Singapore's newest performing arts center, Esplanade--Theatres on the Bay, opened October 12, beginning with a three-week celebration of classical, traditional, and contemporary forms of theatre, music, and dance. During this period Esplanade is seeing a diverse range of activities featuring 1,300 artists from 22 countries, performing in 70 different productions.
With a prime waterfront location, the new international arts venue is set to put Singapore firmly on the map with first-class facilities including the 2,000-seat Lyric Theatre, 1,800-seat Concert Hall, 250-seat Recital Studio, and 220-seat Theatre Studio. The Lyric Theatre and Concert Hall in particular will make it possible for Singaporeans to enjoy major international opera and ballet companies, symphonic orchestras, and large touring musical shows.
One of a number of world-class suppliers involved in the creation of Esplanade is DHA Lighting. Singapore-based lighting company Te Deum supplied 10 DHA animation units, 12 gobo rotators (four doubles and eight singles), several DMX controllers and 250 gobos. Direct from its London office, DHA also supplied eight custom glass color gobos of the Esplanade logos to be used throughout the venue. "Julie Harper (sales manager, Asia Pacific region) at DHA has been very supportive," said lighting designer Leon Dark. "The 250 gobos and gobo rotators we purchased through Te Deum have been a boon and we're very happy with the gear."
In the Lyric Theatre, equipment from DHA Lighting was specified as part of what constitutes potentially one of the largest motorized lighting installations in any producing theatre in the world. Specific to the Lyric Theatre are 12 DHA Digital Light Curtains (DLCs), specified by consultant Jon Stevens of Theatre Projects Consultants and supplied by UK-based DHA dealer Northern Light. "DLCs were chosen because they provide an image--that of a spectacular, multilamp 'moving wall' of light--which cannot be achieved in any other way," explained Stevens. "Although such equipment would normally be hired rather than owned by a venue, they were included in the specification for 'special use' units for shows which require their particular capabilities, as opposed to being intended to form part of the general-purpose lighting rig."
The 12 DLCs are just one element of what could be an entirely automated lighting rig in the main theatre, which includes 16 High End Systems x.Spots with framing shutters, 16 High End Studio Spots, 18 High End Studio Colors, 18 High End Studio Beam PCs, four custom-built Lighting Innovation motorised Beamlights, 26 Strand Pirouette PCs, and 60 ETC Source Fours in Lighting Innovation Motor Yokes with Rainbow 6" color scrollers.