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L'International des Feux Loto-Québec 2005
Montréal International Fireworks Competition Report

United States To Dream Wednesday July 27th, 2005

Rozzi's Famous Fireworks, designed by John and Arturo Rozzi FireOne firing, ScriptMaker choreography, ~2800 cues, ~700 MagicFire electronic timed igniters

"In business since 1895, the family firm ROZZI'S FAMOUS FIREWORKS of Loveland, Ohio, has produced countless large-scale pyrotechnical spectacles around the world and is known for its masterful combinations of the ancient art of fireworks and various 21st-century technologies. 'To Dream' is the fruit of this fusion of styles, and is sure to be a profoundly beautiful pyromusical experience, complex and brimming with emotion. Superbly synchronized to a soundtrack including compositions as diverse as Brian Setzer's Sleepwalk and Leonard Bernstein's Dance at the Gym, this vibrant celebration is inspired by and pays tribute to the multicultural threads that weave together to create the fabric of American culture today."

Damp and dreary weather threatened to spoil the final competition display this year but the clouds rolled away by early evening leaving perfect conditions for this highly anticipated display. With the promised use of MagicFire electronic timers in some approximately 700 pyrotechnic pieces, the audience was looking forward to some special effects that are impossible to create by any other means.

Part 1 to the music Angels All Around Us by Santanna. After the countdown from 10, the display opened with a volley of silver glitter spider shells. Then a period of narration in French. After a while a line of gold glitter fountains in threes lit up on ramp five as a narrative began in English (repeating what we'd just heard in French). Z-cake fans of pastel stars on ramp three list up as large shells with pistils and comets fired above. Strobes then lit up at the back of ramp two as the display proper began. Large shells of comets turning to red stars were followed by silver sky mines and mines of silver below. Then large yellow shells and more silver sky mines. These were followed by farfalles and crossed glitter comets below and then shells of comets turning to red. Next, more silver sky mines and large shells with pistils above these and crossed glitter comet shots below. This theme continued and was followed by large mines of crossettes and shells of red crossette stars above. Then bombettes in pale gold with shells of crossing-stars above. A return to the crossette shells followed by sky mines and then shells of comets turning to stars and then shells of big tourbillons. Another barrage of crossing-star shells and then huge shells of kaleidoscope-shaped bursts of stars in green, shells of silver comets and then more kaleidoscope shells. As the silver shells continued above, shells of photoflash burst below and were augmented by star shells above in gorgeous colours, this theme continuing to the end of the segment announced by a huge mine front to cheers from the audience.

Part 2 to the music Vive la Vida by Santanna. Fans of pastel-coloured stars fired on ramp three as amazing sequences of what looked like multi-breaking ascending mines fired rapidly. These were actually barrages of MagicFire-timed shells set with their burst times in a close sequence giving the effect of mines breaking in a tight rising sequence. This effect was repeated again and then followed by mines of strobes with shells of fast-twinkling pink strobes above. Then massive shells of "popping kamuros" filling the sky to cheers from the audience followed by a return to the mines of strobes and shells of strobes above. Then really nice crossing sky mines - again with MagicFire timers to assure identical break times - with mines of strobes below, the segment coming to an end with shells of strobes.

Part 3 to the music Banning Back Home by John Williams. This began with shells of deep yellow strobes and mines of orange. Then mines of tourbillons followed by sky mines above and then shells of deep coloured stars and left and right firing huge mines below. This theme continued and was augmented by more of the brilliant crossing sky mines as the lower mines fired left and right at angles and then a move to shells of rings of stars and some crossing-star shells. Next, shells of colour changing stars, the segment coming to a close with massive shells of popping peonies (a shell-of-shells effect).

Part 4 to the music Dance at the Gym by Leonard Bernstein. Amazing candles shoot double-ended tourbillons which landed in the lake as shots of mines fired on ramp 5 in perfect synchronization to the music. Then more of the tourbillons landing in the lake as the mines continued on ramp 5 and were augmented by larger ones on ramp 3 including bombettes. A flight of double ascension girandolas rose, fell and then rose again as the mine shots continued on ramp five, then short-duration gerb hits and more mines, bringing this segment to a serene ending.

Part 5 to the music Get Down Tonight by KC & the Sunshine Band. Fast V-shape groups of stars burst up from positions on ramp 3 as large shells burst above and then shells of strobes. These were followed by shells of serpents and shells of coloured star crossettes in deep colours. This alternating sequence of serpents and crossettes continued. Next, shells of silver comet crossettes and then shells of red stars turning to silver crossettes. These were followed by shells of silver wiggling comets with Z-shape fan cakes on ramp three below. Next, shells of triple parallel rings, shells of serpents and then shaped-burst shells of hearts. These were followed by massive willow shells with blue pistils and then shells of crazy serpents. Next colour changing shells and the segment came to a close with huge shells of stars and starfish comets.

Part 6 to the music Sleep Walk by Brian Setzer. This began with sky mines in Nigara Falls comets and then fans of comets below and shells of comets above. Then amazing shells of incredibly saturated colours of big clusters of falling stars. Below these, fan candles and then more of the Niagara Falls sky mines and another barrage of the deep-coloured falling star clusters. This theme continued and was augmented by mines and more sky mines, bringing the segment to a close.

Part 7 to the music Begin the Beguine by Cole Porter. Fans of blue headed willow comets were followed by fabulous shells of massive bow-tie comets with star pistils and then by shells of silver kamuros. More barrages of the amazing bow-tie shells with shells of silver below than then shells of rings and bombettes below those. These were followed by comet shells and then fast comet sequences on ramp 3 and volleys of timed titanium salutes above. Next, beautiful farfalle shells, some with strobing cores and double rings of farfalles as another comet sequence fired on ramp three was followed by a barrage of titanium salutes above. More fabulous farfalles and then shells of crackle and popping shells of crackle. These were followed by colour changing shells with popping peonies and then a return to the massive bow-tie shells. The segment came to a close with bow-tie shells and a barrage of saturn shells.

Part 8 to the music Angels in the Outfield by Randy Edelman. Gorgeous bright blue-headed weeping willow shells were followed by shells of brocade and then a return to the blue-headed weeping willows with the same in comet fans below. This theme continued and then was augmented by some mag comet shells that were somewhat too bright for the willows above. After more weeping willow shells, the sky became filled with Niagara Falls shells, trailing to the lake to cheers from the audience. Then an Irdieden-like wheel hissed to life (driven by pyrotechnic drivers). As this began its enthralling motion four other wheels hissed to life - each one composed of two counter-rotating wheels. Then the lake suddendly came to life as dozens of nautic fountains appeared simultaneously (thanks to MagicFire). Above these, huge kamuros with pistils and then fans of glittering comets below. More massive barrages of huge kamuros, some with strobe pistils, the segment coming to a close with these trailing to the lake.

Part 9 to the music Overture to William Tell performed by Andre Rieu. This began with comet shots and note-synchronized salutes then sequences of large mines running from the left and right hand sides of ramp three. The salute sequences continued and then sequence of shells from the left and right also fired. These highly precisely synchronized sequences continued and obviously included MagicFire timers to get the incredible accuracy. Sky mines were added into the mix and then a move to farfalle shells and then shells of photo-flash. The mine sequences returned below on the same musical themes as previously and then shells of photoflash and crossettes. These were followed by shells of bright blue and then more precisely timed salutes. Shells in moving colour sequences come into play first red, then blue, then gold and then barrages of tightly-timed titanium salutes, bringing the segment to a dramatic close with barrages of salutes above and mines below, to the delight of the cheering audience.

Part 10 to the music Prayer in the Night by Amici Forever.
The finale began with bombardments of huge blue shells, then enormous multi-colour star shells and a move to fast cakes of willow comets. These increased and became bombettes which were augmented by the same in huge shells above. Barrages of these followed and then a large kamuro was left trailing to the lake. A move to colour-changing shells and then a more serene part as shells of bright blue falling stars appeared. Then other shells in brilliant colours such as deep orange, lime green and bright blue with glitter. A progression next into bright white shells as the music became calmer so did the fireworks and then the pace increased again with silver comet mines below and the same in shells above. The pace increased still further with massive volleys of enormous shells with pistils and then huge volleys of massive salutes bringing the display to a close with a huge WOW in my notes.

This was a truly excellent display from the American team. The range of colours and effects used was fantastic but a very special mention has to be made of the incredible use of the MagicFire electronic igniters. From the nautic fountains appearing all at once on the lake to the amazing sequenced rising effects produced, the results were amazing. The precision was used to give very specific visual effects, such as the crossing sky mines, or audible effects such as the timed salutes. At no point was there a "mechanical" feel to the precision, a criticism that was made back in 2000 when Rozzi last used these in Montreal. The range of music used was enjoyable and I presume the William Tell overture was more a cultural reference to "The Lone Ranger" than anything else. We had moments of quiet serenity and many moments of colourful passion. Surely the Americans will be on the podium this year. The team received a deafening standing ovation from both the enthusiast audience and the enthusiasts present in the Salon des Artificiers after the display.

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