Enchanting audiences year after year, the FNB
Starlight Pop Opera was hosted at the Chris Saunders Park, Umhlanga in KwaZulu
Natal on 6 and 7 August. Headliner Patrizio Buanne, the Neapolitan-Austrian
baritone singer, songwriter and producer, along with local South African artists
such as Arno Carstens, were accompanied by the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra.
The event is a gift from First National Bank to their
top 1 500 clients where all service providers rise to the occasion to provide
an extraordinary evening. For the fifth consecutive year, EPH Production were
proud to supply the full technical while lighting designer Johan Ferreira from
BF Production Services created tender moments on a grandMA2 light. The lighting
rig also included 24 Clay Paky Sharpy.
“As a lighting designer this show is one of my annual
highlights. It’s dynamic ranging from opera to full on rock and is a world
class event enjoyed by everyone involve,” said Johan. “The design starts long
in advance with the final signed off as early as March. Leon Pheiffer from
EPH has a close relationship with the client and after many discussions
provides me with a brief. We are always trying to move the event to the next
level and my goal is to achieve a clean design, pleasing to both the client and
audience.”
While the client contributes with ideas, Johan is
given creative freedom. “What I really enjoy is doing the full design from set
to AV screen layout and lighting. This gives me the opportunity to
ensure that every aspect of the design works in perfect unison.”
The Sharpy fixtures were used as beam and effects
lighting on the stage with some of the Sharpy units positioned on speaker
towers. “the Sharpys are multipurpose, fast and bright ensuring the perfect
emotion in any song”.
The classical dome structure which forms the stage is
beautiful and has become synonymous with the FNB Starlight Pop Opera. The only
hurdle is that riggings is not always easy and rigging points are limited.
“Fortunately we have worked with this structure for a number of years and know
how to overcome the challenges,” said Johan.
Johan adds that working with Leon Pheiffer and the
entire EPH team was fantastic. “Every member took care to ensure that my design
was executed in time and with perfection,” he explains. “We did not have a lot
of time to get the entire rig up and running but thanks to the motivated crew
we were show ready well before the first full rehearsal with the orchestra and
international artists.”
For Leon Pheiffer this is one of his favourite events
too, and he never stops enjoying the privilege of working with talented artists
and enhancing their natural talent with technical.
The show’s programme featured the enormously talented
KZN Philharmonic Orchestra, Amira Willighagen (the Dutch child classical
crossover singer who won the sixth season of Holland’s Got Talent in 2013 at
the age of nine), Clermont Community Choir, Sterling EQ (an all-woman classical
group from South Africa), Corlea, Arno Carstens, Thandiswa Mazwai (multi-award
winning musician and lead vocalist and songwriter), the Playhouse Dance
Company, Dance Duo, Bongani Tembe and Linda Bukhosini.
