1999 l'International Benson & Hedges Montréal Pyromusical Competition Report

Italy Millenium Promenade Sunday July 18^th, 1999

Pirotecnia Soldi S.R.L.

Another perfect summer's evening was the backdrop to what promised to be an exciting display from the Italian team. All of the fireworks were specially constructed for this display and the creative talents of Giovani Panzera and Pierre Walder were used in the choice of the music.

Part 1 to the music Nessum Dorma interpreted by Pavarotti. After the usual ten second countdown, the lights were turned off and the music began. But no fireworks appeared. The music continued for another thirty seconds before an announcement was made that there were technical problems. After a couple of minutes, the lights went out and the music started, but again there was a delay before any fireworks appeared. Then a line of red flares pointing over the lake appeared, with silver comet candles behind. As the flares burned out, they shot out stars into the lake. A line of silver fountains then opened up, with crossed candles of small balls. Then a front of glitter mines with candles of clusters of charcoal comets which rose then fell, in front. Another front of bright white mines, then another. Next, multi-break shells of ball stars, shells with comet pistils above, bombette candles below with the segment coming to a close with a barrage of multi-break ball star shells.

Part 2 to the music 'O Surdato' nammurato interpreted by the Napolitan Mandolins. Fast candles of blue balls and silver glitter opened this segment. Then volleys of multi-break ball shells in complimentary colours with glitter. Next, tourbillon candles and candles of blue balls, with more multi-break ball shells above in complimentary colours with glitter. The number of multi-breaks increased, with blue balls, then red, bringing the segment to a close.

Part 3 to the music Santa Lucia interpreted by Angelo Petisi. This opened with crossed gold glitter candles, with blue ball candles as well. Above these, multi-break ball shells in blue and green, turning to slow falling stars. Then shells of bright pink-headed comets. The segment was brought to a close with multi-breaks of blue and green balls.

Part 4 to the music Torna a Surriento interpreted by Pavarotti. Loudly screaming serpent comet candles with a barrage of nautic mines opened this segment. Then a large fans of gold comet candles followed by silver. Next, very fast blue ball candles with whistles in as well, followed by another barrage of nautic mines. A line of serene gold candles in threes forming a V shape opened up next. Then groups of six silver fountains firing horizontally and vertically followed by more blue ball and whistle candles. A dark spell was followed by a long line of vertical silver wheels and then followed by a line of very loudly hissing V-shaped silver fountains. A barrage of dazzling white mines was followed by large multi-breaks of silver ball shells, then multi-break silver spider shells, followed by multi-break comet shells turning to slow falling fireflies, bringing the segment to a close.

Part 5 to the music Con te partirò interpreted by Andrea Bocelli. Soft-breaking white bombettes opened this segment followed by a line of dazzling white horizontal fountains raining sparks down into the lake. Then crossed silver glitter comet candles with the same in shells above. These were followed by pale yellow-headed silver comet shells. Next, candles of the clusters of rising and falling charcoal comets, with candles of clusters of blue balls. Above these, blue balls shells, followed by green-headed silver comet shells. A huge front of white mines was followed by fans of silver comet candles, with the same in shells above. Then another huge front of dazzling mines, with larger silver comet shells above followed by a barrage of silver nautic mines. The segment was brought to a close with a large barrage of glittery silver weeping willow shells, reaching all the way to the ground, to cheers from the audience.

Part 6 to the music Il volo interpreted by Zucchero. Candles of clusters of green balls with glitter shells above opened this segment. Then nautic mines of green balls, with green glitter shells above. Then multi-breaks of salutes which burst into two small stars moving in opposite directions. These were followed by candles of clusters of red stars, with large flower-like tourbillon shells with blue balls above. Then two sets of red ball candles at each end of the floating ramp firing stars which bounced on the surface of the lake. Above these, shells of blue balls and shells of large slow-turning tourbillons. The number of tourbillon shells increased and increased until the air was completely filled with hundreds of whizzing tourbillons, bring the segment to a close.

Part 7 to the music Overture to Notre-dame de Paris. This segment consisted entirely of round after round of silver girandolas, one flying a a dramatic angle towards the audience, but burning out before doing any damage.

Part 8 to the music Belle, from Notre-dame de Paris by P. Fiori-Garou and D. Lavoie. This segment began with just three red ball candles, perhaps indicating another technical problem. After these, shells of gold glitter turning to fireflies followed by shells of clusters of gold comets which fell slowly. Then a barrage of weeping willow shells, marred somewhat by lower-level colour ball shells. Next, candles of clusters of red balls, with red ball shells above. Then volleys of salutes with blue balls above. These were followed by shells of clusters of comets turning to fireflies. The control room in the centre of the firing area was then used dramatically, sending a huge fan of gold charcoal comets across the width of the display area, with shells of the same comets above. The gold charcoal shells were replaced with glittery silver weeping willows, with a huge barrage, bringing this segment to a close as the stars fell all the way to the ground, and a final burst of three weeping silver glitter shells with gold firefly pistils.

Part 9 to the music Leaving Port, from the film Titanic composed by James Horner. A line of bright white strobe pots opened in along the lake. Above these, burst after burst of white firefly shells. Then a barrage of large white nautic mines, followed by more volleys of white firefly shells. Another large barrage of white nautic mines and then more firefly shells. The pace increased with burst after burst of larger and larger white firefly shells, with multi-breaks and finally huge shells of crackling fireflies.

Part 10 to the music My Heart Will Go On, from the film Titanic interpreted by Céline Dion. This segment opened to white ball candles with red-headed silver comet shells above. Then a barrage of large titanium salutes and more white comet shells, this being repeated several times. Large flower-like tourbillon shells with single and double petals and blue balls moved this segment seamlessly to

Part 11 to the music I Don't Want to Miss a Thing, from the film Armageddon interpreted by Aerosmith. Fast blue ball and whistle candles with crossed glitter behind opened this segment as rising tail shells burst to salmon-coloured comets above. Then shells of pale orange balls with multi-breaks of blue balls. Barrage after barrage of multi-break shells were followed by huge shells of orange or blue balls and comets with the centre of the burst filled with titanium sparks. More multi-breaks and shells of balls stars with comet pistils, then larger shells changing colour, also with comet pistils. Then beautiful shells of huge numbers really bright small stars, surrounded with either single of double rings of silver comets. Lots of white ball multi-breaks, then enormous silver-spider multi-breaks, filling the sky and bringing the segment to a close.

Part 12 to the music Believe by Cher. The finale started at a breath-taking pace with barrages of salutes with shells of blue balls and gold glitter above. Then shells of green balls, more salute barrages, mines and nautic mines. The pace kept increasing with shells of clusters of stars, constant barrages of salutes, then shells of the salutes which broke into two stars. The pace increased further with salutes at the bottom, mine fronts, the huge shells with titanium centres above. A small let-off in the pace and then even more furious with white comet shells, even more salutes and more of the huge titanium centred shells. By this point, the music was completely inaudible as the number of salutes increased and increased, a couple of dramatic and very short pauses and then a final deafening barrage of enormous salutes which created very loud echos from a long way away. I was breathless by this point, unable to see too well because of all the bright flashes and my ears were ringing.

This display had many really nice shells, with some excellent and clear colours. However, the false start lead to a slight feeling of anti-climax and the one or two technical problems unfortunately detracted from the display. The choice of music was not really to my taste and I got the impression that this was more of a fireworks with music display rather than a pyromusical. Overall though, this was a very enjoyable display with the most dramatic finale of the competition so far.