International News

ZWOLLE, The Netherlands — Bwefar, a rental company based here, supports a variety of events, specializing in rentals for auto shows. Led by Akim Bwefar, pictured here, the company has strong ties with Robe. Bwefar’s most recent Robe purchase: a batch of LEDWash 800 fixtures, which Bwefar calls “a small fixture with a serious amount of output.” He also credited Robe’s distributor, Controllux, for its service and support.

SÈTE, France – Bootsy Collins and his accompanying band brought their brand of funk to the French Riviera with their performance at Fiest’a Sète 2014 here in August, performing songs off Collins’ most recent album, Tha Funk Capital of the World. LD Jean Marc Jolive’s lighting design included Max L and Wonder fixtures from D.T.S. Lighting.

LONDON — Green Hippo noted that it is continuing with its internship program, which it launched two years ago, and has appointed two new trainees: Bella Reid from Brunel University; and Aleks Ivanov from Newham College and City University.

BONN, Germany – For “Bonner Wissenschaftsnacht,” or “Science Night Bonn,” a biennial celebration of the sciences at the University of Bonn here, the school’s Event Management Department had an artistic idea: to create a “bridge of light beams” linking two key buildings on campus. After visiting Elation’s Dutch showroom, Sebastian Pagen incorporated Elation Platinum Beam 5R Extremes into the design for the late May event. Pagen worked with programmer and lighting operator Pierre Weber from Specialight Eventtechnic on the project.

UDEN, Noord-Brabant, The Netherlands — The Theater Markant, based here, is a municipally run theatre space that features a variety of original and touring productions. Controllux recently upgraded it with a new lighting system that includes Robe fixtures. The new lighting rig, designed by Controllux’s Kuno Van Velzen, includes Robe’s Actor LED fixtures, LEDWash 300s, LEDWash 600s and LEDBeam 100 moving lights — all from Robe’s ROBIN series – together with Robe LEDForce 18 PARs.

PETROZAVODSK, Russia — For a major street festival drawing close to 10,000 to the main stage set up in this city in northwestern Russia in June, Ivan Malakhov of SMK provided ETC’s Cobalt 20 console for the event’s headliner, Bravo, along with local dance acts and orchestra ensembles. The event marked 70 years since the liberation of the city from Finnish armed forces.

ROESELARE and KNOKKE-HEIST, Belgium — Belgian talk show host Marcel Vanthilt took Hotel M, his Flemish TV show, to both these Belgian cities for a number of weeks this summer.  Pièce Montée’s temporary Hotel M set was constructed as the studio facility and backdrop to the daily magazine program broadcast on national TV channel EEN, concluding each evening with a live music performance on a set lit with 35 Robe Robin LEDWash 300s. Belgian LD Michiel Milbou specified the gear.

VERSAILLES, France – The Palace of Versailles, home to France’s royals and aristocrats from 1682 until the French revolution of 1789, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an architectural marvel, drawing close to 5.9 visitors annually, according to Travel & Leisure Magazine. D.T.S. notes that French production company ESL has provided 100 of its Titan FC LED fixtures to light various buildings within the palace complex. Crews will be able to benefit from the colorimetric properties and light output the IP65-rated fixtures for special events, and their IP65 rating makes them suitable for indoor or outdoor use.

SHANGHAI, China — Simon Bennison, lighting manager for The Royal Ballet in London, credited ETC’s LED fixtures for their ability to make the ballet company’s performance of Don Quixote at the Shanghai Grand Theatre here match the look of the production in London’s Royal Opera House, a.k.a. Covent Garden. Bennison used the fixtures to replicate LD Hugh Vanstone’s lighting design.

CAPE TOWN, South Africa – Ultra Events, based here, recently its first purchase of Robe Robin Pointe moving lights with a delivery of 12 units from Robe’s South African distributor, DWR Distribution, with plans to follow the initial purchase with another dozen of the fixtures. Pictured here, from left, is Ultra Events owner and founder Costa Champanis and DWR’s Duncan Riley.