Le Mondial SAQ 2004
Montréal International Fireworks Competition Report
Opening Saturday June 12th, 2004 Harmony
Ampleman Pyrotechnie (artistic director Eric Cardinal, FireOne firing, ScriptMaker choreography) and Circus Orange (artistic director Tom Comet).
As part of the Coupe du Monde SAQ, the Canadian firm Ampleman will present the opening fireworks display saluting the 20th anniversary of the Montréal International Fireworks Competition. Ampleman is a veteran of 11 previous Montréal competitions as the Canadian representative, and won a Bronze Jupiter in 1989 and 2002 as well as a Silver Jupiter in 1999. Its out-of-competition display, entitled "As Time Goes By," will present various technologies and amazing pyrotecnic acrobats feats.
Perfect weather was the setting for the out-of-competition opening display of the 20the edition of the Montréal International Fireworks competition. The opening ceremonies of this special evening included a first - a pyromusical display designed by La Ronde's crew synchronized to a live performance by local signing star Ginette Reno. All the fourteen countries who'd previously won a Gold Jupiter were presented on stage and it was announced that this year there would only be one special prize - the Platinum Jupiter. All the entrants are previous Gold Jupiter winners and will receive special 20th Edition Participation Jupiters. Another first this evening with the intergration of live pyrotechnic performances from the internationally renowned Circus Orange into the display. The theme of the display was a passage through the history of the fireworks competition, from hand-lit displays in 1985 up to the cutting edge of technology with the computerized displays no used.
Live Performance by Ginette Reno. As the spotlight illuminated Ginette Reno on the floating stage, a line of triple silver fountains lit up with fans of gold-headed meteor candles. Above these, shells of crackling willow comets followed by shells of red stars and glitter comets with silver comet shells above. Then shells of red crossette stars. These were followed by blue star and gold comet candles with pattern shells in blue spirals above and then crackling willow comets. Next, shells of blue with candles of blue and gold comets below. These were followed by shell-of-shells of gold strobes. Next, a sequence of large colour changing peony shells followed by fast paced mine fronts changing colour on each shot. Then kamuro shells with some bright colour shells at a lower level (a bit too bright) followed by large glittering weeping willows and then large shells with blue pistils and silver comets. Shells of blue crossing stars were followed by a flight of double ascension girandolas with the performance coming to and end with large kamuro shells trailing to the lake.
Introduction to the music Harlequin's Meditation by Sven Vath. A barrage of rising tail shells bursting to glittering palm trees opened the introduction to the display as nautic strobes burst into life. A narrative section explaining the concept of the display followed saying that the first Gold Jupiter winner, Marutamaya, hand-fired their winning display in 1985. The explanation continued and led into the first performance by Circus Orange.
Circus Orange section 1 to the music Sensorium by Delerium and The Diva Dance by Eric Serra. The performers danced on the stage with silver gerbs in their hands as close-proximity star shots fired from the rear of their floating stage. As the performers danced with flaming torches, short duration silver gerb hits were fired to the music. Then bright flash pots lit up the stage and more gerb hits and fans of stars and crackling comets, the performance coming to an end with more crackling fans and a volley of shells above.
Part 1 to the music Floating Euphoria by Dan Gibson. A line of silver fountains in V shapes lit up as the narration explained the development of the pyrotechnic arts and a line of fountains in inverted T shapes lit up. After the narration was over, candles of whistles and salutes fired up followed by bombette candles of comets and then whistling serpent candles. Above these, shells of bright go-getters, silver comets and shells of hummers. These were followed by more go-getter shells and shells of rings of stars ending in small bouquets of stars, bringing this part to a close.
Part 2 to the music Boléro by Ravel (conducted by André Previn). Another narrative opening continuing the developement of the pyrotechnic arts as a line of silver V fountains lit up. These were followed by star candles and then angled clusters of comets and then tourbillons. Above these, gold glitter shells. Next a sequence of white meteor headed comet shells and gold glitter shells. This was followed by angled comet candles and candles of salutes. Then shells of gold strobes, more salutes and huge gold glitter to gold strobe shells.
Circus Orange section 2 to the music Nothing Left by Orbital, Naked and Ashamed by Dylan Rhymes and Access by DJ Misjah and DJ Tim. White strobes lit up at the back of the main ramp as the narration continued explaining the development of the pyromusical up to modern computerized firing. The Circus Orange performers began leaping about the stage on cantilevered stilts with gerbs firing on their backs as flash pots went off and clusters of stars were fired. Then downward pointing gerbs fired giving the impression the performers were flying around on rockets. Next each performer's arms and legs had silver gerbs firing down as they leaped around on their stilts. Then large gerbs began to rotate on the performers heads! This continued with star shots and then two large flame throwers fired up and out over the lake. As this continued, a large fireball errupted in the lake as more star shots went off, the performance coming to an end as the flame throwers extinguished.
Part 3 to the music Montée des soucoupes by Juno Reactor and Tan Dun. Criss-crossing star guns stared to fire as lance work lit up "XX" at the left and right and "20" in the centre. Nautic fountains lit up in the lake and then a large flight of gold glittering girandolas rose in the air to cheers from the crowd. Then mines of comets and salutes followed by broccade shells above. Below these, pink star candles and candles of clusters of comets. Next colour-terminated broccade comet shells followed by shells of white stars. This theme was repeated and then candles of large magnesium stars, more broccade shells above and a barrage of gold broccade nautical shells exploded in the lake with the same shells in the sky above as the music moved to
Part 4 to the music Kill Bill theme by Tomoyasu Hotel. Shells of lightning flashes dazzled the audience and were followed by shells of hummers. After these, mines of bees. These theme continued and then shells of colour stars ending in strobes above as the music moved to
Part 5 to the music Mucha Fritura by Senor Cocount. Cakes of fast stars with shells of clusters of stars and comets burst above and were followed by candles of salutes and comets and then shells of tourbillons and whistles. Below these, crossed comet candles and then more cakes of fast stars, the segment coming to an end with a barrage of large shells as the music moved to
Part 6 to the music Adiemus by Karl Jenkins. Rising tail shells bursting to charcoal weeping willows opened up. These were repeated, but in larger shells. Then even larger with glittery charcoal fronds followed by blue tipped willow comets. Then more palm tree shells (with a large flowerpot). These were followed by fans of magnesium stars with more weeping willows behind. Then larger charcoal comet shells ending in blue tips (with another large flowerpot). The weeping willow theme continued ending with a barrage of really large glittery charcoal comet shells ending in strobes.
Part 7 to the music Transformation by Kouichi Korenaga. Shells of falling leaves were followed by crossed bright yellow meteor comet shots and then the same in shells. These were followed by bright yellow star shells, then paler yellow with more crossed yellow meteor comet shots bellow. These were followed by even brighter crossed yellow magnesium stars with shells of falling colour clusters above.
Part 8 to the music Moving Fast Man by Alex Gopher. Huge shimmering magnesium star fans opened this segment and were followed by mines of strobes with shells of bright white meteor comets above. Then more strobe mines and shells followed by fans of magnesium comets. Above these, sky mine shells and then shells of silver stars and comets. Back to the sequence of strobe mines with strobe shells above and shells of comets turning to strobes as the music moved to
Part 9 to the music Rock Dope Stupid by Rob Smith. Sky mine shells were followed by farfalle shells (rings of tourbillons around a pistil of stars) and shells of whistling tourbillons. This theme was repeated and followed by whistling tourbillon candles and candles of salute-terminated serpents. A return to the sky mine shells followed by farfalle shells and shells of tourbillons.
Part 10 to the music Trinity Dream by Juno Reactor / Don Davis. Broccade shells trailing to the lake were repeated and augmented by thick bright gold comets crossing in the centre. Then large weeping willow shells followed by more broccades trailing to the lake. Then brighter broccades above with fans of broccade comets below at the left and right with a cluster of the thicker comets in the centre. Above these, shells of broccade comets ending in blue and mines of the same below, this theme continuing, with the segment coming to an end with cones of rockets bursting to colour clusters.
Part 11 to the music Désert by René Dupéré. A starfish Radienna (a type of Maltese Irdieden came to life on the roof of ramp 4 in the centre of the display. Fast comet guns fired left and right and then cakes of glitter and shells of comets above. The Radienna came to a halt as clusters of comets fired at the left and right and large silver weeping willows fired above.
Circus Orange section 3 to the music Sunrise by Anjo. The performers held gerbs and multi-linked rings of fire which they began to spin. Star cluster shots were fired as the performers danced and lit gerbs on long poles and traced patterns of fire in the air. Close proximity comets fired with fans of comets in the main display area behind and then shells of blue above. Crackling fans fired up around the performers as they continued to dance with the gerbs on poles as shells of blue stars and shells of strobes fired above, bringing the performance to an end.
Part 12 to the music Firebird Suite and Electric Head part 1 by Stravinsky and White Zombie. A final narration announced the beginning of the grande finale. Shells of bright orange comets with fans of meteor comets below. Then mines of crackling stars and barrages of large multi coloured shells above, the pace increasing and increasing. The pace increased with more cakes of crackle, the barrages of shells above, then furious cakes of salutes at a low level, large salutes at a higher level. The finale building to its climax with volleys of kamuros, coming to an end with comets trailing to the lake and a final barrage of very large salutes, to cheers from the audience.
This was a very different display from that normally presented in the competition.
Since it wasn't in competition, all sorts of innovations could be tried out. It
was very interesting to see the performers of Circus Orange integrated into the
display. This was very effective for members of the audience sat in the centre
and close to the stage, a little bit less effective for those with an oblique view.
The synchronization of the performers into the display was impressive and I'm sure,
after their debut here in Montréal, we'll be seeing more of them in Quebec.
The main display itself was enjoyable and the narrative sections worked surprisingly
well and it was a good choice to use the inimitable Michel Lacroix for these
segments. One minor criticism that springs to mind is that in a couple of places
the delicate charcoal and broccade effects were visually drowned out somewhat by
brighter pieces. Another being that the narration announced that computerization
allows for fast-paced synchronization but we didn't really see this point emphasized,
though the synchronization itself was flawless throughout. Overall a very innovative,
artistic and enjoyable display.
Thanks to the public relations people of La Ronde for the official
press release material, shown in white.
