Le Mondial SAQ 2001
Montréal International Fireworks Competition Report

Canada To the Rhythms of the Elements Wednesday July 18^th, 2001

Concept Fiatlux Inc. produced by Michel Rioulx, FireOne firing

"Before establishing itself in 1985, Concept Fiatlux was making its mark in the world of pyrotechnic art as La Ronde's official fireworks company. Sixteen years later, the company is not only renowned worldwide for its remarkable fireworks, but also represents Canada at all major international pyrotechnic competitions. 'It is an honour for us to represent Canada for the fifth year at this pyrotechnic competition, which ranks as one of the most prestigious in the world', explained Michel Roulx, president of Concept Fiatlux. 'We wanted to create an unforgettable show for this event ... an explosive display where water and fire dance furiously together.'"

A perfect warm summer's evening, with light winds blowing in the right direction, at least, as far as this reporter was concerned was the ideal setting for this Canadian entrant, which had had such bad luck with the weather at their previous appearance in the competition in 1997. The fifteen part display promised to be an interesting marriage of the elements of fire and water.

Part 1 to the music Point Blank by Yellow. After an unprecedented delay of 15 minutes due to technical problems, the display started with note-synchronized gas-flame projectors. Above these, large comet to red star shells followed be mines of salutes below. These were followed by shells breaking into bright, almost noiseless flashes, with mines of the same below. This theme repeated and was augmented by glitter mines and then followed by a line of angled fountains. More glitter mines and then red-headed comet shots moving from left and right, crossing over and going back the other way, in time with the music. Above these, shells of comets to red stars, then shells with long arcing star headed comets, the segment coming to a close with large colour shells turning to silver.

Part 2 to the music Sumus Vicinae by Nicholas Lens. Candles of wiggly glitter comets opened up with more flames from the flame projectors, though one of them appeared to be stuck on for the entire segment. Above the wiggly comet candles, shells of large blue stars followed by shells of white comets. Then multi-colour shells and shells of stars and glitter. Beneath these, glitter comet shots from the left and right and fans of yellow headed comets as the music seamless moved back to:

Part 3 to the music Point Blank by Yellow. Double concentric ring shells above the fans of comet candles were followed by shells of pale gold strobe stars, then shells of blue stars and comets with fans of gold glitter candles below. Then a repeated sequence of shells of crossing-stars followed by fast candles of blue stars shot horizontally over the lake towards the audience! Above these, shells of blue stars and glitter comets followed by a large blue to red colour changing shell and then horizontal candles of pastel stars shooting horizontally over the lake. The segment came to a close with a large kamuro shell and then shells of blue stars and strobes, shot before the kamuro had a chance to complete its fall.

Part 4 to the music Sky Giant by Mantu/Kasiek/Atlas. A line of flares lit up the lake and then another line of flares lit up the back of the display area. Then shells were fired at remarkably low angles from the back of the lake towards the middle of the lake so that they exploded in a dramatic fashion close to the audience, breaking into silver comets! This dramatic firing of shells low over the lake continued and then was augmented by shells of tourbillons above followed by nautic flares in the lake turning to strobes. Then glitter comets were fired so that they bounced over the water towards the audience(!) as the music moved seamlessly to:

Part 5 to the music Bittersweet Symphony by Ashcroft/Jagger. Charcoal comet cluster mines opened this segment as a repeating sequence of blue star shells, tourbillon candles and comets started. Then silver fountains shooting out pastel balls followed by more charcoal comet mines with low angled fans of charcoal comet candles at the left and right of the display area, crossing in the middle. These were intermixed with mines of blue stars and glitter and followed by colour mines at the left and right and then star candles with pink star shells above. These were followed by crossed crossed purple star candles with gold shells above. Then fans of crossed gold glitter comets with rising tail shells bursting to gold glitter above, the segment coming to a close with a huge kamuro shell with a blue star pistil.

Part 6 to the music Herr, Unser Herrsher by Bach. This began with weeping willow shells and then charcoal glitter comets aimed horizontally towards the audience over the lake, with the same comets in candles as well. More comets low over the lake as the candles continued and then kamuro shells above in the same comets as in the candles. Then larger kamuro shells, kind of forming mushroom shapes, in brighter charcoal glitter and followed by the same in huge nautic shells, dramatically filling the lake to cheers from the crowd. This theme continued, with the segment coming to an end with a lake silver brocade shell, trailing all the way to the lake to cheers from the crowd.

Part 7 to the music Touching Tounges by Steve Vai. Slow tourbillon candles, glitter comet candles and clusters of bombettes began and were augmented by shells of willow comets and blue stars above, as the bombettes continued below. Then a repeating sequence of single-petal flower tourbillon shells. These were then followed by shaped-burst shells producing spirals. Back to the repeating sequence of single-petal flower tourbillon shells which were followed by shells of serpents and then back to the shells of spirals. The segment came to a close with a multi-break shell-of-shells of comets turning to strobes as the music moved to:

Part 8 to the music The Righteous Path by Atlas, Whelan & Mantu. Shells of strobes were followed by shells of comets turning to strobes and then an alternating sequence of red then green shells of go-getters. Beneath these, flames lit up from the flame projectors and then the sequence above reversed with red go-getters, flames below, shells of strobe stars above and note synchronized flames. Then shells of silver comets and candles of salute-terminated silver comets with shells of silver stars ending in crackle above. These were followed by red mines with barrages of strobe-star shells above as the music softened, the pace of the fireworks followed as shells of comets turning to strobes gently filled the sky. The pace then increased again with shells of go-getters above and red mines below, the pace and number of these increasing until really bright colour star mines led us seamlessly into:

Part 9 to the music Ransom by Mighty Strinth. Crossed candles of pink balls and pink nautic flares turning to white strobes lit up the lake and were followed by crossed candles of pastel balls, criss-crossing at several heights. Above these, comet to star shells and shells of blue and silver. Then large nautic shells in the lake with silver shells above followed by shells of comets and blue stars as the music moved seamlessly to:

Part 10 to the music Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls. Shells with big colour pistils and silver stars lit up the sky. The large colour pistil and silver shells continued, the segment coming to a close with a huge star shell which changed colour twice.

Part 11 to the music Intro by The Brave. Bright flares with a yellowish tinge lit up the display area as nautic fountains were shot into the lake. As the flares seemed to get brighter, the nautic fountains shot comets into the air. Then a flight of girandolas started to rise into the air, bursting into stars, descending and then re-ascending. Then another flight and another which seemed to rise, fall, rise, fall again and rise yet again. The light and smoke of the flares did detract from the girandolas somewhat though. More girandola flights and then the music moved to:

Part 12 to the music Porcelain by Moby. Bright star-headed comet candles opened up and were augmented by bombettes. Then more bombettes with star candles followed by crossed candles of blue stars. Above these, bombettes in gold glitter, more blue balls candles and bombettes of gold kamuros and then more bombettes of gold firefly comets.

Part 13 to the music Release by Emmerson, McNally, O Lionaird, Russel & O'Conner. This began with bright silver comet shells followed by more barrages of the same and followed by star-headed glitter comet candles and candles of tourbillons. Above these, multi-break shells bursting to blue star shells and gold glitter comet shells. Repeated barrages of these were followed by barrages of large shells of silver comets turning to blue. Then shells of silver glitter comets with tourbillon candles below. These were followed by multi-break blue star and gold comet shells and then shells of huge star-headed comets, the segment coming to a close with a huge silver comet to blue shell.

Part 14 to the music Desert Rose by Sting. Note synchronized flames were followed by note synchronized mines and more flames. Then Shells of comets turning to strobes with pastel ball candles below. These were followed by shells of brighter strobes and then bright silver palm-tree shells. Below these, candles of star-headed comets and more bright silver palm-trees and shells of smaller silver comets. These were followed by multi-break shell-of-shells which released tourbillons and hummers on the first break. Next, shells with pistils and then bright pink shells followed by shells bursting to silver clusters of comets. The segment came to a climax with a barrage of huge shells.

Part 15 to the music After the rain has fallen by Sting. This began with pink nautic flares in the lake turning to white strobes with more of the multi-breaks with tourbillons and hummers on the first break. Then shells of comets to colour followed by kamuro shells with blue ball candles below. More kamuro shells with some colour to comet shells in as well. Beneath these, star candles with high-rising stars and more kamuro shells above. These were followed by mines of bright stars firing almost horizontally out over the lake with kamuro shells above and candles in between. More colour mines shooting over the lake as the pace and number of large kamuro shells above increased, with some colour and comet shells as well at the end. The display came to a conclusion with a barrage of very large titanium salutes.

This was a very artistic display indeed. The music flowed pretty much seamlessly throughout and never have I seen such effective use of the lake, especially dramatic being the comets that literally skipped over the water. The fireworks always complemented the music, but I'm not sure if the flame projectors were worth the trouble these being, I suspect, the cause of the late start to the display. One other small criticism was the firing of colour/comet shells into kamuros or broccades before the latter had finished their descent, something which I don't like. One other small criticism is that the display seemed somewhat "light" in places and whilst there was a whole range of rhythm and pace used, there weren't quite enough dramatic highlights. All that said, they must stand an excellent chance of a spot on the podium next week..

Thanks to the public relations people of La Ronde for the official press release material, shown in white.