The Fundación Juan March dedicates its resources and activities to the fields of science and the humanities, with concerts, lecture series and seminars in its main auditorium in Madrid. A series of free concerts, for example, introduces audiences to Monteverdi and the 'invention'of melody, while lectures discuss everything from philosophy and poetry to the transition to talking in movies.
Lighting designer José García explains, "The technical managers for the auditorium needed to balance a number of different interests, and compiled a list of what was essential for the new lighting. This included eco-friendly, silent operation; and being powerful enough for TV cameras. We also needed something that was small enough to comfortably fit in the space, with good colour rendition and, because it was to be on view, it needed to look good.
"We specified 42 ETC Selador Desire Studio HD fixtures for the impressive white they produce and their ability to produce variable colour temperatures to balance the greens and magentas on camera.
"We also specified Selador Desire D40 Lustr+ fixtures, which, with their x7 Color System, go a long way beyond RGB colour mixing; I've been consistently impressed with the quality and number of colours that can be achieved, from well nuanced pastels to vibrant, saturated shades. They also work well with skin tones."
The theatre managers worked out that the fixtures use about 110W each, or roughly 4500W in total. "It is clear," says García, "that in addition to the versatility of the fixtures, the energy savings over conventional lighting is overwhelming - and of course we no longer need the expense of dimmers."
For control of the lighting, the theatre's managers specified an ETC Ion control desk. García continues: "We chose the Ion because of its ability to work seamlessly with the LED fixtures. With its small size and ease of programming, it's been extremely quick to learn. We've been impressed with the colour picker, which allows us to instantly select almost any colour, without having to worry about gels.
"We've also had excellent service from ETC and Stonex, with the online videos, courses and Tea Break tutorials, along with a great deal of technical documentation. ETC has taken a great leap which fully meets the demands of the professional world. "
Ezequiel Nobili, project manager for Stonex, says, "Fundación Juan March was keen to take advantage of the range of optics and accessories available, and also specified Source Four Lustr + LED profile spots as specials, which, with their seven-colour system and high light output, never fail to impress. The last update to the auditorium was in the 1970s, and we're delighted that the managers are investing in the future - both in terms of lower maintenance and lower power usage - with ETC."
(Jim Evans)
