While sister company TM Audio were installing new audio systems in both the Great Hall and the Aalmarkt, Lightco was brought in to design and install a highly-specified but low-profile stage lighting system for the Aalmarkt (the name - 'Eel Market' in English - reflects the building's former use).
Lightco project manager Bas van Schelven says, "We spent a lot of time and energy making or proposed design as unobtrusive as possible. For example, the ETC Source 4 Revolution moving lights are partly hidden in coves in the ceiling." As the ceiling is non load-bearing, this proved a substantial challenge in itself for the installation team.
A series of large golden rectangular plates forms an arch over the stage, which fan out backwards over the ceiling's length. Partly disguised black-clad fixtures are mounted into apertures cut in these plates, concealing the rigging and cabling behind, while some of the smaller fixtures are mounted on short rails directly on the plates.
Lightco's solution included fixtures, dimming and control, and comprised Robert Juliat 614 SX 1k zoom profiles and 310 PCs, ETC Source Four PARs, six-bars with PAR64s and 12 ETC Revolution automated profiles - chosen, says van Schelven, "because they are among the quietest moving heads available; noise is a big issue in this venue, as they feature classical music performances."
For maximum cost efficiency, both stage and house lighting dimming are integrated into 72 channels of ETC Matrix II SineWave dimming, again chosen for low-noise stage lighting, with an ETC Ion console for control.
"The overall effect is quite special," says van Schelven, "a classical feeling with a kind of modern luxury. It's an unusual and exciting space."
(Jim Evans)
