Robe also made custom reflectors and special framing gobos for its ColorSpot 2500E AT fixtures, to facilitate the very specific requirements of Israeli lighting designer Avi Yona Bueno (Bambi), who wanted to have a super-tight beam to isolate different areas onstage, whilst retaining the intensity of the light path.
The 84 ColorSpot 2500E ATs, 20 new ColorBeam 2500E ATs and 24 REDWash 3-192s were supplied - together with all the other stage lighting equipment for the event - by UK-based HSL, working for Tel Aviv and Jerusalem based Stage Design, the event's overall technical provider.
It was a seriously tough operating environment for any piece of equipment - in the middle of the desert, dealing with 47 degree heat, humidity, wind, dust and frequent sandstorms, but the Robes proved they were among the toughest and most durable moving lights on the market. "The Robe needed minimal maintenance and far less attention than any other piece of kit," reports HSL's crew chief Ian Stevens.
The high profile six-day event was completely sold out. It attracted 6500 opera fans each night and was the first such cultural event in Israel to attract international tourists. The task of delivering the entire technical infrastructure and most of the site build was co-ordinated by Eyal Lavee of Stage Design.
The ColorSpots were hung all over the two 19m high by 24m wide side gantries and also right across the FOH gantry. The side towers were 52m apart and the FOH gantry was 50mfrom the stage, so he really needed all their power to make an impact.
The new reflectors - now available as an accessory from Robe - more than doubles the light output when the bespoke 'shutter' gobos are in the unit and narrow the beam path right down.
(Jim Evans)
