Known more for its work in live music and events, AB Light was recently selected to create the visual backdrop for the latest ballet production of Orpheus and Eurydice. Arvydas Buinauskas, co-founder of AB Light, spoke to TPi about the creative process.
Having been offered the show three years ago, the production was pushed back due to the COVID-19 pandemic until 2022. This meant that over the two years Buinauskas and the team had time to really hone their ideas and creative vision for the project. “Everybody was dedicated to making something spectacular,” stated the LD. “My idea was to create something light that could lift everything up, but mostly, I wanted to lift the imagination of the audience.”
The space in which the ballet was being performed was a far cry from a traditional theatre space into more of a warehouse setting. “The location was the main challenge with this project,” admitted Buinauskas. “There are many restrictions on how much weight you can hang from the ceiling. The walls in the location were also white, so we had to find a way to work with these challenges. Looking back, I believe that we found the best solutions possible.”
As part of his vision, Buinauskas moved away from a standard lighting plot but with hanging elements throughout the performance space with a Minuit Une IVL at the far end of the room. “One of my tasks during the show was to emphasise the entrance of the actors from the kingdom of Hades,” he explained. “I knew that Minuit Une IVL would help me to do that. Minuit proved its worth when I needed to separate different spaces and to emphasise two different dancers and their performances.”
Another key visual element in Buinauskas’ arsenal was a Laserworld RTI NEO SIX. “I had to create a clear lighting beam as if it was a wave in a sea,” he recalled, explaining the usage of the RTI NEO SIX. “I only used it for 15 seconds during the show but it was exactly what I needed and it was magical.”
For control, the LD put his faith in a High End Systems HOG4, a desk that “feels like home,” to the designer. “The whole show was something different from the usual events that you see around,” concluded Buinauskas. “I was happy to create this minimalistic vibe and hide the main surprises with the lighting. Like I said before, even if I used a device for a short period during the show. It was that surprise that made the show much more interesting and unique.”