LPD and Elation support Siberian theatre
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Irkutsk boasts an impressive number of theatres and Irkutsk Academic Drama Theatre of N.P. Okhlopkov, the oldest theatre in Eastern Siberia and the cultural hub of the region, epitomises that artistic vitality. Founded in 1850 and currently celebrating 170 years as a cultural institution, the theatre recently worked with Light Power Design (LPD) to upgrade its stage lighting to an automated lighting system from Elation Professional with lighting control consoles from Obsidian Control Systems.
Established in 1986, LPD focuses on sales and installation of professional lighting and sound equipment and has served as Elation’s Russian distributor for several years, enjoying exclusive distributorship since 2019. The company completed a full lighting and control design for the drama theatre encompassing nearly 200 Elation lighting fixtures – nearly all of them LED – with control from innovative Obsidian Control Systems lighting consoles.
“We are always looking for modern, high quality and innovative products and technologies and therefore our decision to invest in Elation wasn’t accidental,” commented Mikhail Morozov, managing director at LPD. “The management of the theatre was looking for a very modern solution based on LED technology and at the same time fixtures with a perfect color mixing system and very silent.”
t was also important, he adds, that the fixtures were very reliable and backed by a warranty. “Elation’s five-year warranty on the LED engine is a big benefit, especially because the main product specified for this installation was the Artiste Picasso as an LED-based workhorse fixture.”
Elation’s award-winning Artiste series of theatrical-grade LED moving heads makes up a key component of the new lighting system. Used as a key light as well as an effects fixture are some 74 Artiste Picasso. “The Picasso is the main fixture in the rig, used for everything and from everywhere,” says Morozov of the 23,000-lumen LED framing profile. “And thanks to its perfect color mixing, gobos and animation wheel there are no limitations.”
A half dozen Artiste Monet luminaires move around the rig depending on the performance, used mostly as colourful key lighting but also for effects.
The new lighting system also includes Platinum Seven and Platinum 1200 LED wash moving heads installed above the stage with Chorus Line 16 pixel bar wash luminaires moving locations depending on the performance. Fuze Par Z175 fixtures provide colour wash from both sides of the stage while Colour 5 Profiles work from both sides of the stage and balconies. Multi-functional Smarty Hybrid CMY colour mixing moving heads round out the lighting package.
When time came to consider lighting control, the venue stayed in-house, choosing a pair of Obsidian Control Systems consoles, a full-scale Obsidian M6 and a compact yet fully integrated Obsidian NX 2.
“I think it’s important to mention that one of the reasons they went with Elation was the ease in dealing with one supplier,” Morozov says. “ It made sense to look at Obsidian for the control solution. They are professional quality and at the same time easy to use. They are powerful consoles but also very budget friendly and were a good fit for the theatre.”
(Jim Evans)
