Le Mondial SAQ 2002
Montréal International Fireworks Competition Report

Austria Dreams and Highlights July 6^th, 2002

Günter Vogler Feuerwerk. Director Günter Vogler, traditional manual firing.

'Following their first bronze-jupiter winning appearance in 1997, an accident on the eve of that visit occurred in Günter Vogler's factory. "Since then", said Mr Vogler, we have concentrated our efforts in rebuilding. This show will be for us a come back to the world famous event in La Ronde. We have been preparing for this show for six months".'

Several days of record-breaking heat and humidity gave way to pleasant summer temperatures, though with cloudy skies. With a mix of classical music and more modern arrangements of classics, as well as classical arrangements of modern music, the Austrian team presented a seven part display.

Part 1 to the music Mayors Fanfare by Ch. Kolonovits. The display opened with a front of red mines with red star shells above. Then a front of silver mines with silver comet shells followed by orange mines and shells of crossette comets. These were followed by crossette comet candles with shells of single rings above and then candles of tourbillons. Next, shells of comets to colour stars followed by shells of flower tourbillons and candles of salute terminate tourbillons. These were followed by more shells of flower tourbillons surrounded by stars and then candles of serpents. Above these, shells of colour stars turning to crackle and then shells of glitter comets and pale gold kamuro shells. These were followed by more shells of comets turning to colour stars and then shells of clusters of slow falling silver comets. More silver comet shells with gold glitter candles below, the comets turning to silver fireflies. These were followed by shells of crossette ball stars and shells of crackling comets turning to kamuros and more crossette star shells in red, the segment coming to a close with large shells of charcoal comets turning to red stars.

Part 2 to the music Symphony N^o. 5 by P.I. Tchaïkovski. This segment began serenely with a line of triple fountains in along the floating ramp which were then augmented by a fan of pale gold comet candles in the centre, all forming the shape of fleur-de-lys. Next, candles of star-headed charcoal comets in Vs with brighter meteor comet candles firing straight up. These were then replaced by brighter meteor comet candles, firing higher with gold kamuro shells above. Candles of crossette stars added to this in the centre and were followed by shells of red turning to silver comets and larger kamuro shells. Next, candles of silver crossette comets and large shells of electric comets turning to crackle above. Then shells of glitter comets ending in crackle with crossette comet cluster candles below. Barrages of large kamuro shells with pistils were followed by pale gold glitter comet candles and then large volleys of huge electric comet shells ending in crackle, shells of silver comets and fronts of crackling mines, the intensity rapidly diminishing until just a single red flare illuminated the centre which was then augmented by a line of red flares. The segment came to a serene close with a line of candles of blue stars bursting to gold glitter bombettes.

Part 3 to the music Bohemian Rhapsody by Freddie Mercury, arranged by Ch. Kolonovits. A line of silver glitter candles in Vs opened up with shells of strobe stars above. Then gold glitter candles shooting straight up with silver comet candles in Vs around them. These were then augmented by candles of pastel colour stars and shells of stars turning to gold comets above followed by shells of stars turning to crackle. Next, shells of slow falling fireflies and shells of comets turning to strobes. These were followed by shells of colour stars turning to kamuros and shells of stars turning to crackle with a fan of gold comet candles in the centre. More kamuro shells were followed by shells of colour stars turning to strobes and then colour stars turning to crackle with shells of stars and comets as well. Next, crossette comet candles and barrages of large colour shells followed by a massive volley of crackling stars and shells of electric comets turning to crackle. Below these, candles of clusters of crossette comets with shells of crossette stars and then kamuro shells and also shells of double layers of crackling stars. These were then followed by kamuro shells which also contained crossing stars. Next tourbillon candles, crackling candles and shells of blue stars above followed by kamuro shells with the comets turning blue. Next, shells of electric comets and crackle with barrages of colour shells and colour and crackle shells. These were followed by large volleys of pale gold crossette comet shells, comet to colour and salute shells, more electric comet shells. The segment was brought to a close with mines, salutes and crossette comet shells, filling the sky.

Part 4 to the music Spanish Dance by P.I. Tchaïkovski. Serpent candles and glitter bombettes were followed by shells of crossettes. Next, candles bursting to bees with kamuro shells above and shells of flower tourbillons ringed with stars. This theme continued and was followed by shells of colour stars and tourbillons turning to crackle. Then shells of blue stars and crackle and shells of charcoal comets with more tourbillon candles below. These were followed by clusters of crossette comets and then a shaped-burst shell in the form of a butterfly, where all the comets were crossettes which turned to kamuro stars which trailed down to the lake to cheers from the audience, brining the segment to a close.

Part 5 to the music Prelude by Ch. Kolonovits. This long segment was split into smaller sections as the theme of the music changed. The first part began with multi-break shell-of-shells of comets turning to gold glitter and then followed by multi-break shell-of-shells of strobe stars. Then shells of thick pale-gold comets followed by shells of blue pistils and gold comets. These were followed by multi-break shell-of-shells of kamuros and then shells of charcoal comets with clusters of stars appearing later. This first sub-segment came to a close with huge shells with pistils and kamuro stars trailing to the lake. The next section began with loud crackling charcoal comet shells, candles of crackling meteor comets, screaming whistles and bombettes of crackle. The screaming whistles grew louder with more crackling comet candles and clusters of crossette comets and barrages of salutes. Then candles of saxons (double-ended tourbillons) with glitter bombettes above and shells of bright crossette stars. These were followed by large shells of electric comets turning to crackle and multi-break shell-of-shells of salutes and crackle, bringing this sub-segment to a close. The final section began with gold glitter candles in Vs with blue star candles firing above with shells of blue turning to red then comets above. Then shells of charcoal comets with the comets turning to stars with glitter comet candles below. These were followed by shells of blue stars with silver starfish comets and shells of stars turning to crackle with whistling tourbillon candles below. Then gold kamuro shells, multi-break shell-of-shells of crackling stars and more of the blue star with silver starfish comet shells. These were followed by shells of stars and comets, crossette star shells and crossette comet candles below. Then shells of tourbillons with tourbillon candles below and followed by large colour and comet shells and then shells of tourbillons with glitter comet rings around. Next, shells of serpents followed by shells of blue stars with clusters of stars appearing later and then a bombardment of nautic shells in the lake. Fan comet candles with kamuro shells above were augmented by bombette candles with shells of red stars turning to strobes above and then shells of comets turning to crossette stars. These were followed by large shells of electric comets with crackling pistils, huge barrages of crossette star shells and shells of tourbillons. Then large shells of charcoal comets with colour bombette candles below. These were continued with barrages of small crackle shells above. The segment came to a close with serpent shells and then a huge crackling comet shell which became a kamuro trailing to the lake.

Part 6 to the music Have you ever by Brian Adams. Yellow-headed meteor crossette comet candles were followed by shells of colour stars with crackling pistils. Then multi-break shell-of-shells of colour stars and the same in silver comets. More multi-break shell-of-shells of strobe stars were augmented by strobe pots on the ground. Then bombette cluster comet candles with crossette comet shells above followed by kamuro shells and shells of crackle and blue stars. These were followed by multi-break shell-of-shells of blue stars with comet fan candles in the centre below. Then silver comet shells with crackling comets turning to kamuros, the segment coming to a close with a barrage of large comet and crackle shells.

Part 7 to the music Medley by Ch. Kolonovitz. The final segment began with large multi-colour changing shells and then gold kamuros trailing to the lake. Below these, crossette candle fans and shells and mine fronts. Then multi-break shell-of-shells in silver, shells of stars with rings of comets ending in salutes, firing in a circle like siatene shells. The pace increased with bombardments of huge colour and pistil shells, bombettes below, electric comet and crackling shells above with barrages of titanium salutes thrown in as well. The sky was filled with large crackling comet shells, barrages of salutes, the final shells becoming kamuros trailing to the lake to cheers from the audience.

This was an enjoyable display. Though manually fired, the synchronization for the most part was good. The traditional style worked well with the classical music sections and there was a good variation of rhythm and pace. There was a lot of beautiful product used, particularly the many kamuro and crackling shells as well as the colour star crossettes. However, perhaps the kamuros and crackle shells became just a little repetitive. Also, some of the music edits were rather abrupt early on in the program. These small criticisms aside, definitely a strong contender which was enjoyed by the audience. At this mid-point in the competition, Portugal are still my tip for the gold Jupiter with Austria and Japan close behind.

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