Chroma-Q™ Color ForceTM LED battens have been specified by leading UK lighting designer Howard Harrison for the current Welsh National Opera production of "Die Fledermaus", which is touring the UK after an initial run at Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff.
Directed by John Copley, the lively, colourful operetta reveals the trials, tribulations and frivolities of all the Beautiful People from Viennese high society for whom attending Prince Orlofsky's Ball is a 'must do' event on the social calendar, all in a fabulous swirl of music by Johann Strauss II.
The Color Force battens are being supplied by London based hire company White Light, who purchased additional stock of the 1.8m versions (Color Force 72) specially for this production due to the high demand for their existing hire inventory.
White Light has substantial stock of all three Color Force models - the 1.8m and 1.2m battens (Color Force 48) and the new 30cm wide multi-purpose fixture (Color Force 12).
The 8 x Color Force 72s are being used to illuminate a massive white cyc at the back of the stage which is an integral and important element of the set. They are positioned on the floor pointing at a bounce cloth and then back onto the cyc - a method often employed by Howard to ensure the most complete coverage possible of the area!
They are a key to the visuality and impact of the overall lighting, and particularly come alive during Prince Orlofsky's Ball in the second act, where they slowly, smoothly and subtly morph into a series of different vibrant and subtle pastel colours, reflecting the vibe and atmosphere of the occasion .. and all the complicated scenarios unfolding!
Howard first used Color Force battens on the West End musical Flashdance last year instead of conventional cyc lighting, after which he was hugely impressed with many features - including the brightness, homogenisation of the lightsource and the wide and exquisite range of colours and hues. He decided that he would use them again at the first possible opportunity .... and this is it.
"It's a very good product," he says, "I have previously used other LED lightsources for this type of task, but these are brighter and have smoother dimming; they are well engineered, robust and therefore ideal for touring - and basically tick all the right boxes! They have been a huge success on the production and allowed us to create pictures that we could never have done without them."
The super-bright Color Force LED batten range has a custom developed lens system, ensuring a proper smooth and even coverage across large areas with no hot spots, easily washing beautifully up to 8 metres. The advanced ColorSure™ colour and control management technologies offer a massive enhanced colour palette, enhanced colour consistency, a high CRI of 92 and theatrical grade dimming - which makes the fixture ideal for a wide range of applications - from theatre and opera to live events.
Apart from these innovative LED product features, the touring production is benefitting from all the other advantages of using LED lightsources, including reduced power consumption, being cost effective to run with a long life and low maintenance requirements.
White Light were one of the first hire companies to invest in the Color Force range soon after its launch in 2010. White Light's Hire & Technical Director Dave Isherwood comments, "We are very pleased with the Color Force. It's proving to be popular with our customers and we've increased our stocks to meet demand. The intensity, the smoothness of the fades and the richness of the colour make it the first LED batten we've seen that will give a tungsten source a real run for its money."
Prior to buying their first Color Force units they also conducted a shoot out in the Royal Opera House's Linbury Studio, after which several designers started specifying them on their shows.
Die Fledermaus marks a return to Welsh National Opera for Howard Harrison after some years, and the first time he has lit Strauss's classic, ubiquitously popular work.
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The information contained herein is correct at the time of printing, however as we are constantly refining our product range we reserve the right to change the specification without notice. E&OE.
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Editor's note:
The Chroma-Q brand has been innovating new standards in professional lighting products and accessories since 1996. The brand is renowned worldwide for delivering high levels of performance and reliability at an affordable price. The range includes award-winning LED lighting and visual effects products, as well as lighting accessories designed for entertainment and architectural lighting applications.