Stockholm’s Stadsteater, one of the most prestigious venues in the Swedish capital, has confirmed an order for 12 x BMFL Blades … which will be added to a growing inventory of Robe moving lights in the house.
It is the first theatre in the country to invest in Robe’s ‘game-changing’ BMFL range which will be delivered by Swedish distributor, Bellalite.
The Stadsteater is located in a large metal-clad modernist building designed by architect Peter Celsing at Sergel Square in the heart of Stockholm’s vibrant commercial and political centre. It also contains the Kulturhuset and a plethora of activities including libraries, theatres, debates, art exhibitions, film, dance and music … all attracting more than 3 million visitors a year.
The Stadsteater has seven performance spaces including a 700 seat Main stage, a 320 seat Medium stage and a 200 seat Small stage plus four other performance spaces including the popular Klara Soup Theatre - where drama lovers and business people can grab a power-and-performance lunch – as well as the Puppet Theatre and the Children’s Theatre.
The schedule is dynamic, varied, interesting and highly accessible, with over 1500 productions staged annually across all the areas. Next season alone, there are four new major premiers in the main house plus one revival from the current season which will all be running in repertoire.
Main House Head of Lighting Anders "Tuve" Tufvesson and his team are all looking forward to the arrival of the new BMFL Blades just two months after the fixture was officially launched at Prolight+Sound in Frankfurt.
He and Stadsteater’s Lighting Service Manager Bobby Leandersson first saw – initially - the BMFL Spot in action during a road-show organised by Bellalite following the worldwide BMFL range launch in September / October 2014. They were all impressed with the quality and intensity of the light output, which is perfect for their Main stage, they just needed to wait for the Blade version to go into production.
As soon as this happened, the order was placed, and the BMFL Blades will go straight into action for the upcoming season.
They knew first hand from their existing experiences with Robe that the product would be reliable.
Lena Hállstrôm, one of five Lighting Directors on the Main Stage relates the story, which also includes the purchase of 12 LEDWash 1200 delivered at the start of 2015 ... which have replaced nine 5K fresnels.
The LEDWashes 1200s are lighter, brighter - especially in the primary ranges - and overall hugely more flexible.
They help facilitate quicker changeovers and re-focusing sessions – essential when working a rep schedule - and the quality of light emitted, the superior tungsten emulation / effects satisfies most of the demanding LDs who work regularly on Stadsteater productions.
Added to that, there’s no bulb changing or re-gelling required.
Other Robe’s already ‘in-the-house’ include DLS Spots, LEDBeam 100s, LEDWash 300s and Pointes – the Pointes are currently in the Kulturehuset. The Stadsteater’s first Robe purchase was in 2008 with ColorSpot 700E ATs which are still working hard! That deal was also co-ordinated by Bellalite’s Fredrik Lundberg then in his first year with the leading sales company.
The Stadsteater’s Lighting Service Manager Bobby Leandersson underlines the rugged build of the Robe products – rarely do any Robes see the ICU / workshop next door to his office on the airy 9th floor. He comments that the Robe units, if they do need servicing, have also been designed with such speed and practicality to the fore, “Everything is easy and logical to access and remove or replace”.
He proudly reveals his stock of Robe spares, which fit into one small easy-seal plastic bag!!! This is opposed to complete racking shelf units containing boxes of electronic and mechanic parts and even whole units … for the other two moving light brands represented in house!
Current Main Stage productions utilising the Stadsteater’s LEDWash 1200s include “Chicago” (LD Palle Palmé) and the “Gôsta Bergling Saga” (LD Andreas Fuchs).
Show Photos by Petra Hellberg
L-R Fredrik Lundberg (Bellalite), Lena Hállstrôm (lighting director for the Main Stage at Stockholm Stadsteater) and Björn Arnason (Bellalite) by Louise Stickland