes of up to 50,000 lumens and with the idea of eventually replacing all the older HMI sources, because they are energy intensive. When offered FORTE Fresnels as an equivalent, LDs and lighting directors are usually very happy as the luminaires have a consistent white temperature of 6,700 K.

“FORTES are more powerful than the HMIs they are replacing, they are still just as quiet, and have a beautiful quality of light,” concluded Marc, delighted that the additional rental budget for moving lights has currently been dramatically reduced.

For more info about Robe lighting, you can visit www.robe.cz

The TAF Wall Plate Console is the ultimate solution for temporary or permanent mounting of TAF’s FT33 or FT34 truss between walls.

Designed with versatility and ease of use in mind, it features adjustable clamps (200 mm / 7.9 inches of travel) for convenient connection with truss segments and has a healthy 500 kg (1,102 lbs) loading capacity.

Span truss between your walls with full confidence and complete safety!

TAF is a global manufacturer of aluminium truss, support structures and rigging accessories. All products are manufactured at its advanced production facilities in the Czech Republic.
For more information about TAF, you can visit www.trussaluminium.com

Tim Goodacre is a busy and in-demand freelance gaffer and lighting specialist based in Sydney and working all over Australia, primarily on TV dramas. He has invested steadily in Astera to help drive his business over the last two years, most recently purchasing one of the new LeoFresnel products from Astera’s Australian and New Zealand distributor ULA Group, which is added to his existing stock of AX3 Lightdrop and NYX Bulb kits and workhorse Astera Titan and Helios Tubes.

He immediately utilised the LeoFresnel on season 2 of the award-winning Netflix Heartbreak High reboot, specifically for a forest night scene shot on location with the Heartbreak High students camping out under the moonlight.

In a different scenario, a moving light might conventionally be used, however the practicalities of the location essentially demanded a wireless lighting solution! Tim rigged 16 x Titan Tubes on a ‘Moon Box’ with the LeoFresnel positioned in the centre, which was hoisted above the action pointing right down with the LeoFresnel acting as a spotlight.

Controlled through the Astera app, the need for a board operator or a complicated and cumbersome setup to run the moon-box was averted thanks to Tim’s foresight and inventive application of the kit. He created different cues and looks which provided excellent moonlight and a cost-effective way of lighting the scene with a clearly defined central lightsource surrounded by shimmering light from the softened tubes which combined brilliantly to produce the effect wanted by director Neil Sharma and DoP Campbell Brown.

For Tim, the biggest benefit of having all this Astera kit to hand is the speed and flexibility with which he can create a solution on set, on location, in the studio or anywhere.

“There is always a need for last minute lighting adjustments as a scene develops or to get light into quirky and challenging positions, and where running powered lights would be lengthy and difficult, so the Astera fixtures emit a great quality of light and are ultimately handy for exterior work!” he stated.

He has also used them for night scenes along roads, in the bush and other ‘run-and-gun’ situations without needing a generator, PD, cables and extensive prep time. He recalls a night beach scene on another project, always a galvanising place in to find lighting positions for soft sources, which in this case were needed to back-light three people.
Here his water resistant LeoFresnel was rigged on a stand with an 8×4 bounce reflector attached that facilitated the creation of a beautiful and ideally matched soft source in exactly the right place.

He’s also used the LeoFresnel on comedy drama Ladies in Black shot in Adelaide, so it’s been an extremely good investment so far. He was itching to get his hands on a LeoFresnel as soon as it was launched last year, and the team at ULA Group then leant him a demo fixture so he could properly evaluate it on set with excellent results, after which he went ahead and made the purchase.

He appreciates features like the long battery run time and the relative light weight of the fixture compared to other battery powered products. He also comments on the good quality of light from Astera products generally as well as the excellent engineering and robust build of the fixtures. “You can see that real-world usage has been thought about in the fixture design,” he confirmed.

Tim will often use his AX3 LightDrops for quick deployment and architectural requirements, together with AX5s and AX9 LED PARs for general purpose lighting of buildings, sets and structures.

AX3

AX5

AX9

Astera NYX

The NYX Bulbs are great for a myriad of set practical applications. Also, for cityscape effects like bokeh dots and twinkling lights in the background, run in festoon style in the distance with authentic and random looking ‘living, breathing’ colours and looks dialled in … just like a real city!

Tim first encountered Astera around 4 years ago initially via seeing other gaffers and lighting professionals using the lights and hearing them talking up the brand. Through these recommendations he started trying the products and was so impressed that he soon moved to using Astera as his preferred tube LED source.

For more information about Astera Lighting, you can visit astera-led.com

The Eurovision Song Contest’s official slogan #UnitedByMusic is applicable not only to the artists and audiences. To stage a live broadcast of this magnitude – reputedly the largest live broadcast in the world – takes huge teamwork and cooperation over a long period of time, even before the artists appear on stage.

Stormby used Ayrton Rivale Profile, Kyalami and Huracán Wash to stunning effect on numbers like this, the winning entry from Switzerland, Nemo – The Code.

Behind the scenes is no exception and under the experienced hand of veteran Eurovision technical show director, Ola Melzig, the production designer, Florian Wieder, and lighting and screen content designer Fredrik Stormby of Green Wall Designs, worked closely with associate lighting designers Mike Smith and Michael Straun to ensure the 68th Eurovision Song Contest 2024 in the Malmö Arena was the most impressive to date.

“As this was the 3rd time Sweden had hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in ten years, we set ourselves the challenge of doing something new and brave that would respectfully challenge the traditional Eurovision concept a little, and introduce a more large-scale concert tour feel to the familiar ‘studio show’ concept,” explains Stormby.

Taking inspiration from Swedish music, songwriting and local architecture, and a tricky request from the producers to put the audience in shot for every performance, the duo developed a stage without any traditional scenic elements or shapes, based on in-the-round layout and using light and video to shape the stage. Overhead a highly dynamic rig on almost 200 automation hoists carried over 200 tons of equipment.

“Most of the lighting design was to work with strong lines of fixtures – not many types – but densely used to give very strong expressions,” explains Stormby. “We could then use many combinations of these individually strong lines of lights and the many automated rig positions to create a very interesting palette.”

Spain entry.

Key to Stormby’s exclusively LED and laser-based design were 384 new Ayrton Rivale Profiles and 146 newly-released Kyalami fixtures, along with 32 Huracán Wash, supplied by Creative Technology Group.

Ayrton Rivale

“I like to approach my television designs using dedicated keylight fixtures that have a certain quality of light to function well as key lights,” says Stormby. “I also like a single type of workhorse fixture throughout the rig that I can use for beam effects, mid-air effects, and to frame in on props or dancers, but can also support the key lighting to fill in as back or side lights. And that became the job of Rivale.”

Twenty automated ‘pods’ each carrying Rivale Profiles in a 3×3 configuration formed the main feature of the lighting design and allowed for a near-infinite number of aesthetic and practical positions. More Rivale Profiles were rigged in the audience trusses, above the stage and around the bleachers.

“I was looking for a workhorse LED fixture with shutters and good colours that was affordable in large numbers. I also wanted good light quality, a narrow zoom, gobos, shaper blades and all the traditional stuff,” says Stormby. “We also needed to be careful of weight as there was so much hanging above the stage.
I saw Rivale in Paris when it had just come out of development. It checked all those boxes and came in a compact, light-weight package which was perfect for what we wanted to achieve with this moving lighting rig.”

Huracan Wash

Thirty-two Huracán Washes were rigged on front of house and audience trusses: “I wanted a wash instrument with shutters that I could use for audience lighting but be able to shutter off the bleacher sections to avoid spill. I thought the Huracán Wash was a good pick because I had this idea that I might use soft gobos – which I didn’t in the end – but it was one of the features that attracted me. It turned out a nice big powerful, traditional wash light with some extra features which was exactly what I was looking for.”

Looking for a fixture to outline the stage design in all dimensions, Stormby chose Ayrton’s newly-released laser-sourced Kyalami. These he mounted on Wahlberg lifts around the stage edges where they could be raised and lowered to define the shape of the stage as required. More Kyalami were rigged in a long vertical line in each of the two 18m high towers that flanked the main video screen.

Cyprus shines under the twenty pods lined with wash Ayrton Huracan in 3×3 matrix.

Yet more were rigged in “the biggest truss in the world!” – a 32m long truss using 62 universes alone which hung in front of the main video screen, completing a ‘football goal’ effect with the side towers.

Ayrton Kyalami

“The Kyalami on the truss and the towers could form a box of light for framing the back screen. We could also lower the massive truss right down to stage level so the Kyalami could act as a floor package or raise it really high to open out into very wide effects, and so many different ways in between,” says Stormby.

“Kyalami was nearing the end of its development when I was shown it, but we could see it was a compact unit with a good strong beam which we made good use of punching through all that video! I really liked the speed of Kyalami’s optical effects. That is what that fixture is about: it’s small and quick, and the prism and frost can be brought in and out really quickly – you can create a lot of different effects with that.”

The result was a design with enough flexibility to create unique looks for the each of the 37 participating countries’ very diverse performances, with less than a minute turnaround time between each song.

Kyalami can create a very define “box of light” with their laser source as seen during the Lithuania entry.

“It was great fun working with this rig because we could position it in so many different places that, as well as giving us all manner of side light, backlight and low lights, we could really play with the lighting and directions of lighting as well. The openness of the 360° stage allowed us to invite the audience into the shots in a very natural way as part of the background. This is when we had to rely on the skills of our programmers!

If we were shooting from one side of the stage, for example, we had to clean out all of the lights hitting the bleachers on the other side to make it look good. So we really produced the show shot by shot to achieve the big clean cool rock concert looks, yet were able to instantly cut to the hosts and back into Eurovision mode again. Eurovision is a cross over between television, theatre and show lighting and I think we succeeded in making the performances look like a big arena show.

Croatia entry.

“I was really happy with the overall outcome. It was 10 weeks of bonkers production but I’m proud of the result and we certainly ticked all the boxes in ‘respectfully challenging the concept.’ I like the fact that Rivale and Kyalami especially are such small fixtures but we can still pull off a show of this scale with them. That’s quite cool.”

#UnitedByMusic goes beyond the artists and creatives, and it took great collaborative teamwork between suppliers and distributors to bring this huge amount of equipment together for Eurovision 2024, led by Eurovision’s official lighting supplier, Creative Technology, and Ayrton.

Creative Technology Group made a substantial investment in 276 Rivale Profiles and worked closely with VIGSØ Denmark to sub-hire the remainder of the huge inventory of Ayrton fixtures. The fixture selection process was supported by TopStage of Sweden who worked closely with the lighting designers to introduce, demonstrate and facilitate their choice of the new Ayrton fixtures.

Estonia gives its all in an unstructured design that stands out for its inclusive geometry.

Emil Højmark, CT Group’s Head of Lighting for Sweden comments: “We’d been looking into investing in Rivale long before Eurovision came along, but Eurovision sealed the deal! Eurovision has always pushed the technology and Ayrton, which has had a long involvement with Eurovision, has always pushed the envelope in product development.

“We had over 384 Rivale Profiles on site and very few issues – it’s proved a really stable platform. The Huracan Washes were similarly reliable and one of the few fixtures we had no problems with at all. Eurovision is a high tempo project with unique challenges, and having direct access to the Ayrton tech team on site made such a difference. They are so passionate and dedicated delivering outstanding communication and support.”

Ayrton joined forces with VIGSØ to ensure everything was delivered and prepped in under 48 hours. “It was very impressive,” concludes Højmark. “VIGSØ did what I’ve never seen before from a distributor to pull this together. All departments worked really well together. It was hard work but good fun and all done in good Eurovision spirits.”

Slovenia entry.

“The collaboration with Creative Technology was great, and it was exciting to be involved in the decision-making process from the start,” says Linnea Ljungmark of TopStage, Ayrton’s exclusive distributor for Sweden. “When Fredrik came to me early in the process to discuss lights for Eurovision, it was clear to me that he was looking for a very unique look – not a specific brand – with what the fixtures could achieve. Ayrton was able to provide this and it’s been really great to follow him through the process from initial idea to final design.”

Kenneth Jakobsen, Head of Sales at VIGSØ Sales, Ayrton’s exclusive distributor for Denmark, says, “VIGSØ was very happy to work with CT on this mammoth production. Everyone involved put in a huge team effort under challenging circumstances to collectively deliver the entire, massive project on time.”

“I think CT carried out an excellent delivery,” says Stormby. “With a rig designed like this with everything in straight lines, it really comes down to the finish of the build to make it look good and they really pulled that off. I’m really happy with CT and I’m really happy with the support from Ayrton.”

“It took an amazing collaborative effort to gather so many products in one place and make sure all was running smoothly and on time,” says Michael Althaus, Ayrton’s Global Sales Director. “Special thanks to Emil Højmark who coordinated the operation, to CT for its huge investment in Ayrton, and to Kenneth Jakobsen, Christian Vigsø and Linnea Ljungmark and their teams for all their hard work. It couldn’t have been done without them all, and thank you especially to Fredrik and the team for making everything look stunning!”

Eurovision Song Contest 2025 Final and semi-finals took place in Malmö Arena, Sweden in front of the massive arena audience and 160million+ television viewers across the three live performances. “They were, as Eva Beckman, Director of Program SVT says, “three magical shows, bursting with creativity, temperament, humour and professionalism. And a more beautiful TV-production I have never seen. I didn’t even dare blink my eyes of fear in missing a single detail.”

More details on Ayrton Rivale Profile, Kyalami and Huracán Wash, and the full range of Ayrton LED and laser-sourced lighting fixtures can be found at www.ayrton.eu

The 2024 Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) was staged in Malmo Arena, Sweden, and was memorable for many elements including a superlative technical presentation which took the show production aspect of one of the largest and most-watched live music broadcasts in the world to new levels of excellence.
Under the show technical direction of Ola Melzig, a team of highly talented creatives, programmers, engineers, network architects and technicians collaborated to stage the first ever in-the-round ESC, breaking technical barriers and records!

Lighting designer Fredrik Stormby of Stockholm-based creative studio Greenwall Design and his team took care of all things lighting as well as co-ordinating the screens content, working in close conjunction with production designer Florian Wieder, and included on the lighting plot were 52 x Robe Fortes, 57 x T1 Profiles and 14 x T2 Profiles.

Robe FORTE

Robe T1 Profile

Robe T2 Profile

These Robe moving lights were used to cover all the stage and Green Room key lighting requirements. Rigged on multiple roof and side trusses flown above and around both these major areas, all lighting equipment was supplied by Creative Technology Sweden together with the video and audio equipment packages.

The show also featured an extensive automation system that helped boost the dynamics of three vibrant live broadcasts – the two semi-finals and the grand finale – encompassing a total of 37 entries. These specific Robe fixtures were chosen for their excellent CRI, intensity, and overall quality of light.

The Fortes were fitted with the HCF (High Colour Fidelity) Transferable Engine module from Robe’s TE series of ground-breaking self-referencing, data-capturing LED light engines that are all designed, developed, and manufactured at the Robe factory in the Czech Republic.

The 1,000W White 6.000K HCF LED engine offers 35,000 lumens and an exceptionally high inherent CRI of 96, making these luminaires perfect for this scenario. The T1 and T2 both have CRIs of 95 and are already well established in broadcast and theatre worlds for optimising skin tones and colours. As well as being utilised for general key lighting, several Fortes were configured to run part of an extensive remote follow spotting system, so they could be called up and activated as needed.

“As with any broadcast show, key lighting is one of the fundamentals, so we were extremely pleased that Fredrik was happy to work with these Robe fixtures,” commented Emil Hojmark, CT’s head of lighting for North Europe, who co-ordinated the lighting production. He added that they received “great support from Robe’s technical team” throughout the event period.
The load in at Malmo Arena – which also staged ESC in 2013 – started on April 3rd and was preceded by four days’ prep at CT’s warehouse in Malmo, used as a production hub for all the equipment procurement and provisioning.

Fredrik’s programming team included lead programmer for effects lighting Ishai Mika, lead programmer for key lighting Dom Adams, plus Isak Gabre, Linus Pansell and Leo Stenbeck. The assistant lighting designer was Louisa Smurthwaite (who was follow spot caller for the 2023 event in the UK) and the two associate LDs were Mike Smith and Michael Straun who worked in day and night shifts during the five-week rehearsal and development period.

Eurovision 2024 was won by Switzerland’s Nemo with their song “The Code”, closely beating Croatia’s Baby Lasagne with “Rim Tim Tagi Dim”, with Ukraine’s Alonya Alonya & Jerry Heil in third place with “Theresa & Maria”.
The 68th Eurovision Song Contest was organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster Sveriges Television (SVT) and was presented in Sweden for the seventh time.

For more information about Robe lighting, you can visit www.robe.cz

ETC announces two software releases for the Hog 4 console’s operating system. Hog 4 OS v3.21 and v4.1 are the bridging releases with export/import features to get old show files into Hog desks running v4.x software.

Senior Product Manager Sarah Clausen commented, “We recognize the value of our users’ hard work overtime and the cost of having to recreate shows to move forward with Hog into the future. These two releases create the bridge needed to bring older show data into the v4 world and beyond.”
Hog OS v3.21 is required for users that wish to import / export existing show files. Show files can now be exported to an XML format which allows for easier transitions between software versions where show file compatibility may be limited. Section 4.12 of the Hog OS v3.21 help manual offers details on how to use the Show Import/Export feature.

Additional features in v3.21 include cloning per type palette rules for fixtures when change type is used and a dedicated timecode frame rate option for lists. Additional details are available in the release notes and help manual.
Hog OS v4.1. facilitates importation from exported v3.21 data into v4.x OS. Please note that some show cleanup will likely be needed, especially in situations where colors are stored in a non-native color system for a fixture. Section 4.12 of the Hog OS v4.1help manual also has the most up to date details on how to use the Show Import/Export feature.

Additionally, in v4.1, the SPD view of the physical tab in the Colour Picker Window has been simplified by removing the selected emitter info section and Locked Physical Function tray area, and a new “optimize palettes” button has been added to the show manager window.
Pressing this button starts a background task that scans all the palettes in the show for repeated per fixture values and rolls them up to per type rules when possible. This is intended to improve performance in editors and playback and improve palette editing overall.

For more information, you can visit www.etcconnect.com/Products/Live-Events/Hog-4

Most artists of significant stature will name their tours, perhaps inspirationally, perhaps whimsically. Andrea Bocelli, the 11-time Grammy Award-nominated singer whose oeuvre comfortably straddles classic opera, romantic pop, and Latino genres, needed only a couple of letters and numbers to moniker his most recent sojourn:
AB30 his initials and the number of years he’s recorded and traveled the world touring. And even that abbreviated signature is simply shorthand for millions of fans who just say “Andrea!”

On the current tour, which crossed North America in February and April, including Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Toronto, Montreal, and Detroit, with a brief stop in Brazil in May before heading to Europe from July through November, will ultimately return to the US in December. Throughout, Bocelli has been accompanied by 60-plus-piece orchestras, often some of the flagships of their respective regions, such as the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Indiana Symphony Orchestra, all conducted by Maestro Steven Mercurio.

Equally impressive are the two new DiGiCo Quantum852 mixing consoles traveling with the tour, which also includes a full band and 60-voice choir. The two consoles, representing the latest iteration of DiGiCo’s acclaimed Quantum series, were supplied to Andrea Bocelli’s audio team as part of a complete production package by OSA International, Inc.

“Upon seeing the Quantum852 we knew it was the best choice for both the artist and OSA. Nothing else touches it and we’re proud to have some of the first in the US,” says OSA Executive VP Carmen Educate. “Adding the Quantum852 desks to our locations in Las Vegas, Nashville, and Chicago is a ‘win’ for our clients and these world-class desks perfectly complement the top-tier equipment and services that we proudly offer.”

For the AB30 tour, both desks are used for front-of-house mixing

One for mixing the orchestra which ran to 68 musicians for the São Paolo dates in May helmed by Stefano Serpagli, and the other for the overall mix, managed by Davide Lombardi. He takes Serpagli’s mix and blends it with the band used for the more pop and Latin numbers choir, some occasional playback tracks from Pro Tools, and ultimately Bocelli’s magnificent vocals. In addition to all of that, the two consoles also provide all of the onstage monitoring required.

“I come from a pop background, but I’ve also done some classical music before, and I love it,” says Stefano Serpagli, who has previously mixed live sound for Natalie Imbruglia and Dido. “The complexity with orchestras is that there’s a large number of live mics and musicians, and it’s all about the subtleties and finding the right balance.

Stefano Serpagli, en charge du premix des orchestres symphoniques.

There are also differences between orchestras: you can go from the London Philharmonic, obviously so well drilled, and then we have a young and enthusiastic orchestra like São Paulo’s. The difference can be huge from what you get out right out of the box.

And even a great orchestra will just give you a good starting point; the challenge is the difference in environments we encounter. Bocelli is an arena- and stadium-sized artist, and so you’re dealing with the subtleties and the complexities of mixing an orchestra in environments like these.”

Serpagli says the Quantum852 has taken what had already been his choice for mixing orchestras to the next level. “I’ve been a DiGiCo user since the D5 and then into the SD-Range, and I love how it has progressed with regards to onboard dynamics and then came the Quantums,” he says. “We’ve used the Quantum338 and the Quantum7, which was previously my favorite work surface with its central bank of faders easily at hand.

But the Quantum852 is its own category! It has a huge, intuitive surface that is absolutely incredible to work on. There are no compromises on this console. I can have whatever I want and as much of it as I want. And although I was already impressed with the clarity of the Quantum7’s screens, the Quantum852 makes visibility and control even better.”

He’s also a huge fan of the Quantum processing. “I use the Chilli 6 [six-band, dynamic multiband compressor] across each section of the orchestra to help me smooth it out,” he says. “For instance, the younger orchestras may have more attack, dynamically speaking, and it lets me deliver a smoother result for Davide to mix in with the other vocals and the rest of the show.”

Davide Lombardi, superviseur audio, sound designer et ingé de mixage pour cette tournée de Bocelli.

Davide Lombardi has worked with Bocelli since 2009 and has the role of audio supervisor, as well as sound designer and co-FOH engineer for this tour. He has also enjoyed employing the progressively more powerful Quantum processing during his time with Bocelli. “The Quantum852 is a natural progression to the future, with bigger screens and extra power,” he says.

“That really helps because we also do stage monitoring from out front, and the availability of the Spice Rack and Nodal Processing offer us excellent tools for that. We can have as many as we need, and we can automate them, so we can cover both monitors and front of house at the same time. There is not a large amount of monitoring onstage, but what there is needs to be very precise, and Quantum852 makes it very easy for us to be able to do different cues for different sets.”

Lombardi is managing 158 channels of audio for each show, including the mix sent over from Serpagli’s Quantum852 console and Bocelli’s vocals from the Schoeps Mk21 microphone capsule on his DPA headset, which passes through the 32-bit Stadius mic preamps on the DiGiCo SD-Rack onstage. “The Quantum852 lets me lay out the console exactly the way I need to manage the show,” he says. “That’s something else that DiGiCo has gotten right—every new console model is more ergonomic than the one before. I can only imagine what they’ll think of next.”

More information on Andrea Bocelli’s upcoming tour itinerary at www.andreabocelli.com

OSA International can be found online at www.osacorp.com

Everything about the Quantum852 with digico.biz/consoles/quantum852

ETC dealer Stage Electrics has supplied ColorSource Spot jr fixtures to upgrade the lighting in London’s Park Theatre. Park Theatre is a local venue in north London which houses two performance and rehearsal spaces that showcase a diverse mix of new and emerging productions.

The team at the theatre were looking to upgrade the existing lighting rig to LED as part of an initiative to reduce tungsten and also make a more sustainable investment for the future. ETC’s affordable ColorSource Spot jr was the preferred choice with 14 of the fixtures being selected for the theatre.

The compact yet powerful nature of ColorSource Spot jr was just one of the reasons that made it a good solution for the venue as the theatre space features a thrust stage whereby many of the fixtures hang in close proximity to the audience. The fixture’s built-in zoom capability also offers extra flexibility and makes it an all-purpose luminaire that is suitable for short trim heights and longer throws, ideal for the Park Theatre.

Technical Sales Consultant at Stage Electrics Aaron Porter comments: “Our first conversation with Gianluca Zona (Technical & Building Manager) at Park Theatre focused on what the units would be used for, how the fixtures could help the operation of the theatre, improve the tools for incoming designers and teams, as well as what units make sense financially.
The team at Park Theatre were keen to have ETC fixtures in the venue as they are well-known to incoming companies and designers, and ETC has a history of producing excellent products for theatres, making it a solid investment.

“Ultimately ColorSource Spot jr was the unit of choice. We went with the original array of fixtures as the units will mostly be used to light people and would need better neutral tones rather than deep saturate colours. In addition to this, because of the price point, more units were purchased which allows more versatility within the space.”

ETC Associate Regional Sales Manager for the UK & Ireland Matt Cowles comments: “It was great working together with Stage Electrics and Park Theatre to find the best solution for the needs of the space and ensure there was a quick turnaround with delivering.
The cost-effective ColorSource Spot jr is a great addition to ETC’s ColorSource family of fixtures, and like the others in the range, it offers a great feature set, colors and dimming at a very affordable price point. We’re thrilled to see it at the Park Theatre and have plenty more stock on our shelves to share!”

Aaron Porter adds: “The theatre had a big fundraising event where they wanted to use the new fixtures. Working closely with ETC, all units were delivered, installed and ready to go around two weeks after the order confirmation. It was great to be able to deliver this project on-time and within budget.”

For more information on ColorSource Spot jr visit etcconnect.com

Located in a former bicycle workshop that’s been transformed into a nightclub as well as a record label and agency representing DJs and producers, The Other Side has put itself squarely at the forefront of European nightlife with its new L ISA spatial audio system.

The world’s first nightclub to offer an L-ISA immersive experience, The Other Side’s main, 900-capacity room boasts a fully immersive 14.1.5 L-ISA configuration designed to wrap the audience in a 360-degree auditory experience. The system offers a unique and creative palette for artists and takes the nightclub experience to a whole new level for revelers.

“If you start a club like this, the main product has to be sound.”

Doeshka Vrede and Jasper Löwik, the multi-hyphenate duo behind The Other Side – in addition to owning and managing the club, both are producers, musicians, and artist managers as well – explained that from the outset, optimum audio quality was at the forefront of their minds. “The Other Side is a place where artists grow, creativity flows, and self-expression is the name of the game,” explains Vrede.

“If you start a club like this, the main product has to be sound.” The couple has worked with Stefan Liem, sound engineer and spatial audio expert, to ensure their vision. Liem, already familiar with L-Acoustics and L-ISA spatial technology, relished the opportunity to deploy such groundbreaking technology.

The DJ booth and, above it, the central element of the 5-piece Scene system, comprising an A15 Focus and an A15 Wide.

Working with Netherlands-based L-Acoustics Certified Provider Audio Solvation, Liem designed a 5.1 Scene system comprised of one A15 Focus and one A15 Wide per hang. Nine X12 coaxial enclosures provide surround, three each on the left, right, and back walls. Five further X12 are placed in the ceiling for overhead sound.

Two stacks of four KS21 subwoofers are placed on either side of the stage for low-end extension, and two X8 coaxials are situated near the DJ booth for front-fill. The system is powered by one LA7.16i and five LA4X amplified controllers.

Immersive sound turns a venue into a creative instrument

Visiting DJs choose how they wish to use the technology – they can perform in stereo using L-ISA Stereo Mapper functionality, or they can delve into the full immersive capacities and explore the creative potential of L-ISA to the fullest, with Liem’s guidance. “He’s our sound wizard – he uses the space as an instrument,” says Vrede.

“L-ISA is amazing,” says Liem. It was really important for The Other Side to be at the forefront of technology, to bring new experiences to our audience, and to have a high level of involvement from the artists who want to use it. All the right assets were there to get this whole project moving, and L-ISA has been much more stable than other immersive technologies that I’ve worked with. We needed everything to work seamlessly, and L-ISA does that.”

The best sound system in Amsterdam

Looking forward, Vrede is excited about what the future holds for The Other Side and how they can continue to push boundaries.

“Since opening in November, we’ve created a big buzz,” she exclaimed. “Many people talk about the sound system being the best in Amsterdam. It’s a new experience for both the audience and the performers. Everyone is excited to be a part of it.”

More information on:

– The Other Side
– L-ISA. L-Acoustics
– Audio Solvation

Slovenian writer, actor and TV personality Lado Bizovicar presented the 2024 “Slovenska Muska” extravaganza event, staged at Ljubljana’s Stožice arena, the first time in the venue’s history that a 360-degree show had been presented, which bumped up the capacity to 13,000, with every seat sold.

The production and lighting design was created by Crt Birsa of design studio Blackout and Greta Godnic and recorded for broadcast. Crt utilised 355 Robe lighting fixtures in the 500+ luminaires on the rig, from the high-powered Forte to the scenic Patt 2013 plus seven other types of Robe product, all supplied by rental specialist Event Lighting from Ljubljana.

At the heart of this unique production design was an elaborate metal structure, the top part of which resembled a giant multi-level spider crawling through the roof area! This structure cleverly incorporated the venue’s video scoreboard with the surfaces used for production video during the show, and contesting it presented multiple rigging challenges requiring some serious brain-teasing, bridling and mathematics … to get everything in the right places!

It was the first time that Crt had worked with this artist, originally asked onboard due to his experience in delivering high level arena and stadium shows. He and set designer Greta devised a unique high impact look and style for the show to get the artists closer to fans and look as good live as it did for the multi-camera shoot directed by Nejc Levstik, an integral part of this creative triumvirate.

Bizovicar riffed through a light hearted A to Z take on Slovenian musical talent, with each letter of the alphabet corresponding to a genre or a related music artist, e.g. R for Rap, M for musical, A for artist (e.g. Avsenik) etc., as he cracked jokes, sang songs and welcomed a string of guests onstage, from a symphonic orchestra to dancers, musicians and singers all wrapped up in a fast paced all-action romp.

From above, the trussing resembles a complex kaleidoscopic pattern that all fits together with millimetre accuracy! The giant trussing spider in the roof had eight right-angled legs stretching out into the roof void from a 10-metre square box truss which provided ideal positions for high level audience lighting. There were additional trusses at each side of the arena loaded with more ambient and the main key lighting fixtures.

The bottom part of the spider structure sat below the large arena video cube and featured a 7-metre square box truss connected to 8 vertical ‘fingers’ trusses running horizontally down, joined together in the centre immediately above the stage.

Stožice’s winter snow loading meant that the already tight weight loadings were further restricted, so trussing was juggled with the points needed to facilitate the 8 x PA arrays. Some trusses were deaded off and motors removed to save weight and meet requirements without compromising the design. With no time available for a pre-rig and two special lifts in the venue that must be used for accessing the roof structural beams, it was imperative that all metalwork went straight into the roof as envisioned in a carefully calculated risk-to-art ratio!

Robe Forte

Twelve Fortes were used for the key lighting, with three fixtures each rigged on four ‘ambient’ trusses around the edge of the arena. The central Forte on each of these was on one of two RoboSpot systems, so front / back and left / right key lights could be alternated, and specials worked in unison to pick up Bizovicar and guests.

Eighty Robe LEDBeam 150s were on the rig with 24 on the floor outlining each side of 3 x stairways accessing the stage. The fourth side of the stage was occupied by an accompanying musician who was surrounded by 8 x Pointe luminaires.

LEDBeam 150

Another 32 x LEDBeam 150s on the eight vertical truss fingers and 24 on the ends of the 6 spider legs offered excellent high beams and other eye candy effects. This is a fixture that Crt finds bright and handy for multiple positions, and he used them frequently. Another Blackout client, the band Laibach, were gigging at the same time, so between this and their show … it is likely that all the LEDBeam 150s in Slovenia were in use!

Another 24 x LEDBeam 350s were deployed on the left and right ambient trusses where they were ideal for washing the audience.
Six MegaPointes on each of the spider legs were outrigged on pipes, part of 72 of these fixtures which constituted the next biggest group of Robe fixtures after the LEDBeam 150s.

Robe MegaPointe

Forty-eight MegaPointes in total were used at the top of the eight spider legs – 6 per leg – and another twenty-four – 6-a-side – on the four sides of the 10-metre box truss. Like many designers, for Crt, MegaPointe is still one of the best multipurpose luminaires on the market, and he never tires of discovering new ways of using them in a show.
The balance of 32 x Pointes were used on the 4 x ambient / audience trusses, 8 units on each truss, with 59 x ParFect 100s for truss toners covering all the fingers and ‘spider’ legs.

Robe Painte

Sixteen Robe Paintes were positioned on the floor around the stage, chosen for their compact size and big punch. “I needed a good spot that could be close to the artists and the audience,” Crt noted. It was the first time he’d used Paintes, which he thought were “very nice mid-range fixtures.”

A total of 63 Robe Spiider LED wash beams were utilised – Crt loves the colours and colour mixing – running in three different modes, with 5 each around the sides of the smaller square truss, three covering the top section of each ‘spider’ leg, one as static back light for guest musicians, and 16 on the front and back ambient trusses for audience lighting. The final two were ensconced under the stage.

Robe Spiider

At the centre of the stage stage was a hydraulic lift, which started the show in the down position (with Bizovicar standing on it to make his entrance) so the under-stage Spiiders lit the void that was filled with smoke for the entrance sequence.

The Patt 2013s were positioned on the end of the legs in the higher position, with some similar looking scenic fixtures at the bottom of the fingers. Crt decided that he needed some “interesting and cool looking luminaires in these positions that would look good on camera.”

Patt 2013

Tight timing necessitated an amount of pre-vizzing, although it’s quite a conundrum to pre-programme a 360 degree show on a flat screen, so calculated adaptation was needed once on site, and as soon as he had the lighting rig, he worked extremely fast, a modus operandi that is familiar! Crt used feeds from 4 cameras set up at the top of the lower tribunes on each side of the venue to help him see the stage from all perspectives.

He worked with his Blackout colleague Klemen Krajnc who took care of running all the show key together with the under-stage lights, guest artist back lighting and the battery of fog machines. Everything else was controlled and run by Crt.
Klemen maximised the Fortes’ highly accurate shuttering to contain light spillage and ensure the audience were not irritated or distracted, which in an in-the-round scenario is as challenging as it is essential!

Everyone was very proud to deliver an outstanding show which received rave reviews. “The team from Event Lighting were amazing,” declared Crt, “they went all out to ensure that I had everything I needed and that it ran smoothly on site.”
Drawing the design is one thing but bringing it to life is another.

“Nothing would have happened without some amazing people and companies involved,” he commented. “Rok Ložar from B-Projekt was the production manager co-ordinating the teams to make this event happen. Mitja Zupančič, who knows the arena inside out, created very precise rigging plots and minutely detailed rigging logistics so that the Prozvok riggers could build and install the rigging and trussing accurately.”

On top of this, Andrej Testen, a crew chief from Event Lighting, assembled a top team to put the whole lighting system together. “We did not have a single fixture problem on the event,” concluded Crt.

For more information about Robe Lighting, you can visit the Robe Lighting website

L-Acoustics announces the appointment of Anne Hamlett to Chief People Officer, marking a pivotal moment in the company’s evolution. Anne, joining co-Chief Executive Officers Hervé Guillaume and Laurent Vaissié in leadership, places the company’s people-centric education and innovation culture at the core of its strategy and future.

In addition to providing a people-focused contribution to key strategic topics at the C-level, Anne will also directly lead three L-Acoustics divisions: People; Legal, Tax & Compliance; and Education & Scientific Outreach.

The teams Anne leads will cultivate an empowering experience for all employees, strengthen the company’s brand, and create an internal and external education program that boosts the creativity, employability and resilience of L-Acoustics team members, partners, and end users

With over 20 years of experience leading teams at L-Acoustics, Anne has been instrumental in shaping the company’s success. Anne holds a postgraduate degree in business law. Before L-Acoustics, she oversaw contract negotiations for a direct marketing firm and managed human resources for an IP consultancy.

Since joining L-Acoustics, she has overseen the recruitment of countless talented individuals and, over the last two years, has skillfully navigated the company through a 30% employee increase during accelerated growth that will see the company reach 1,000 team members this year. Anne’s strategic vision has significantly enhanced the company’s strength and established a “people first” culture.

Hervé Guillaume et Laurent Vaissié.

“For years, we have valued collaborating with Anne and we value her unwavering contribution to the growth and success of L-Acoustics,” said Hervé Guillaume and Laurent Vaissié, co-CEOs at L-Acoustics, in a joint statement.
“Her expertise, leadership, and strategic acumen position her as the right leader to shape our global workforce, enhance employee experiences, and help define our path forward.”

With Anne’s appointment as Chief People Officer, L-Acoustics takes a decisive step toward future-proofing its success. Anne’s steady leadership and deep understanding of organizational dynamics ensure that the company remains agile, resilient, and poised for continued growth in a constantly evolving industry. Her ability to foster a culture of innovation, coupled with her talent for implementing effective organizational structures, allows L-Acoustics to continue creating elevated audio experiences for audiences around the globe.

“As Chief People Officer, I’m proud to elevate our ‘people first’ culture at the heart of our global strategy,” says Anne. “The People, Legal, and Education teams have evolved into an exceptionally talented group, united by a mission to encourage growth and development for our teams and partners worldwide. Continuing to support their advancement—and the company—will be my honor and privilege.”

More information on the L-Acoustics website