Chantal Chamandy’s (and Martin’s) Night at the Pyramids

Canadian lighting designer Matthieu Larivée (LÜZ), assisted by Valy Tremblay (Proluxon), lit the Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza in Cairo, Egypt for an historic show featuring Canadian singer/songwriter Chantal Chamandy.

Chantal Chamandy, Beladi, A Night at the Pyramids with the Cairo Symphony Orchestra took place on September 7th and was the first concert ever allowed to be filmed at the Pyramids of Giza. It is scheduled for broadcast on PBS in March 2008.

The once-in-five-millennia happening was directed by France’s Gerard Pullicino with co-lighting direction by Michel Pomerleau and Denis Ayotte. Because lighting was needed to cover not only an extensive stage set-up but the Pyramids and Sphinx as well, the lighting rig combined a bevy of powerful automated gear including 72 Martin MAC 2000 Washes and 54 BigLite 4.5 Xenon fixtures.

“The MAC 2000 Washes were dispatched all around the scaffolding towers and used to light the stage and audience. The 2K’s were also on the upstage floor to create backlighting and depth of field,” explains head lighting designer Matthieu Larivée.

“No washes had the specs to manage with the Pyramids though - a length of 245 m by 140 m high – so I used BigLite 4.5s to light their edges. I chose the BigLites for their performance and speed. I went to Paris to try it out first and I was amazed. Zap Technology offered good support while we were in Egypt as well.” Lighting vendors for the event were PROCON Belgium and Solotech of Canada.