In Lima, the Bad Tour show, starring Gabriela Villanueva, became much more than a tribute to the King of Pop. It also marked a turning point for Luminotech, a company founded in northern Peru that took on the biggest challenge in its history, relying on the precision of Claypaky and the technical support of Novolite to create a stage production worthy of Michael Jackson’s legacy.
Great productions do not begin when the lights come on. They begin much earlier—with an idea, an opportunity, and, in some cases, a dream that has accompanied those working behind the scenes for years.
For Luis Montaño, General Manager of Luminotech, that story began even before he founded the company.
Eight years ago, while building his business in Chiclayo, northern Peru, he already knew exactly which lighting brand he hoped to work with one day.
“I’ve always loved Claypaky fixtures. Ever since I was starting the company, I admired the brand. Even when we were designing the Luminotech logo, Claypaky was one of our references because it has always inspired me,” he recalls.
That admiration went beyond the prestige of the Italian manufacturer. Time after time, Montaño encountered international technical riders where lighting designers specifically requested Claypaky fixtures, turning the brand into a personal goal for his company’s growth.
“I always knew that was the path I wanted to follow,” he explains.
However, as with many companies starting from scratch, priorities required taking one step at a time.
“We first invested in audio. Then came the time to invest in lighting. Claypaky was always part of my plans, but we had to do it at the right moment,” says Montaño.
That moment began to take shape when he met Peter Flores, Sales Representative at Novolite, Claypaky’s official distributor in Peru.
His first visits to the company’s showroom in Lima allowed him to experience the fixtures firsthand, test their capabilities, and begin envisioning a future investment. But the real turning point came months later.
“Luis had always shown a strong interest in the brand. When the opportunity came to visit the factory, he got to know the products, met the Claypaky team, and gained a much deeper understanding of the philosophy behind every development,” explains Alarico Sánchez, CEO of Novolite. “That experience confirmed a decision he had been considering for years. After the visit, Luis, Peter, and I sat down together at the hotel. It was late at night, but that’s where we finalized the purchase commitment.”
For Novolite, the deal represented far more than a sale.
“We believed in Luis because we know his capabilities as both a professional and a company owner. We knew those wouldn’t be the only Claypaky fixtures he would own,” says Sánchez.
Bad Tour: The Challenge of Lighting a Major Production
That confidence would soon face its biggest test.
Accustomed to producing corporate events and concerts in northern Peru, Luminotech had long been looking to expand into Lima, the country’s largest production market.
“I had already been talking with several producers because I wanted to start working in Lima. Large events are more limited in the north, and we knew this was the next step in our growth,” explains Montaño.
The opportunity came through a producer familiar with the company’s work, who entrusted them with one of the season’s most important productions: Bad Tour, a Michael Jackson tribute starring Gabriela Villanueva.
But the proposal went far beyond equipment rental.
“The producer simply told us, ‘I want you to do it. I want you to show Lima what your company is capable of.’ He left the entire lighting design in our hands.”
Rather than seeing it as pressure, the team embraced it as a unique opportunity to demonstrate everything they had built over the years.
“We all went to watch the movie for inspiration and started imagining how we wanted to tell the story through light. The design, the fixture positions, the effects—everything was created by our team,” explains Montaño.
Luminotech took full responsibility for the project, handling lighting design, programming, installation, and show operation while working closely with production to synchronize every scene with the choreography and visual storytelling.
Claypaky as a Creative Tool to Recreate an Icon
Recreating Michael Jackson’s visual universe requires far more than programming movements or changing colors. His stage language was always defined by precise lighting capable of supporting every choreography, emphasizing every moment of silence, and enhancing the artist’s presence on stage.
With that goal in mind, Luminotech developed a lighting design centered around 24 Claypaky Sharpy fixtures.
“What I like most about the brand is the quality of its light. The beam, the spot, the CMY colors, the prisms, and the precision of the framing all make an enormous difference. These details allow you to create very clean scenes with tremendous visual impact,” explains Montaño.
The choice of Sharpy was no coincidence. Considered one of the most iconic fixtures in the professional lighting industry, its speed, output, and precision made it possible to create a dynamic show capable of constantly matching the energy of the performance.
One of the production’s most memorable moments came during one of its central choreographies.
“Everything went completely dark, leaving only one Sharpy spotlighting each dancer. There were six or seven dancers completely isolated by light. Then they all began dancing together before everything returned to blackout. Those small details are what ultimately make the difference in a production,” recalls Montaño.
The precision of the spot, its rapid response, and the definition of the beams helped recreate a visual aesthetic remarkably close to the stage language that defined the King of Pop’s performances for decades.
But the challenge did not end once the show began. As is often the case in live productions, new ideas continued to emerge just hours before the audience entered the venue.
“Some ideas came up just two or three hours before the performance. The producer had new concepts, and together with the entire team we found ways to make them happen. If one solution didn’t work, we’d find another. The important thing was achieving the best possible final result,” explains Montaño.
That ability to adapt was made possible through the collaborative work of the Luminotech technical team, led by Daniel, Head of Lighting, together with William, both of whom played an active role in the design, programming, and execution of the production.
The results quickly became evident.
“The very first person to congratulate us was Gabriela. She was extremely emotional. She told us it was the first time they had produced a show of this scale and that everything looked beautiful. Later, we also received recognition from the producer and from Peter, who supported us throughout the entire project.”
For Alarico Sánchez, the production perfectly represents the philosophy that has defined Claypaky since its beginnings.
“Claypaky remains a global benchmark because it develops tools for lighting designers—not simply products to sell. Every fixture is created by listening to the real needs of the industry and by working closely with lighting designers, distributors, and professionals who use these fixtures every day. That essence has never changed, and it’s what keeps the brand at the forefront,” says Sánchez.
According to the executive, the Peruvian market has also experienced significant growth.
“Over the past few years, Claypaky has gained tremendous momentum in Peru. We now have more than 120 Sharpy Plus fixtures installed throughout the country, and we continue expanding the portfolio with new solutions such as the Mini-B and Mini-B FX, increasing the possibilities for concerts, television, theater, and special productions,” he notes.
Beyond the equipment itself, Sánchez highlights another aspect he considers fundamental.
“The growth of our customers is also our own growth. That’s why we strive to support them from the very beginning, providing guidance and helping them develop increasingly ambitious projects. We knew Luis had the potential to take on this challenge, and we’re convinced this is only the beginning.”
A Story That’s Just Beginning
For Luminotech, Bad Tour represented much more than a successful debut in Lima. It confirmed that a company founded far from the country’s largest production centers can successfully deliver world-class projects by investing in training, innovation, and the right technology.
For Novolite and Claypaky, it demonstrated the importance of supporting customers as they grow, providing them with the tools and technical backing needed to take on new challenges and continue evolving within the industry.
Because every lighting fixture is a tool—but behind every great production are people willing to take the next step.
