1998 l'International Benson & Hedges Montréal Pyromusical Competition Report

Spain Dance of Fire Wednesday June 17^th, 1998

Ricardo Caballer

Heavy humidity and a threat of thunderstorms didn't prevent from the Spanish newcomers from presenting a fantastic display, with more than 750 Roman candles and over 2000 shells, all specially constructed near Valencia. Cousins to the four-times Jupiter winning Vicent Caballer, Ricardo and his pyrotechnical family firmly intend to take the Gold Jupiter for themselves, presenting a display in sixteen parts.

Introduction to the music Del Arco Iris suite by Luis Cobos. The display opened with a front of bright mines with a barrage of titanium salutes above. Then shells of orange balls, multi-break shells of salutes and finally a huge multi-break silver spider shell.

Part 1 to film music from the following: 20^th Century Fox, Moon River, Over the Rainbow, Lara's Theme and Around the World in 80 Days. This segment opened with two long silver waterfalls which turned to white strobes. Above these, charcoal comet candles, first with gold heads and then with silver. Above the candles, shells of tourbillons and comets followed by weeping-willow shells turning to silver then the same turning to fireflies. Next, tourbillon candles with huge shells of comets and multi-colour changing balls. Then glitter comet candles followed by more of the huge colour and comet shells. This theme was repeated several times followed by shaped-burst shells of single rings of glitter comets. These were repeated several times followed by more huge multi-colour changing ball and comet shells finally ending with a huge weeping willow shell in pale gold with a twinkling firefly pistil.

Part 2 to the music A King of Magic by Queen. This began with fronts of huge glitter mines with blue stars at the top and multi-break weeping-willow shells above, followed by a barrage of titanium salutes. Then fantastic mines of blue balls and silver go-getter comets, with shells of the same above. Another titanium salute barrage, shells of white comets and titanium salutes, shells of white, blue, pink and salmon followed by more mine fronts of glitter and colour balls. Then multi-break shells of pale gold weeping-willow turning to titanium salutes, huge colour and comet shells, more multi-break titanium salute shells and fronts of colour and firefly mines below. Next, shells breaking to small bunch-of-flowers clusters with a barrage of titanium salutes mixed in. Then a front of beautiful firefly mines and finally shells of fast flashing fireflies.

Part 3 to the theme music from the film Missing by Vangelis. This segement set the theme for the evening with at least ten girandolas taking off one or two at a time and rising majestically into the air. Then they descend somewhat, renew their energy and rise up even higher to great cheers from the crowd. After these, mines of silver wiggling serpents followed by white comet candles. Above these a huge multi-break silver spider. Then mines of serpents and tourbillons. Next, kamuro shells of white falling comets, shells of comets and fast tourbillons and finally a huge kamuro in white comets falling almost to the ground.

Part 4 to the music Lucifer by A. Parsons. This began dramatically with a huge titanium salute barrage and multi-break salute shells. Then shells of dazzling bright go-getter comets repeated several times. Next, shaped-burst shells with rings of go-getters and glitter comets. Then large numbers of dazzling orange ball shells followed by candles of orange balls terminated with salutes. Above these shells of salutes and crazily flying fast tourbillons and more shells of dazzling orange. Then a titanium salute barrage, shells of go-getters with tourbillons and whizzers as well, finally ending in a barrage of titanium salutes.

Part 5 to the music from the film Blade Runner by Vangelis. Firefly comet candles with silver weeping-willow shells above opened this segment. This was repeated several times and then followed by shells of charcoal comets turning to fireflies. Next, dazzling mine fronts of gold glitter and blue balls with shells of charcoal comets and twinkling pistils above. Then more candles of firefly comets with lots of huge charcoal comet shells above with really nice firefly pistils. The segment was brought to a close with huge shells of twinkling white comets which turned to beautiful slow falling fireflies with the sky completely filled with these at the end.

Part 6 to the music Swan Lake by Tchaïkovsky. A line of serene white fountains, sequenced so they fired vertically, then in an X shape, then to the left and then to the right, giving the impression of swans, opened this segment. Next, a sequenced multi-break of titanium salutes followed by glitter comet candles below. Then shells of serpent glitter comets followed by glitter comet shells turning to colour balls. Next, multi-break comet shells with titanium salutes followed by more of the same, but larger and with colour balls as well. The segment was close with huge shells of serpent comets and a barrage of titanium salutes.

Part 7 to the music Chronology part IV by Jean-Michel Jarre. Ten girandolas firing gold glitter rose one after the other, first up, then down, and then up again to cheers from the crowd. After these, fan-shaped glitter candles with bright steel-blue heads and beautiful gold tails with big shells of comets and tourbillons above. Then shells of blue balls and gold comets, then the same but with glittering comet tails followed by a front of mines with blue and glitter. Then really large shells of blue and gold glitter, more mines of the same, then shells of gold twinkles. Another nine girandolas rose into the air followed by huge shells of comets and tourbillons. The pace increased with large shells of fast crazy tourbillons with mines of silver go-getter comets below. This theme was repeated followed by large shells of crazy tourbillons terminated with salutes. This increased in size and number with shells of comets and tourbillons as well. Then a front of dazzling bright mines and finally huge shells of comets and tourbillons.

Part 8 to the music Have you ever really loved a woman by Bryan Adams. This began with candles of salute-terminated tourbillons, then charcoal comet candles terminated with salutes with shells of weeping-willow with tourbillons above. The willows comets turned to silver and then candles of charcoal comets and tourbillons were fired below. Next, large shells of salute terminated charcoal comets, the with the same in candles below. This was repeated several times and then followed by beautiful pale gold kamuro shells with pale gold comet candles below. Next, a barrage of titanium salutes with candles of serpent comets with shells of the same. Then another titanium salute barrage followed by large willow shells with twinkling pistils. More titanium salute barrages with shells of charcoal-to-silver comets turning to fireflies. Next huge shells of glitter and twinkling pistils with the segment brought to a close with an enormous willow shell with the comets turning to silver and reaching almost to the ground.

Part 9 to the music Pasodoble: Sol Y Sombra - Obertura by Luis Cobos. A front of brilliant orange ball mines, then the same in yellow with shells of screaming whistiling tourbillons opened this segment. Next, candles of orange balls terminated with salutes, shells of dazzling orange and yellow and the same in candles below. Then salute-terminated tourbillon candles, shells of yellow balls and tourbillons followed by shells in dazzling orange, yellow, salmon, pink with candles of dazzling salute-terminated balls. This theme was repeated and repeated with thunderous noise from the salutes and then the segment was brought to a close with a huge volley of dazzling shells and salutes.

Part 10 to the music Barcelona Nights by Ottmar Liebert. This segment started in the same vein as the end of the previous one with shells of comets and salute-terminated tourbillons. Volley after volley of these were fired and the noise was very intense. Next, candles and shells of orange balls terminated with salutes, shells of comets and tourbillons with many volleys fired, again with lots of noise. The segment was brought to a thunderous close with three enormous shells of comets and salute-terminated tourbillons.

Part 11 to the music Valencia by J. Padilla & A. Prada. Multi-colour shells in dazzling primaries with the same in candles below and fronts of glitter mines with colour balls as well opened this segment to great effect. The colours were stunning, including the blues so bright as to be dazzling. Volley after volley were fired. Some of the shells were single colours, other two and three colours. Next, shells of dazzling orange salute-terminated balls with huge fronts of mines of glitter and colour. These were repeated many times and the segment was brought to a close with shells of dazzling blue balls terminated with salutes. Incredible colours.

Part 12 to the music Granada bu Agustin Lara. This segment opened with salute-terminated glitter comet candles with firefly shells above. Then salute-terminated tourbillon candles followed by firefly comet candles. Then an enormous mine front of deafening crackling fireflies with shells of colour and salute-terminated tourbillons above ending in fireflies. Next, shells of go-getters followed by salute barrages with firefly shells as well. Below these, gold comet candles followed by firefly comets. Above the candles, repeated volleys of huge gold comet shells with twinkling pistils. Then mines of gold glitter followed by mine fronts of firefly comets with the same in shells above with twinkling pistils. Finally, a barrage of multi-break shells bursting to pale gold weeping-willows.

Part 13 to the music Magaguena by E. Leucona To great cheering from the crowd, six pairs of girandolas rose in sequence high into the air. Then shells of very fast tourbillons followed by shells of the large white flower tourbillons and then shells of salute-terminated tourbillons. Next, shells of colour balls terminated with salutes and yet more tourbillons. Below these, colour canldes followed by more shells of colour and fast tourbillons. Then candles in bright yellow, then green, then orange and then the go-getter silver comets. These were repeated and followed by salute-terminated tourbillons, huge colour shells and shells of salute-terminated tourbillons. Next, shells of whizzers, huge rings of tourbillons and also fireflies. The size and number of these great mixed shells increased and brought this segment to a close before the display rapidly moved into the finale.

Part 14 to the music Can-Can by Jaques Offenbach. By now, the display had been running for 33 minutes and the final 90 seconds was just incredible. The pace was so great that it was difficult to take notes. There were enormous shells of the most dazzling blue stars I've ever seen. Glittering comets, fast tourbillons and go-getters of every description fired from candles, mines and shells. Dazzling primary colours, huge volleys of titanium salutes. The sky was filled with dazzling colour and noise. As the pace increased, a moments pause and then a final thunderous volley of titanium salutes. The crowd roared their approval.

This was a truly magnificent display. The quality and range of material, especially the numerous girandolas was outstanding. The colour stars used were outstanding with the most amazing dazzling blues I've ever seen - it is so hard to make blue stars which are bright, and these were beyond bright. The only minor criticism I can think of is that the synchronization wasn't quite perfect in a few places and a longer finale would have been the icing on the cake. Ricardo Caballer stands at the front of the pack at the moment and must have an excellent chance of taking home the Gold Jupiter if the standing ovation in the press room is anything to go by.