The Béjart Ballet Lausanne has invested in Signify’s Philips Vari-Lite VLZ Profile luminaires. The company, which tours internationally each year, chose the new lighting fixtures to take advantage of the many benefits of the latest LED technology while maintaining the highest quality of stage lighting for its exquisite and renowned choreography.
Having used the Philips Vari-Lite VLZ Profiles at their home, the Beaulieu Theater in Lausanne, and on tour, Béjart Ballet Lausanne is satisfied that their investment was “the right choice”. Among many improvements over conventional fixtures, the team notes especially the Philips Vari-Lite VLZ Profile’s silent operation.
For lighting designer Dominique Roman, the silence is golden. “We work with classical music, with quiet moments, and the fan noise from the old machines complicated things. It was an additional stress. Not having this noise is a huge advantage,” she said.
Other noted advantages include the Philips Vari-Lite VLZ Profile’s lower heat emission, power and consistency of light output and improved reliability. What’s more, the Philips Vari-LiteVLZ continues to deliver all the top-quality features, colours and performance expected of the Philips Vari-Lite brand.
Roman also praised the Philips Vari-Lite VLZ’s colour reproduction. “With the [CMY] colour system, the level of colour and the nuance is very similar to what we had traditionally. From a designer’s perspective, it’s a big advantage,” she said.
Technical director Lucas Borgeaud enjoys the Philips Vari-Lite VLZ Profile’s multifunctionality. “We use it like a profile, with the framing blades; we use it as a gobo wash and we can also use it like a standard wash, because the two frosts inside give a really soft light on the floor,” he said, adding, “It’s like a Swiss Army Knife – we can do everything with it.”
Borgeaud also noted the reliability of the fixtures in comparison with conventional light sources. “Our service guys are quite on holiday now with the new VLZ,” he said. “It was the right choice.”
Roman agreed, “I am delighted that we have invested in these machines, as they benefit me technically, visually and aesthetically, and the artistic director also greatly benefits. The quality, the ease of use and particularly the silence of the machine, is very, very important for us.”