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L'International des Feux Loto-Québec 2007
Montréal International Fireworks Competition Report

Hong Kong - China Hong Kong Handover Extravaganza July 7th, 2007

Pyromagic Productions Ltd. - designed by Wilson Mao Pyrodigital firing; Show Director choreography; 190 FM-16 modules, ~2100 cues

No english press release was made available in time for this report

A couple of days of Hong Kong-like weather with high temperatures and very high humidity were broken by powerful thunderstorms a few hours before display-time. Luckily, the clouds cleared away leaving good conditions for this anticipated display from the Chinese team. Recipient of Bronze Jupiter in 2003 the feeling at the time was they may have take the gold if there hadn't have been technical problems in the finale. The 10th anniversary of the return of Hong Kong from Great Britain to China formed the core of the theme and a long and interesting speach by the Chinese Charge d'affaires as well as a very long rendition of the dual Chinese/Hong Kong national anthem lead to a slightly late start as the stage had to be cleared away. Despite the damp weather earlier in the evening, there was a good sized audience to witness the return of Hop Kee.

Part 1 to the music Gong Hey Fat Choy by Andy Lau. The display began with fans of crossette comets and shells in the shape of an 8 (good luck in Chinese) with a ring of kamuro comets around. This theme continued and was then followed be shells of meteor comets and colour changing shells with pistils. Next shells of blue with pistils changing to red and white. A return to the "8" shells with a front of red crossettes bringing the segment to a close.

Part 2 to the music Cartoon Pig by Mcmug. Pattern shells in the form of an "X" inside a ring (the Chinese symbol for 10 - since it is the 10th anniversary of the return of Hong Kong to China) formed the opening theme to this segment. Then shells of smiley faces and shells representing the year of the pig formed another theme. A return to the 10 symbol shells was followed by more of the "8" shells with kamuro rigns with red crossettes below. Next, shells of meteor comets and more shells of "8", the segment coming to a close with a front of red crossettes.

Part 3 to the music Maksim by Olympic Dream. A large setpiece forming the shape of the Great Wall of China, complete with two towers, lit up dramaticaly along the back of ramp two to gasps from the audience. Sequenced mines of serpents then fired along ramp 3 and were followed by fans of crackling comets. Nautical fountains then lit up on the lake (as the "Great Wall" continued to burn). Volleys of shells of salute-terminate comets fired above and then fans of comets which turned and fell to the lake fired along ramp 3. Large fans of crackling comets then fire and were followed by shells of crossette comets above and multi-break shells of clusters of stars. This theme continued and then was followed by serpent cakes and then large fronts of fans of crackling comets and the same in bombettes. Shot after shot of pattern shells in groups of four fired into the air. Then the obvious dawned on the audience, the pattern formed "2008" in the sky, over and over - a reference, of course, to the Beijing Olympics next year. These were followed by shells of comets and then large overlapping fans of bright meteor comets on ramp 3. This fan theme continued and then was followed by very wide fans of dense gold comets with a return to the "2008" pattern shells, bringing the segment to a close.

Part 4 to the music Beijing Olympic - Olympic Committee official song. Shells of crossettes were followed by shells of overlapping rings and shells of rings of stars turning to crossing stars. A return to the crossettes and then more of the overlapping ring shells and shells of crossing stars. These were then followed by farfalles and double ring farfalles - unusually good for a Chinese display. Next, barrages of saturn shells (pistil with a ring of comets) and more of the gorgeous double ring farfalles. This alternating farfalle/saturn theme continued, the segment coming to a close with barrages of shells of salute-terminated comets and large fans of crackling bombettes below.

Part 5 to the music The Silk Road by Kitaro. Sequences of fans of silver comets ran along ramp 3 and were followed by Niagara falls shells above and shells of falling leaves. Then sequences of fans of glitter comets as shells of bees fired above which were then augmented by cakes of bees. These were followed by brighter shells of go-getters and then a return to the Niagara falls shells. A line of fountains lit up across ramps three and four as the music moved to

Part 6 to the music Moon Lovers by CocoLee. Nautic fountains lit up on the lake and started to spin. Above these, bright shells of orange strobes and then green strobes. The strobe volleys continued as the fountains burned out and were followed by flights of white strobing comets and then shells of white strobes above. This theme continued and then the white strobe shells were replaced by bright orange stobes bringing the segment to a close as the music moved to

Part 7 to the music Morning Fogs Wave by Shenmue. Bright fans of white strobing comets were followed by shells of electric comets turning to red stars. This theme continued throughout the segment and then fountains lit up on ramp five as the music moved to

Part 8 to the music On High Ground by A Mei. Comet sequences fired from ramp four and then large fans of crossette comets, first in red and then in green. This alternating crossettetheme continued and was followed by fans of crackling comet bombettes on ramps four and five. These were followed by shells of meteor comets with short tails with shells of go-getters higher up. Next, spider shells and then star shells with strobing falling leaf pistils and then shells of a third red, a third white and a third blue. Fast Z-cake comets of gold gliter fired on ramp 4 with a return to the meteor comets in pastels above. Next, spider shells with flights of comets below from ramp 4 and then a return to go-getters, bringing the segment to a close.

Part 9 to the music Shangri-La by 12 Girls Band. Dense stripes of alternating red and green nautical flares lit up on the lake. These were followed by shells of crackle and multi-break shells of clusters of crackle. Above these, large shells of stars ending in crackle shots. These were followed by shaped-burst shells in the form of butterflies complete with antennae. Volleys of these were fired and then shells of multi-colour changing white shells - going through different shades of white (bluish, yellowish and ending in short lasting strobes). This shade-changing white theme continued and was followed by a return to the crackle shells and multi-break crackle clusters which were then augmented again with the large shells of stars ending in crackle, bringing the segment to a close.

Part 10 to the music Freedom by 12 Girls Band. Massive fans of dense bunches of bright stars well synchronized to the music were followed by sequence mine shots of bright coloured stars forming a rainbow as the sequence moved from right to left and left to right across ramp 3. Then shells of kamuros followed by shells of stars and a sequence of meteor comet fans on ramp 3 followed by shells of star terminated comets above. Dense silver comets criss-crossed on ramp 3 with shells of stars above and were followed by more meteor comet fan sequences and shells of star terminated comets above. These were followed by shells of stars with strobing pistils ending in crackle shots. This theme continued and was followed by weeping willow shells with bright silver rising tails (making the willows hard to see) turning to silver stars or red stars. This weeping willow theme contined and then was replaced by strobing comet fronts going through all angles from left, through vertical to right. The strobe comet fronts continued and were followed by shells of stars with strobing pistils ending in crackle shots above. This theme continued until the end of the segment, which was marked by a barrage of titanium salute-terminated comets with large shells of crackle and crackling pistils above.

Part 11 to the music Because of you, Hong Kong - Official HKSAR 10th anniversary song. A flight of twelve girandolas rose dramatically into the air powered by screaming titanium whistles, causing your author to excliam wow! Then shells of "8", shaped shells in double five pointed stars and shells of the cross symbol for 10 surrounded by kamuro comets. The "10 cross" shells continued and were followed by heart-shaped burst shells, with fans of comets ending in falling leaf stars below. This theme continued and was augmented by more of the falling leaf comet bursts from ramp 5 as shells of kamuro changing to red stars fired above, bringing the segment to a close.

Part 12 to the music City Gas by Vanaeea Mae. Crackling comet fans fired on ramps three and then five and were followed by crossette star shells above in red and then green. Then fans of salute-terminated serpents and multi-break shells of clusters of stars above as well as more crossettes. Next, crossette comet shells which were then augmented by shells of salute-terminated comet rings. The salutes continued and then increased by mines of salute-terminated serpents. This salute theme continued and then changed into shell-of-shells of colour stars and shells of crossette comets. The number of multi-break shell-of-shells increased with ones of smaller, but large numbers of bunches of stars followed by a barrage of large titanium salutes, bringing the segment to a close.

Part 13 to the music Hong Kong Lili - Hong Kong tourism board official song. The final segment began with fronts of gold glitter comets going through all the angles from left to right and back and then alternating. Next, large shells of stars and shells of crackle with barrage after barrage. The bombardment ran through the colour spectrum and quickly came to an end with a massive barrage of salutes and shells of comets changing to stars, to cheers from the audience.

This was a very enjoyable display and was presented very much in the "Hong Kong harbour" style that will be familar to anyone who has seen the Chinese National Day displays in the former British colony. Good use was made of the space and a lot of important Chinese symbolism was included. Sychronization was very good when apparent, though there were times when there was nothing more than barrage after barrage of shells. The range and quality of the shells used was excellent, particularly the double-ring farfalles (leading some to speculate that these were really Italian or Spanish - quite the compliment in fact). The shells of stars with crackling pistils and of colour transforming through comets into crackle bursts were also excellent. Good use was made of the lake and the spinning fountains were well done. Of course, the Great Wall of China set piece was a unique element which worked well. All in all, a very good display, but perhaps a little too "simple" compared to some of the complex pyromusicals we've become accustomed to in recent years. Technically flawless though.

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