"Since technology was an essential part of the performance, we created a scene in which the characters on stage lit up the space with LEDs that had been embedded in the costumes", says Tupac Martir, creative director.
All LEDs as well as the LumenRadio CRMX receivers were powered by batteries, which were placed in the costumes so that the musicians would have the freedom to move around the stage. Martir's idea of dancing light, in which the audience watches lights dance instead of the performers, was essential to the story.
Martir adds, "By giving individual IDs to each one of the musicians, associate LD Muly Yechezkel was able to give the musicians more dynamism. We were able to wirelessly change the colour of the LEDs as the different parts played new chords, while in the same time dimming the band at the back on the stage for their light to travel across the stage and creating a backlight for the dancers."
One of the major challenges and one of the poignant moments of the show was the dress created by Martir and costume design associate Gabriela Gower. The dress that measures 8 x 13m and weighs 150kg was a major focus for Martir, since it was one of the earliest concept drawings. Due to the movement of the soprano, two LumenRadio CRMX receivers were placed in the back of the costume in order to control the left and right side of the dress, giving the flexibility to the creative team to play with intensities, colour and dimming across it.
"The result came out beautifully. The character with the dress was rising in front of the audience with the music and changes the set completely, only for it to come down and become the sole source of light at the end of Act 2", says Martir.
(Jim Evans)
