The ship’s on-board theatre has a seating capacity of 650. Every evening the theatre offers 12 shows and professional entertainment running every hour. Hilton Jones was responsible for the theatre lighting design and grandMA provided the control. Altogether, console operator Joe Gruber programmed over 1,800 cues, 80 sequences, and 120 macros. The grandMA - supplied by Amptown Hamburg - runs 46 moving lights, 132 channels for conventional lighting and 54 non-dim circuits.
This was the first grandMA encounter for Hilton Jones, who has a long history with WholeHog II. Amazed by the versatility of the console, he changed thereafter the tender requirements for the AIDAvita and specified the grandMA. "The grandMA is the only multi-functional controller console in the market that can handle the tasks required for the AIDAvita", said Jones. "It is easy and intuitive to operate the console, you have direct access to all channels and it takes you quickly there where you want it to," he says.
These reasons play a decisive role when programming, but also when different operators and lighting staff need to operate the console on a daily basis; they are able to get easily acquainted with the console, as the grandMA user philosophy allows each operator to use the console in his unique and individual way, whether from a theatre or touring background.
(Lee Baldock)
