Rousing performance by Italian fireworks firm Panzera S.A.S. to close out 23rd edition of L'International des Feux Loto-Québec presented by TELUS

Talent, boldness and passion will be rewarded with gold, silver and bronze Jupiters, the international pyrotechnics industry's most prestigious prizes

MONTREAL, July 28 /CNW Telbec/ - This evening starting at 9 p.m. the genius and technical know-how of the firms that competed in the 23rd International des Feux Loto-Québec presented by TELUS will be recognized as the winners of the gold, silver and bronze Jupiters are announced. On this special occasion, La Ronde will launch its final spectacular bouquet of colours in a competition-closing fireworks spectacular specially prepared by Italian firm Panzera S.A.S. to mark La Ronde's 40th anniversary in outstanding
fashion.

Over the past five-and-a-half weeks, various remarkably talented
international-calibre pyrotechnic firms used La Ronde's launching ramps to stage a series of breathtaking shows. The greatest fireworks masters from Spain, England, Mexico, Hong Kong, China, the U.S., Canada, France and Germany took turns dazzling fireworks enthusiasts with a demonstration in the Montreal sky of their technical wizardry, their artistic audacity and their passion for
their art as they vied for the top Jupiter award so coveted within the pyrotechnic industry. In evaluating the originality and diversity of the different shows presented, the jury made up of 19 members of the general public had to evaluate each firm's performance with respect to the quality of the pieces used, the pyromusical concept, synchronization and general personal appreciation.

Closing fireworks prepared by Panzera S.A.S.

To mark La Ronde's 40th anniversary, the Panzera S.A.S. firm and La Ronde have put together a musical soundtrack featuring big hits from the 1960s selected by musical director Pierre Walder and the competition's technical director Paul Csukassy - songs certain to bring back many wonderful memories. Titles specially chosen include Un jour, un jour by Michèle Richard, Le Blues d'la métropole by Beau Dommage and Mon pays by Gilles Vigneault. These and
other classic tunes evoking the '60s, including What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong and California Dreamin' by The Mamas and the Papas, will form a stirring and varied soundtrack that combines rousing and quieter moments during the pyromusical presentation.

These musical bridges will be complemented by the exceptional artistic concept of Panzera S.A.S. pyrotechnic designer Pierpaolo Serafino. "The success of a pyrotechnic performance depends upon the quality of the pieces used," explained Maria Grazia Gerbaudo, Panzera S.A.S.'s export director. The firm's show will feature multi-coloured effects, with powerful pyrotechnic effects being supported by pleasing colours. "A colourful, exuberant Italian-style finale with rhythmic music will both delight and surprise our audience," declared Pierre Walder, the firm's musical director.

Panzera S.A.S.

Based in Turin, Italy, internationally renowned Panzera S.A.S. was
created by the late Giovanni Panzera, who was the artistic director of the Montreal International Fireworks Competition. In addition to manufacturing exceptional-quality pyrotechnic pieces, each year Panzera S.A.S. takes part in a number of high-profile international events, including the traditional closing fireworks at the International des Feux Loto-Québec presented by TELUS. At the Paralympic Games in Turin, the firm proudly presented the opening and closing fireworks shows and no fewer than 15 fireworks displays accompanying the awarding of medals. This past July 4, as part of Turin's annual celebration, it staged the city's traditional fireworks show, lighting up the sky over a 1 km stretch between two bridges spanning the Po River.

Mini-fireworks to mark Longueuil's 350th anniversary

This year the city of Longueuil is celebrating its 350th anniversary. To mark this milestone, La Ronde has prepared a mini-fireworks display that will last approximately three minutes and be presented a few minutes before the start of the closing fireworks. Accompanying the display will be the hit song "Quand les homes vivront l'amour" by Longueuil's Raymond Lévesque, sung by the
late Gerry Boulet, vocalist for the legendary group Offenbach and another Longueuil citizen.

Source: CNW/La Ronde

"A colourful, exuberant Italian-style finale with rhythmic music will both delight and surprise our audience" Hrmmmmmm, we'll see about that!

^^^

I second that, Enkil! We'll all be the judge of that. I hope to see something bigger than Panzera 1996 and 1997.

Trav.

I am both sad and excited about this evening's show! Sad because it is the end of this year's competition already. Excited for many reasons though. I am SO GLAD that they will honor Expo 67 with many songs from the '60s.

The Montreal International Firework Competition has always been held at La Ronde, which purely exists because of EXPO 67.
Expo 67 has been a VERY successful World's Fair that have made Montrealers, Quebecers and Canadians very proud, back in 1967. You just had to be there to understand. To those who had the chance to visit the islands in the Summer of 1967, it is a memorable time in our history, in our lives....a GREAT BOOST TO OUR PRIDE! I have spent my whole summer with my parents and my sister at Expo 67 and I only have great memories of this momentous event. So this evening, I will be so happy that they finally recognize with fireworks and music, that "one in a lifetime" event, that is impregnated in the memory of those who attended. THANK YOU EXPO 67!

Now, I am also proud as a "born in Montreal/always lived in Montreal/still live in Montreal" to learn that they will honor our neighbours to the South, Longueuil, for its 350th anniversary! Longueuil has been a city that witnessed construction of the metro in 1966, the construction of the whole site of Expo 67/La Ronde and its glorious days during the Summer of 1967. Tonight is Longueuil and Expo 67's night....so here's to both of them!

Now, I am sure that Panzera S.A.S. will do a wonderful job this evening once again. Last year, they had an intense display that I really enjoyed, with a fast-paced finale that filled the sky with white shells that totally dominated the St. Lawrence River and the Expo islands! I want to take this opportunity to thank Panzera S.A.S. to give us that extra display and to thank them for putting a lot of energy into it, even though it is not even part of the competition.

A lot of emotions for me this evening.....a tribute to my fondest memory (Expo 67), Longueuil (our neighbour)......and the final display of the season!

Enjoy this evening to the fullest....

Pierre

I just got back from the last (but not least) display! Wow, what a wonderful display given by Panzera S.A.S. once again! It was very lively all the way through with a strong finale with lots of deafening salutes. I LOVED the finale!

I will be back tomorrow with more details....

Good night everyone!

Pierre

Hello everyone!

Just a quick message before I go to bed. What a thrill tonight was. I was really pulling for England to win and was beyond delighted to hear them named as winners of the gold Jupiter - I loved their display!

I watched the fireworks from the gold section tonight and had forgotten just what it is to watch the fireworks from inside La Ronde - tilting my head up for 30 minutes is not something I'm used to, having watched all in-competition displays from the bridge.

The weather was really the big story of this year's competition - I was certain that we would suffer a downpour at some point today but astonishingly, it held off.

I had a marvelous day at La Ronde with a lovely girl alongside me who had never seen a fireworks display outside of her city of residence in the West Island - seeing her with hands clasped to her face for thirty minutes brought me such joy.

Though, admittedly, my jaw was quivering - following a very enjoyable closing display and solid finale - due to, I'm guessing, a profound sadness that we are again many months away from the 2008 edition, I must again express how much I adore this competition and this city.

Montreal, my heart is yours.

I wish you all a very good night.

Guys,

Does anyone know what caused that vicious loud blast during the display (the one that created a powerful brief gust after the explosion and blew us back afterwards)? Was that like the king of salutes, or something totally different?

Trav.

It was something different!

All the pyros down at La Ronde knew something was wrong - that sound is different than a salute and is usually caused by a shell detonating (or, probably more correctly, exploding violently) in the mortar. The shock wave was so sharp that it hurt my ears - I was surprised no windows were broken to be honest. I, and some others, were looking out for the after effects of a mortar blowing up - others knocked over or disturbed - but we saw nothing.

After the display, the pyrotechnics crew at La Ronde went to investigate, expecting to see a crater. But they didn't find anything.

In the end, it was concluded that a 9" Italian multibreak shell had violently exploded in the air at its first break - with everything exploding at once rather than dispersing the internal shells throughout the air to explode later. Some people I spoke to actually saw it - but the odd thing was that there didn't appear to be the usual bright flash that an explosion would give. It was quite lucky that it exploded in the air because it would have done some damage on the ground - recall the German display in 1998 when there was such an explosion that caused a 6' wide crater in the ground on ramp 1.

Here's a picture of the mortar afterwards: http://montreal-fireworks.com/cgi-bin/photogen.cgi?Pics98/Images/dset5 .jpg,400,600

Paul.

^^^


You know, I always thought, until now, that it was something deliberately done as part of the show usually because there sometimes seems to be something out of the ordinary on Panzera presentation nights.

The shock wave that came from it was definitely quite sharp and I similarly thought that the windows on the buildings directly behind Notre-Dame would just shatter once those sound waves traveled after the explosion. The noise was quite fearsome, and the fact that a multibreak shell that exploded at once made sense in causing such a blast. However, it's fortunate that it did not explode at or near ground level.

The wave itself felt like a bomb went off or something while the associated waves made everyone literally push back (kind of like a small downdraft from a t-storm). I think some of my organs felt as if they moved as well. Much of the audience was caught off guard, as they did not expect such an explosion, but I do know that many seemed to have taken delight in it!

And that's quite a photo. Jeeze.

Trav.

I don't think that multi break shell blew up all at once. If I remember correctly almost as soon as it was fired some of the shells broke off and exploded, but the main shell kept rising incredbily high, and when that exploded is when that loud shock wave happened.

All I remember was seeing a huge flash associated with it and then the loud bang. The explosion seemed to have taken place just below maximum height at mid level closer towards the Ferris wheel.

Trav.

Les gens avec qui je regardais le feu et moi avons également remarqué ce bruit assourdissant, dont la résonnance sur la tête a été presque douloureuse. Cela est survenu au début de la chanson "Un jour un jour" interprétée par Michèle Richard. Ce qui m'a fait dire que l'entrée en scène de la reine auto-proclamée de la chanson québécoise (et de TQS!) ne pouvait se faire autrement qu'avec un fracas hors de l'ordinaire!

Fred

I don't remember seeing much associated with the uni-multibreak shell - perhaps a flash. I just remember the excitmement that I felt after I was convinced that I had survived.

I hope firms can find a way of replicating the effect - while keeping the display safe of course.

TRae,

As mentioned, I, too, got overly excited, but mainly because of the loud boom rather than the flash associated with it, especially since many of us didn't expect it. The most lasting appeal was definitely the quick gust coming from the blast, as well as the distinctive echo. Similarly as to what I pointed out to Paul, though, I thought it was going to cause the windows on the buildings behind us to shatter!

I wonder what kind of radius the blast was felt at.

Trav.