Acrobatics for Robe

 

Robe Show Lighting moving lights are being used as the key lighting element of the long-running Italian touring production of "Reverie", performed by the Beijing Acrobatic Troupe of China.

This amazing show – a highly choreographed, magical mix of martial arts, dance, theatre and breathtaking acrobatics – celebrates over 3,600 years of Chinese acrobatic skills and tradition.

Part of "Reverie"'s success has been its energetic and entertaining presentation, in which lighting plays a vital role. The props and backdrops are simple but effective, and the costumes are colourful and complex. The whole visual aesthetic and creative texturing of the show is designed around colouration and illumination of the performers and what they are wearing. It’s also important for the performers to be able to see clearly what they are doing, as millimetre precision is needed to co-ordinate their gravity-defying moves.

Lighting equipment for the show’s extensive Italian tour –which takes in Milano, Genova, Torino, Firenze and Venezia - is being supplied by Mixer Sound & Light. They are based just outside of Milan in Romanengo - Cremona, and are one of Italy’s leading rental companies.

After winning the contract to supply lighting, rigging and audio for the tour – via Milan promoters Gestione Manifestazioni, the Mixer production team first watched a video of the show, explains MD and company owner Walter Taietti. The show had not previously used moving lights before, so <cite>“Although it seemed an obvious move”</cite> says Taietti, <cite>“They needed some convincing!”</cite>

The moving light count consists of 40 Robe Wash 575 XTs and 20 ColorSpot 575 ATs. <cite>“This is a relatively small number of fixtures for the great diversity of the show”</cite> says Taietti, <cite>“But they are used intelligently and extremely well. As the Robe fixtures have so many features and functions, they are ideally suited to a demanding show like this”</cite> he concludes.

LD Xie Yongming is also using a mixture of 1200W fresnels, cyc lights and two follow spots, all controlled by a Compulite Sabre console. The Robe fixtures are all rigged over stage apart from three ColorWash 575s a side, placed on the floor for low level cross stage lighting. Yongming, having had a chance to see what Robe can bring in terms of energisation and life of the show, loves the fixtures. In fact he says it would be hard to now imagine doing the show without them!!

Mixer’s Claudio Giovannetti is their project manager for the show. He’s been liaising with his Chinese production counterparts about all the technical aspects including the positioning of the moving lights and their operation during the show, which is done by Oscar Kovax.

Mixer is also supplying a JBL VerTec line array sound system, with a Yamaha 02R FOH console to the show.

For more press information on ROBE please contact marketing department on +420 571 751 506, e-mail: marketing@robe.cz.