International News

POITIERS, France — The Blue Note Mystery, a show created by Yves Pépin and produced by ECA2 for the Futuroscope theme park, relied on E/T/C and Medialon to help transport spectators into a dreamscape of sound and music.

MANCHESTER, U.K. — “I never want to light a cyc again without it!” That’s what London-based LD Peter Mumford said after using Martin Professional’s EvenLED RGB LED panels on the new opera, Prima Donna, at the Manchester International Festival.

LINZ, Austria — LD Lui Helmig specified 130 Robe moving lights as the main work-horses of the rig for Die Ärzte’s two recent stadium shows. Helmig arranged the fixtures — a mix of ColorSpot and ColorWash 1200E ATs and ColorSpot and Wash 2500E ATs — across 9 finger trusses above the stage and on a front truss.

LONDON — White Light is no stranger to London’s West End, but the company set something of a record for itself recently by supporting three different productions at the same theatre over the course of just a few days.

MELBOURNE, Australia — Jersey Boys is going well beyond the Garden State with a production being staged at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne, Australia. The lighting design is by Howell Binkley and Bytecraft Entertainment, and in Australia, Hugh Hamilton is acting as both associate lighting designer and production electrician.

FREDRIKSTAD, Norway — Norwegian projector manufacturer projectiondesign announced a change in ownership to include Norwegian private equity firm Herkules Capital AS.  The move follows the purchase of a 54 percent share in projectiondesign from previous main shareholder, Eker Group AS, headed by Norwegian industrial designer Bård Eker.

SANT’OMERO, Italy —Proel and Trabes have announced a commercial partnership agreement concerning trussing products. Proel cited “a more flexible support policy” and “problem-solving efficiency” as potential benefits from the new partnership.

KOBE, Japan — Justin Collie, LD for Beyonce’s I am… tour, and Pat Brannon, lighting director, are using Martin’s MAC III Profile for their brightness and ability to work effectively with other scenic elements that are part of the overall production.

RÜDESHEIM AM RHEIN, Germany — E/T/C London’s Ross Ashton was invited to create a video projection art work on the Germania statue located in the Niederwald Landscape Park as part of the 2009 Rheinpartie Festival of Light.

MANCHESTER, U.K. — DBN installed the house lighting rig at Band On the Wall, an iconic 300-capacity live music venue in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. The landmark venue dates back some 200 years and has been associated with live music for much of that span. (The name comes from the 1930s, when musicians used to perform standing on precarious platforms, strapped to the wall.)

PORTIMAO, Portugal — The technical staff for the Tempo Theatre knew they wanted an automated rigging system, but didn’t know which manufacturer to choose. To help decide, they opted to visit actual installations in the U.S., to consult with users, and to get hands-on experience.

ATHENS — Robert Juliat named P Vassiliou SA as its exclusive dealer for Greece. P Vassiliou SA will focus its attention on the Greek theatre and architectural markets and will try to help Robert Juliat expand its presence in those markets.