Considered by live entertainment industry musos as one of the most eagerly anticipated musical events of the summer season, RTL 102.5 Power Hits Estate and the Radio Zeta Future Hits Live returned in 2024, boasting performing artists who each took turns to face off against one another to be crowned the ‘song of the summer’ over the course of two nights at the historic, UNESCO-protected setting of the Arena di Verona. This year, the production team explored the limits of their creative and technical capabilities to push the boundaries of innovation, experimenting with new technologies and workflows to deliver an immersive, ‘in the round’ experience for the 13,000-strong audience.
The first evening saw RTL 102.5 Power Hits Estate grace the stage, followed by the Radio Zeta Future Hits Live on the second night – both powered by the RTL 102.5 radio group. Given that everything went according to plan, perhaps it was not so surprising that the sophisticated team ironically experienced greater technical troubles reflecting on the feat during a Zoom call with TPi.
“We aim to deliver an entirely new show, and this is reciprocated by the audience. The tickets were sold out within 24 hours, even before the line up was announced. People invest in the Power Hits experience,” Executive Producer, Fabio Marcantelli commented, talking of the unique bond between the show and its audience, once the internet gods were on our side.
As has become customary as a key date on the Italian live events calendar, the eighth edition of RTL 102.5 Power Hits Estate was presented by familiar faces in Paola Di Benedetto and Matteo Campese.
Behind the scenes, an impressive roster of production personnel and live events specialists united on the project, including: Executive Producer, Fabio Marcantelli; Production Manager, Luigi Vallario; Lighting and Production Designer and Director of Photography, Francesco De Cave; FOH Engineer, Cristiano Grassini; Broadcast Manager, Stefano Pretoni; Filming Director, Luigi Antonini; Stage Manager, Daniele Baddaria; Head of Audio, Lighting, and Video, Emilio Lombardi; Artist Coordinator, Jody Fouquè; RF Technician, Giacomo Cavallini; Executive PA, Adriana Robu; as well as Production Coordinators, Cristina Cavicchia and Fiona MacKay.
Striving to “simplify” production processes while “amplifying” the crowd’s experience, the production team began working around the clock for eight months to prepare a spectacle which saw a marching band, majorettes, and over 30 performing artists perform on one stage, and oftentimes, in front of the PA.
With a dynamic rig and technical expertise required to meet the creative vision, the team’s ability to build the show was affected by conflicting programming schedules with an opera performing the night before leaving them with just over a day to build the production.
Given the ‘in the round’ nature of the staging design, Marcantelli reflected on the importance of ensuring that every audience member, regardless of their seating, felt part of the show, noting how even those with a restricted view were made to feel involved, which contributed to the event’s overwhelming success: “The presenters were fully aware of having people behind the usual sidelines, so they made sure those people were included. Tickets were sold as limited visibility, but the presenters ensured everyone was part of the show, regardless of where they were seated.”
‘PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES’
Among those performing were some of Italy’s biggest and brightest stars – Annalisa, Emma, BigMama, Capo Plaza, Geolier, Irama, Coma_Cose, Noemi, Sophie and the Giants, Gigi D’Alessio, Guè, Francesco Gabbani, Alfa, Rose Villain, Gaia, Angelina Mango, Alessandra Amoroso, Fedez, Articolo 31, Boomdabash, Mahmood, Bnkr44, Anna, Emis Killa, Tony Effe, Paola and Chiara, Elodie, Negramaro, Ghali, The Kolors and Tananai, among others.
Marcantelli emphasised the ‘family-like atmosphere’ created through collaboration with performers and their support teams, highlighting the close-knit relationships that contribute to the success of the production: “We enjoy all the performances. The opening was truly amazing, with a special exhibition on stage. We are closely connected to all the performing artists, as they are built in collaboration with the performing artists and their support teams. It feels like a big family. We relate to the performers and their teams; they are our friends. We are delighted to work on this collective project, and this ethos is key to the show’s success. We always prioritise the experience of the audience and the artists.”
Referring to vendors as ‘collaborators’ rather than ‘suppliers’, the production team enlisted the technical support and expertise of MOD SRL to provide a turnkey technical solution (audio, lighting and video) with additional support from ITALSTAGE SRL (staging), CME SRL (power generators), Flyage (drones), Per Fare TV (cameras), M-Three Satcom (broadcast), and Bepix (mobile app for crowd lighting).
Each edition of RTL 102.5 Power Hits Estate challenges the team to push creative and technical boundaries, constantly exploring new technologies to improve the audience’s experience, according to Marcantelli.
“Every time we collaborate with our partners on this project, we push the boundaries of our creative and technical capabilities, experimenting with new technologies to deliver fresh and immersive experiences for the audience,” he stated.
Marcantelli pinpointed the two main areas of technological innovation explored for each RTL 102.5 Power Hits Estate edition – enhancing artistic performances and improving broadcast quality. He credited Filming Director, Luigi Antonini with leading the way by introducing groundbreaking technologies: “There are two areas of research into the new technologies we introduce each year. One focusses on technologies that enhance artistic performances, and the other is on camera positions and how the event is broadcast. We were the first to use a drone to shoot the Arena di Verona, so it’s Luigi Antonini’s vision to introduce new and unseen broadcast technologies,” he commented.
Stefano Pretoni reflected on how his role has evolved over time, as he now focusses more on refining details and improving processes. He shared the lessons learned from his experience as a Broadcast Manager for the event: “My role has evolved in recent years, given the growing expertise across the board. Now, I can focus on the details and improve processes to create and deliver the best possible production as a team. As the Technical Manager of RTL 102.5, I work in the broadcast studio daily. However, in this scenario, I served as the interface between the technical partners and the project managers – so I learned a lot. The lessons we’ve gained from this event can be applied to future editions and projects. I’m happy to have enhanced my expertise.”
The Adamson Systems Engineering PA system featured E15, S10, S119, E219 and S7 loudspeakers. For the first time in the event’s history, a Wisycom wireless microphone system and a MTK82 Wideband Dual Transmitter was implemented. “We were proud to pilot this revolutionary Italian brand on RTL Power Hits Estate 2024, their incredibly sophisticated and proficient solutions are often used on world tours, but very rarely in Italy – it was an incredibly efficient and ideal choice,” Marcantelli reported.
The lighting package housed on Eurotruss DWG truss or on various areas of the stage featured PROLIGHTS EclFresnels, EclPanel TWCs, Solars and SunBar 2000FCs; FOS Cyclone PRO D2 strobes; generic LED Smart Battens and Bars; Light Sky Acqua Pearl Pros, Robe iFORTE and iBOLT moving heads, Astera LED Titan Tubes and Dance Boxes, controlled by a High End Systems Hog 4 lighting console. The team also piloted Bepix’s bespoke mobile application to allow the crowd to illuminate the screens of their smartphones and coordinate them into a unified, colourful choreography as an extension of the lighting design.
“This year we had two back-to-back events in this magnificent, historic, beautiful location, which also poses logistical challenges, such as huge distances and the ever-present risk of rain. These challenges are compounded by the short timeframe we must prepare for two very different musical events,” De Cave said.
“Perhaps our greatest task is swiftly changing the appearance of the stage without being able to physically change the lighting rig. We used sophisticated programming techniques to create a difference between the two events,” he commented. “Overall, I’m satisfied with the project, the photography of the television show and the look we achieved as a collective.”
Marcantelli stressed the importance of staying calm under pressure and trusting the team to overcome technical challenges, which was key to the event’s success: “Extreme calmness in the face of adversity was essential to overcoming any technical or logistical challenges linked to this project,” he said. “Trust in the team to meet expectations and deliver was just as important.”
In closing, he further highlighted the complexities of working in an historic and iconic venue, highlighting the balance between adhering to preservation rules and delivering a memorable experience for the audience: “When you work in a unique monument, there are many rules imposed. The building must be preserved and respected. When you tally everything up at the end, all the hassle of dealing with a structure like that balances out by the time you’re finished. It’s part of working in one of the most distinctive venues in the world,” he concluded. “The audience reception was fantastic because they felt included. They had a privileged view, were immersed in , and an extension of what was happening on stage. This was all made possible by a talented production team.”
Words: Jacob Waite
Photos: Alessandro Bremec and Cristina Checchetto
