Gothenburg Konserthuset has always been way ahead of its time.
Designed by acclaimed functionalist architect Nils Einar Ericsson in 1935, its fabulous neoclassical exterior both compliments and contrasts the surrounding buildings on Götaplatsen, the modernist interior is still contemporary and relevant 80 years later and the fantastic acoustic of the main room still among the best in Europe.
In short, the venue – home to the Goteborg Symphony Orchestra (GSO) - took the world of concert halls into a new league. It remains one of the most prestigious venues in Sweden and a place that everyone enjoys playing at and visiting.
Now – keeping well ahead of the game - they have Robe LED moving lights!
The venue’s investment in Robe fixtures was instigated by Måns Păr Fogelberg (aka ‘MP’), Head of GSO Play, the in-house streaming and broadcasting division, together with Konserthusen’s Head of Technical Johan Bjorkman in consultation with independent Lighting Designer, Anton Trouchez.
Anton frequently works at the Konserthuset as a freelance lighting director for the regular broadcasting shoots and special events.
The first 10 x Robe LEDWash 600s arrived last year – delivered by Swedish distributor Bellalite - and were installed in the 1200 capacity main hall, which hosts most of the major broadcasts which also include jazz shows, international pop and rock concerts and seasonal live events e.g. for Christmas. It is these special shows on which the Robe fixtures have so far been used … to great effect.
They were such a huge success that a few months later, Bellalite returned to demo Robe’s DLS Profile, DLF Wash and LEDWash 800 LED units.
They really needed a “Proper” multi-purpose light explained MP, something that would be appropriate for both the live shows and the TV / video recording.
They specifically wanted to be able to pick out and differentiate the magnificent wood-based architecture around the main hall on camera - as well as to light the musicians and performers onstage … crisply and clearly … bringing out all the details and with excellent flesh tones. Apart from the quality of the light output, it was essential that the fixtures were quiet!
The second set of Robe trials – undertaken with painstaking detail and precision - also went well, and the venue decided to buy six DLS Profiles and six LEDWash 800s to join the LEDWash 600s.
The LEDWash 800s in addition to being ideal all-round wash lights with an excellent selection of CT whites and authentic tungsten emulation effects – needed to integrate with the venue’s existing tungsten sources - have a ‘silent’ mode that regulates the heat and adjusts the cooling and airflow so the fans emit minimal noise ... while the LEDs and electronics stay cool!
Having the LEDWashes in the house has made a "serious difference” and dramatically improved the lighting conditions for filming an average shoot with 8 cameras – confirmed MP.
The DLSs are often used with a gobo / frost filter combination to produce soft patterns around the room which looks interesting on camera and accentuates the three dimensional dynamics of the space. "Even one DLS can change the total look and ambience of the environment so quickly and easily," says MP.
He originally started working at the Konserthuset eight years ago, and in that time the demand for broadcasts and streaming - along with the facilities to deliver the best results - have grown steadily.
The theatre is state owned and receives 50-60% of its funding from the Västra Götaland regional government, with the remainder made up from self-generated income.
Photos: Louise Stickland
Photo shows - Måns Păr Fogelberg, Head of GSO