The Gaertnerplatz theatre in Munich has set one of the 18th century’s major works
of French Literature, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, to music, with lighting designer
Michael Heidinger choosing the award-winning Philips Vari-Lite VL4000 Spot for key
depth and variety throughout the production.
Set designer Rainer Sinells’ concept was dark and seductive, making the most out
of the small stage, which comprised a revolving platform against a black
background. A curved staircase, a large gilt-framed, hinged mirror reflecting the
action from above and an illuminated platform onto which a video wall generated
images, were the only on-stage elements.
As the staging was kept simple, the 12 VL4000 Spots, supplied to the theatre by
Philips Vari-Lite’s exclusive distributor in Germany Lightpower, were integral for
signifying transitions in time of day, venue and mood.
“The versatility of the VL4000 Spot luminaires made them perfect for highlighting
certain areas of the stage to completely change the venue for a scene,” says
Heidinger.
The Vari-Lite VL4000 Spot includes all the tools needed to create dynamic and
useful lighting for a range of applications. Its quiet Studio mode outputting 25,000
lumens makes it ideal for theatre without comprimising on brightness and its
independent shutter blades deliver unmatched dimming abilities.
“I was also able to create a variety of moods and scenes with different color thanks
to their fantastic CMY color mixing,” continues Heidinger.
The VL4000 Spot boasts an entirely new color system that provides CMY color
mixing, variable CTO color temperature correction and dual five-position color
wheels.As a result, the luminaire has incredibly smooth color mixing whether
operating in a slow fade or instant snap. The dual opposing fixed color wheels
achieve unique effects, providing a multitude of color combinations.
