1997 l'International Benson & Hedges Montréal Pyromusical Competition Report

Spain Nocturnal Magic Saturday June 7^th, 1997

Pirotécnia Igual

After a cool dull Spring, Summer officially returned to Montréal with the opening of the 13th International Benson and Hedges Pyrotechnics competition. Under near-perfect skies, the season blasted off to an 8-part display.

Part 1 to the music Lohengrin (Wagner). The display opened with some apparent technical difficulties since there were some long pauses after an initial volley of shells. However, things soon got going with a barrage of gold glitter mines. Above these, shells with small gold stars. These were followed by mines of tourbillons with the same in shells of bright red stars which split into multiple smaller green stars. Then some nice shells with very bright lemon rising tails bursting into silver comets with mines of salutes below.

Part 2 to the music Obertura KV384 (Mozart) and "Poeta y Aldeano" (Suppè). This segment opened with a flight of rockets bursting into go-getters and tourbillons. These were followed with silver comet candles, then gold, then glitter shells and mines with salutes and ending with a huge weeping-willow shell.

Gold glitter candles with tourbillon shells and mines began the next segment. These were followed by gold glitter shells and this sequence was repeated a few times. Then charcoal comets with blue star shells followed by more tourbillon and glitter shells. Then large shells with coloured pistil centres followed by a barrage of brilliant orange mines. The pace quickened somewhat with gold and white shells building to a mini-finalé with a volley of titanium salutes.

Part 3 to the music Apprenti Sorcier (Dukas). This part began with brilliant lemon-yellow comet candles and shells of gold stars with rising tails of the same yellow comets. Dozens of brilliant white flares then burst into life in the lake with rockets and mines of tourbillons. Then white fountains came to life in the water with rockets of go-getters and tourbillons followed by large blue and charcoal shells and shells with pistils. A barrage of mines and then many shaped-burst shells of coloured stars and then screaming tourbillon mines with lemon comet candles. As the pace quickened, large mines blasted out of the lake with multi-coloured shells above. This was repeated with the scale increasing every time until the lake appeared like a battlefield and another mini-finalé.

The next segment began with mines of blue stars and screaming tourbillons. This was repeated with shells of the same and more mines and then shells of the stars which split into smaller stars. This built in scale with a barrage of yellow mines, titanium salutes and a big multi-break mini-finalé

Part 4 to the music Light and Shadow (Vangelis) and Dies Irae (Berlioz). This began with charcoal glitter mines and some fountains in the lake followed by blue star and glitter mines with go-getters and tourbillons above. Then some shaped-burst shells in the shape of a bow-tie with delicate violet stars and mines of the same colour. Then more flares in the lake which turned into strobes while rockets bursting into very slow falling twinkling stars flew above. Then a volley of charcoal glitter shells followed by more gold fountains and then bright silver comet shells. This was repeated and then a large multi-break shell then glitter mines then a huge comet shell.

The next segment began with firefly mines and shells which were repeated until the air was full of twinkling stars. Then a barrage of orange and blue mines with shaped-bursts above in the form of purple hearts followed by glitter comets. This was repeated and followed by a volley of salute mines ending in a huge comet shell.

Part 5 to the music Tannhauser (R. Wagner). This began with glitter mines, violet candles and then blue and gold mines. Followed by charcoal comet candles which got bigger and bigger and then augmented by shells this was then repeated in a brighter glittery charcoal and then a large weeping willow shell. Big fountains then lit up with rockets in white and gold above followed by tourbillon mines, white glitter mines and then blue and gold shells and mines. Next, a barrage of palm-tree shells with the ends turning into blue stars followed by crossette comets in mines and shells leading up to a mini-finalé of the same with bright crossettes.

Part 6 to the music Coral "Fantasy" (Beethoven) and Carmen - Danse finale (Bizet). This began with a barrage of orange mines and tourbillons shells followed by rockets of the same. Then rockets of go-getters, gold glitter shells and titanium salutes. This was followed with big yellow and glitter mines, then bright silver and rockets with the slow-falling twinkling stars. This was repeated, increasing each time until a barrage of gold and blue shells.

Part 7 to the music Gitana Hechicera (Peret) and La Santa Espine "Sardana" (E. Morera). This began with screaming tourbillon shells with violet candles to the left and right in pastel colours. Then bright white shells, glitter mines, blue shells with rising tails and then shaped-bursts in bow-ties, crosses, saturns and stars. This was repeated and added to with shells which produced stars which flashed once brighter than a salute but with no noise. The pace increased as this theme repeated with multi-break shells of go-getters and a mixture of titanium salutes and the bright flash stars ending in a large volley of titanium salutes.

The next segment began with glitter mines, multi-break shells of white comets and shells of blue and gold. This was repeated and added to with crossette candles and very large mines. Then a series of palm-tree like shells which were repeated getting larger and larger with glitter and crackle mines below. The pace increased with large shells with twinkling crackling pistils building to a mini-finalé.

Part 8 to the music Danzas Polovisianas (Borodin). The finalé began with barrage of mines of all sorts with glitter, bright orange stars and comet candles. Above these shells with twinkling pistils, silver comets, tourbillions and multi-coloured stars. The pace kept increasing with more and more shells, some with the bright flash stars described earlier. Huge shells of brilliant silver comets interspersed with titanium salutes were followed by even larger pistil shells of all sorts and then a giant silver spider multi-break shell followed by more titanium salutes. This continued for several minutes when finally the climax was reached with a thunderous volley of giant titanium salutes and silver comet shells. The audience roared and the 1997 competition had begun in earnest.

This was an excellent display, despite some sort of technical difficulty at the start. The pastel colours used were excellent and the synchronization to the music almost flawless.

France Sea of Dreams Saturday June 13^th, 1997

Brezec Artifices

With near-perfect, if somewhat cool, conditions, Montréal welcomed newcomers Brezac to the competition. Brezac's aim was "not to win the competition, but to offer Montréal the best display they've ever seen up until now". I think their goal was achieved with a fabulous nine-part display. This is certainly the one to beat!

Part 1 to the music Santiago by Hugues Aufray. The display began with red white and blue ball candles followed by gold glitter shells above. These increased in size until the air was filled with brilliant gold fireflies. A barrage of salutes next and then shells with blue stars and white comets, with white ball candles below. This was repeated with larger shells above followed with white and blue star shells and multi-coloured ball candles below. Next a volley of titanium salutes and white comets with crossed ball candles below and silver glitter shells following above. Next mines of comet stars ending in salutes and lots of silver glitter shells above and some shells with really bright white stars with long tails. Then tourbillon candles and shells of pink stars and some multi-break shells of comet stars breaking into silver glitter.

Part 2 to the music Green Land by Dan Ar Braz. This began with a front of silver glitter candles with a single white strobe-pot in the centre of the display. There appeared to be some technical difficulties because it looked like a front of candles had not ignited. Then white fountains appeared on the ground with bright silver comet candles and a barrage of small comets. This was followed with quite a pause as perhaps another technical problem occurred. However, things got back on track with a barrage of coloured comets followed by the same in silver. Then mines of green stars followed by candles of whistles and green bombettes. Another set of fountains ignited with a background of silver comets and fast tourbillons which made a distinct whizzing sound. Synchronization to the music was lost slightly as the start of the next part happened before the music.

Part 3 to the music Bon Voyage by Vangelis. This segment opened to a dramatically noisy ignition of a string of brilliant blue lances stretching like the ropes of a ship from the tower in the lake to the ground. Once ignited, a front of blue ball and gold comet candles were fired with shells of the same above with the blue stars turning into fireflies. This was repeated with violet candles and some blue bombettes and more firefly shells above. A flight of rockets next breaking into blue and white comets. Then turquoise candles and the launch into the lake of dozens of flares which became strobes. Red flares lit up the background as the Mirage water-screen projection system came to life and the display moved seemlessly into the next part. Unfortunately, due to the wind I couldn't make out the image projected onto the water screen.

Part 4 to the music Siren's Whispering by Vangelis. Gold charcoal crossed comet candles with very long tails were followed with gold glitter mines and charcoal comet shells above giving the familiar weeping willow effect. A great number of these were fired including palm tree effects and crossette comets below. Then a really large sky-filling barrage of weeping willow shells with gold charcoal comet candles below. This was repeated and whistles and charcoal bombette candles added. This was repeated until there were charcoal comets of several types at all levels in the sky and more palm-trees. Once the air was full of charcoal comets, some low level colour shells appeared and this segment ended with an enormous weeping willow shell which filled the air with long delicate fronds which hung for almost half a minute to the enthusiastic applause of the audience.

Part 5 to the music Arbeit by the Bronx Drums. The rhythmic drums of the music were used to great effect in this segment as volley after volley of titanium salutes were fired in perfect synchronization. Then mines of colour stars and then volleys of salutes fired high above from shells with very rapid salute candles below. Next, a front of yellow crossette candles with yellow comet shells high above with really bright comets below. This as followed with shells of yellow comets turning to white and a big barrage of salutes, comets and mines of brilliant orange and ended in a climax of dazzling white comet shells and a thunderous volley of salutes.

Part 6 to the music Daphnis and Cloé by Ravel. After the noise of the previous section, this began serenely with delicate glitter comet candles followed by crossed pink ball candles and more glitter comets fired from the tower in the lake. Fountains were ignited on the ground in the shape of stars with yellow firefly shells above. The section ended with a flight of rockets bursting into glitter comets.

Part 7 to the music from the film Conan the Barbarian. This began with ball candles of pinkish white, then bombettes of the same. Next, tourbillon mines with shells of slow-falling comets above and then shells of really fast go-getters followed by rockets. The Mirage water screen came to life with the image of a skull and crossbones projected. Nautic mines were fired from the water and appeared to burst from the base of the image itself. Then bright crossette candles and shells of the same above and some shells with pistils of small stars and pistils which formed a spreading star shape. Next, white ball candles and lots of red ring shells. Then a barrage of screaming tourbillon mines with white comet shells above. This was followed by a front of dazzling orange mines with a barrage of salutes. Then dazzling white comet shells and shells with pink and white stars and some shells of slow falling small silver comets. There was a thunderous volley of salutes and then another barrage of screaming tourbillon mines terminating in reports. This was repeated and this segment climaxed to a sky filled with criss-crossing comets in dazzling white.

Part 8 to the music Lac Kariba from a film by Nicolas Hulot. This began with red strobe-pots and shells of orange stars above. Then shells of white stars and white fireflies with white ball candles below. Then more and more firefly shells getting bigger and bigger until the air was filled with twinkling stars. These were then replaced by crackling comet candles, shells of the same and multi-break shells of crackling crossettes. Then bigger dramatically crackling candles and more of the same in shells. This was repeated several times, the effect getting larger and more dramatic each time. Then huge shells above with pistils of cracking stars. These got bigger and bigger until the end of the segment with a particularly large shell with hundreds of crackling stars which sounded like a huge round of applause. The audience responded with the same!

Part 9 to the music San Roque by Llan de Cubell. This final segment of the display was so breathtaking that words really can't do it justice, especially the finalé, but I'll try my best. It began with a front of crackling candles and above these, shells of mixed colour stars such as blue, green and orange. This was repeated, increasing in size with shells of crackling pistils and then a barrage of the mixed colour shells. Then shells of brilliant white comets, white stars, pink stars and dazzling orange mines, repeated and increasing in size all the time. Then another mine barrage and shells with pistils of crossette comets. Mixed with these shells were shaped bursts of hearts, crosses, something which looked like letters, multi-rings and a particularly good saturn shell and with some nice shells of white stars which turned to blue. Then a barrage of crackling bombettes and some huge blue star shells above followed by yellow firefly stars. After this, I couldn't keep up with the pace of the display. There were still around 4 minutes left at this point and the pace was incredible. Vast numbers of shells of all sorts burst into the sky; barrage after barrage of mines below; crackling candles; titanium salutes at a low level, bright salutes at a high level; blindingly bright white comets above. The pace kept increasing and increasing until the finalé was reached. The air was absolutely filled with stars and salutes. It was absolutely breathtaking - there was so much debris visible in the air it looked like some sort of cataclysm had taken place. I really can't describe fully how good this finalé was. It ended with an enormous volley of white comets which produced a weeping willow effect and a thunderous barrage of salutes. This was breathtaking since the normal weeping willow effect is in charcoal comets. The audience screaming their enthusiasm for this magnificent display.

Later, in the press room, when the Brezac team returned, they were greated with a standing ovation which lasted around 5 minutes. I spoke to some people who said this was the best display they've ever seen. It was truly excellent and will be very hard to beat. I think they lived up to their goal of producing the best display ever seen in Montréal.

Holland Jules Verne Saturday June 21^st, 1997

JNS Pyrotechniek

The first full day of summer began with humidex values in the high 90's and torrential rainstorms. By the time the display was due to start, the rain had eased off and after another ten minutes, stopped completely.

The theme of the display was a voyage around the world in 30 minutes by Phineas "Frog" and consisted of eleven scenes representing a different stage of the journey and making use of the Mirage water projection screens.

Part 1 Beginning. The display began with a barrage of glitter mines with Titanium fountains playing at the edge of the lake. These were followed with green star mines with silver glitter shells above and after a few repeats of this sequence, some colour star shells and finally a volley of glitter shells.

Part 2 Rio de Janeiro. This began with rising tail shells which burst into colour stars, then shells of white stars with candles of very fast colour ball stars below. Then more rising tail shells with blue stars and glitter candles below. Then a barrage of silver weeping willow shells followed by a barrage of salutes.

Part 3 Europe. Fast colour ball candles with very large glitter shells above opened this segment. Then shells of blue stars and gold comets with gold glitter comet candles below. This sequence was repeated until the end of the segment with a volley of really large multi-colour star shells.

Part 4 Russia. Comet candles and shells of small silver comets followed by large shells of slow falling silver comets opened this segment. Then a barrage of orange mines with shells of pink stars and comets above. These were followed by crackling glitter shells, then a barrage of white star shells finally ending with a large volley of white comet shells with rising comet tails.

Part 5 Africa. This began with many tourbillon candles with very loud hissing and whizzing. Above these, shells of white balls. This was then repeated with bigger and bigger white shells and more and more tourbillons. Some of the shells had particularly large stars which give a dazzling fireball effect. This segment ended with a barrage of large colour star shells.

Part 6 The Middle East. A line of bright red flares interspersed with white strobe pots opened this segment. Then a barrage of charcoal mines followed by gold comet candles with glitter frond shells above. Some of these shells contained gold fireflies. Then a barrage of silver glitter mines with white firefly shells. Some nice shaped burst shells with coloured rings and a few saturn effect followed with the segment ending with multiple volleys of white firefly shells.

Part 7 India. This began with large shells of pinkish stars with crossed comet candles below. Then a mine barrage followed by more crossed comet candles. Next, a volley of large yellow comet shells with pistils and glitter. A barrage of charcoal mines and charcoal crossette candles was followed by some palm tree shells. Several volleys of these were fired and then some blue star shells. This was followed with violet and then red comet shells with glitter and colour candles below. Then some nice shells of blue stars changing to yellow and finally a huge weeping willow shell to end the segment.

Part 8 Hong Kong. A large number of nautic titanium fountains were fired into the lake and hissed loudly into life. Above these, small shells of small silver slow falling comets and then big yellow shells above. Then crackling comet mines with blue star and glitter shells above followed by white star shells, blue and gold glitter shells and a huge white shell. Next, silver comet shells with dazzling bright stars followed by blue ball shells. This was repeated and followed with gold comet shells and crossed blue candles below. Then yellow shells with crossed white candles below and finally a volley of yellow shells.

Part 9 Japan. This began with mines of tourbillons with multi-break shells above followed by a mixture of screaming whistles and more tourbillons. Then a volley of small colour shells and a repeat of the screamers and multi-break glitter shells. Next, glitter mines and candles of crossette ball stars. Then white star shells and some nice dazzling white small comet shells. Next, some more nautic fountains and also ground based fountains. Above these, lots of yellow comet shells and some very fast colour ball candles below. Then a large barrage of white star shells, some with very large stars and finally a huge yellow comet shell.

Part 10 United States. This began with a dazzling flash-pot which produced a mushroom cloud of smoke and then bombettes of glitter. Above this, shells of blue stars and gold glitter comets and more glitter bombettes below. There were some really large blue and gold comet shells and then a barrage of weeping willow shells with a particularly large one to end.

Another flash-pot and various lasers fired through the Mirage water screens with more glitter and blue shells above. Then mines of blue below, shells of blue above, then white, then more blue mines, followed by white shells, red shells and white crackling candles. Next, a fantastic barrage of white shells, then red, then blue, then white, then red, white, blue and all colours ending with a huge glitter frond shell.

Part 11 Finale. This began with rising tail palm tree shells, then more of the same. Next, colour and star shells of all types, including the shells with fireball like comets. The scale and pace increased until there was a giant colour and comet shell, a final dramatic pause and then a thunderous barrage of salutes.

This was an interesting display in that extensive use was made of the Mirage multimedia facilities in the shoot site. This enhanced the "story telling" aspect of the display. JNS used a similar story-telling approach in 1995 which lead to them winning the Gold Jupiter that year. Whilst this display was enjoyable, Brezac are still the ones to beat.

Austria Viennese Charm Saturday June 28^th, 1997

Günter Vogler

In complete contrast to the rains last week, beautiful summer weather encouraged a very large crowd to witness newcomer Vogler's debut display in Montréal. This was a ten part display with more than 70% of the fireworks specially made by Vogler for the competition. The aim was to recreate the charm and sophistication of a Viennese Ballroom in fire and music.

Part 1 to the music of the 5^th Symphony by Gustav Mahler. The display opened with multi-break shells of white comets followed by tourbillon candles and firefly shells and titanium salutes. This was followed by more white comet shells and volley after volley of titanium salutes. Next, some really nice multi-break shells of small white comets followed by colour star shells and finally a large volley of firefly shells and more titanium salutes.

Part 2 to the music Introduction aux tambours by Maurice Jarre. This began with lasers and images playing onto the Mirage water screens with red flares on the central platform and at the back of the display area. Small glitter comet candles shooting into the lake were followed by colour star and glitter comet candles with shells of colour stars turning to comets above. This was repeated, using larger and larger shells, then a barrage of colour mines with more glitter comet shells above with whistles as well. Then, really large colour changing to comet shells, followed by glitter shells, shells with twinkling pistils, and finally big weeping willow and yellow firefly shells.

Part 3 to the music The Walkyries - Magic Fire Music by Richard Wagner. This began dramatically with tourbillon mines with huge shells above of charcoal comets turning to white comets filling the sky. Then barrages of screaming whistle tourbillons with large multi-colour changing shells above. Then shells of glitter and crackle comets with spider-shaped comet pistils followed by more colour mines, some gorgeous multi-break shells of blue stars and gold comets and then some weeping willow shells. Next, shells of glitter comets and blue stars, then glitter comets and multi-colour stars, then glitter and blue again followed by weeping willow shells with blue stars as well. This sequence was repeated and amplified and then a barrage of tourbillon mines. Next, shells of charcoal turning to white comets with dazzling comet rising tails and then more huge shells with blue stars, glitter and spider-like comet pistils. Then the same thing but with crackling stars instead of glitter finally ending in a barrage of titanium salutes. By this time, the crowd were enthralled.

Part 4 to the music Annen Polka by Johann Strauss. Screaming tourbillon mines and salute barrage candles opened this segment followed by blue star bombettes. Above this, more of the huge blue and willow shells. Then crackling comet candles and more tourbillons and yet more salute barrages with huge multi-break colour changing shells above. The pace became very rapid with more screaming whistles, almost continual salute barrages, huge willow and glitter shells above, some ring shells and other shapes. The noise from the salutes was deafening and added to by lots of crackling comets. White comet shells above, then blue, pink and then glitter shells. Finally, the segment came to a close with some really big palm-tree shells and then some magnificent multi-breaks which gave the impression of bunches of flowers throughout the sky.

Part 5 to the music Confetti March by Johann Strauss. This began with a flight of rockets bursting into crackling comets and charcoal comets. Then a flight or rockets with white spark tails bursting to white fireflies. Then another flight of the crackle rockets, then a flight of the white breaking to firefly rockets. This was repeated and repeated and repeated until a final whooshing flight of rockets bursting into white and gold fireflies.

Part 6 to the music Ride of the Walkyries by Richard Wagner. This segment opened with a barrage of salute tourbillons, screaming whistles and titanium salutes. Then shells of comets and tourbillons, large numbers of salutes, screaming whistles, crackling comets and glitter shells. This sequence got bigger and bigger and louder and louder building to a mini-finalé of glitter candles and salute barrages.

Part 7 to the music Hungarian Blue by Ch. Kolonvits. This began with a line of glittering fountains playing into the lake. Behind these, fan-shaped comet candles. Above these, crossette comets in glitter with glitter comet shells above these. Then some nice palm-tree shells, big blue and glitter shells with crackling comets below followed by some really nice glitter-frond shells with really big treads. Next, fountains on the centre platform with glitter crossette candles and colour ball candles with really bright stars. Above these, large shells of white comets and glitter comets, followed by a dramatic set of multi-breaks of white comets. This segment climaxed with an enormous weeping willow shell where the falling glitter fronds turned to white at the end.

Part 8 to the music The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss. A flight of rockets bursting to blue and charcoal comets with glitter candles on the central platform opened this segment. Then fireflies from shells and more rockets with white tails. This was repeated and increased upon with comet candles and then rockets bursting into bunches of colour stars and then some unusual delicate charcoal comet stars which glistened and fell slowly in the air. Next, some tourbillons with big whizzy-sounding sparks and firefly shells above. Then shells of glitter turning to fireflies with some ring-shaped bursts as well. This again was repeated and increased upon each time. Next, dazzling white comet candles with some dual-colour shells above. Then some gorgeous willow shells with gold comets in the centre forming a star shape. Then the same but with blue stars and white comets forming the star, then blue and gold again. This sequence was repeated, alternating between blue and gold and blue and white comets and blue and weeping willow. Then just willow shells, then nice willow shells with the charcoal comets turning into colour stars. Then the same but turning into brighter stars which turned into fireflies. This segment climaxed with a mini-finalé of the willow to glitter shells and finally a huge weeping willow shell which made the crowd gasp and completely filled the sky.

Part 9 to the music Radetzky's March by Johann Strauss. This was a very dramatic segment. It began with a barrage of ring-shaped shells and nautic mines in the lake. Then crackling comet candles, crossette comets and tourbillons. Then a volley of screaming tourbillons with crossettes and large colour and glitter shells above. Then shells with pistils and more glitter shells. In the lake, a large number of big comet mines burst loudly into life, dramatically close to the audience and filling the lake area with hundreds of bright comets. Meanwhile above the battle scene which was the lake, many really large colour-changing shells and shells of comets turning to colour stars. The audience were very enthusiastic.

Part 10 to the music Ode to Joy by Ludwig van Beethoven. This final, almost 5 minute long, segment is hard to describe due to the impressive scale. It began with crackling comet and colour candles with blue and glitter shells above. Next, crossed comet candles below and multi-break dazzling white comet shells above. Then shaped-burst shells of rings, rings with a central pistil giving the effect of a large flower and some very impressive shaped-bursts of dual-concentric rings and some with triple rings - but the rings linked together rather than concentric. Then shells of weeping willow and the same but with dazzling white comets and multi-breaks of the same. Then colour and glitter shells, blue and gold comet shells. Then some really large shells where the stars changed colour three or even four times. Barrages of mines were happening on the ground whilst the show in the air starts to defy description at this point. As the music became ever more dramatic, the number of shells bursting in the air increased to the point that it is virtually impossible to describe. Shells of all types and colours, crackling comets, glitter, white comets. The sky was completely filled with burst after burst after burst - many per second. Finally a simultaneous barrage of dozens of shells, a slight pause and a final thunderous volley of titanium salutes. The crowd applauded wildly.

This was a truly magnificent display. The co-ordination to the music was superb throughout. Good use was made of the Mirage multimedia facilities. The nautic mines were staggering, the quality of the shells was amazing and great use of rockets. Two weeks ago I said that Brezac would be the display to beat, I think that the Austrians may have just done that tonight. A truly excellent display. The only downside was that five minutes after the end of the display, a small barrage of shells was fired - presumably these had failed to go off at the correct time and were being disposed of before allowing traffic back through the shoot site.

Germany Radio Days Saturday July 5^th, 1997

Weco Pyrotechnische Fabrik

Very large crowds filled La Ronde on a pleasantly warm though somewhat breezy evening to watch last year's Bronze Jupiter winners present a ten part display with more than 70% of the fireworks specially prepared by WECO. The theme of the display was a musical voyage round the radio dial.

Part 1 to the music Peter Gunn's theme by the Blues Brothers. After some laser projections onto the Mirage water screen, the display got underway with crossed white ball candles and barrages of glitter mines and colour star mines. Then a flight of rockets bursting into tourbillons followed by more mines. Another flight of rockets, this time bursting into colour stars which developed into tourbillons. Next there was a very large multi-break shell which filled the sky with criss-crossing comets, followed by another even larger shell.

Several fountain set pieces were fired next. These were firing at an angle to the left, then small drivers pushed them over to fire at the same angle to the right, and then back to the left again. Above this, a barrage of titanium salutes and then a long waterfall string from the centre podium to the ground. Another salute barrage and this segment ended with a volley of bright white comet shells.

Part 2 to the music I feel good by the Soulcats. This began with several barrages of colour mines and crossette comets. Then some remarkable candles of what can be best described as crackling salutes. This produced the effect of a glittery crackling banging sphere of noise. Next, whistle candles with comet shells above and shells of tourbillons and blue stars. Then several set-piece wheels in pairs with the wheels shouting out stars occasionally. Above these, whistle candles and charcoal comet shells. Then white crossette comet candles, glitter comet candles and colour ball candles followed by a barrage of tourbillon mines. Above these, beautiful shells of a special type of toubillon which gave the impression of forming a scallop-shell in the sky. Then shells of blue stars and white comets with colour and tourbillon mines below. A flight of rockets with glittery white tails was followed with a deafening volley of screaming whistles with the segment coming to a close with more of the scallop-shell tourbillon shells.

Part 3 to the music Hope by the Weather Girls. This began with double X-shaped glittery fountains with wheels in the centre between the two 'X' shapes. Then bombettes and mines of brilliant ball stars followed by crossettes with some really nice glittery comet shells above whose comets ended up as fireflies. Next, bright white comet shells, followed by blue star and glitter comet shells, colour ball shells and a mixture of ball stars and comets. Suddenly, dazzling flash-pots erupted on the centre podium followed by tourbillon candles and more of the scallop-type shells, including a really large one which gave the impression of filling the air with something which looked like a large cauliflower! Then more of the glittery crackling salutes and a large barrage of white firefly shells brought this segment to a close.

Part 4 to the music Rock me Amadeus by VSOP. This began with lasers projected around the lake and then dazzling flash-pots with a barrage of titanium salutes above. Then another barrage, another set of dazzling flashpots and yet another barrage of titanium salutes. Next, fountains started on the centre podium and comet candles producing fan-shaped patterns behind this. Above this, shell after shell of shaped-bursts producing perfect five-pointed stars in deep blue stars. Then red-ring shells, rings in comets and double rings in colour stars and comets. Another barrage of titanium salutes, then another and another with colour candles lighting up on the ground and lots of colour shells above, some of them really large. Next, colour candles with really fast stars and above this, more of the scallop-type shells but with fireflies at the end. Then yellow comet candles and shells, tourbillons and bright white slow falling comet shells, again and again. The segment came a a breathtaking close with a huge multi-break of scallop-type shells filling the sky.

Part 5 to the music Runaround Sue by Racey. This began with several set pieces in the shape of Vs with really loud hissing fountains. Behind these, comet candles firing to the left and then to the right. Then some flights of rockets bursting into small stars in bright colours which fell slowly. Next, gold comet candles firing in fan shapes with more flights of rockets and blue star shells above. Then shells of fireflies in red, green, orange and white followed by bombettes bursting loudly into bright orange stars. Next, shells with pistils and some with go-getter comets, others with glitter comets and tourbillons. The segment was brought to a close with a volley of really large colour and comet shells.

Part 6 to the music Can't Help Falling in Love by Elvis Presley. This began dramatically with several girandolas rising on a column of white sparks high into the air. Bursting out of these from shells, lots of bright small colour stars in blue and orange which fell slowly through the air. Then another flight of girandolas. Next, loud white fountains on the ground and red firefly shells above. On the ground now, comet candles in the shape of fans and then crackling candles. Above these shaped-burst shells in the form of four-leaf clovers. Then shells of crackle comets and shells of charcoal comets turning to white. Another flight of girandolas with some horizontal wheel set-pieces with vertical fountains on the ground. Above these, shells of small yellow stars and then shaped-burst shells where star-fish shapes were produced with each "arm" formed from a "bunch" of small comets. Finally, to end this segment, a volley of enormous colour and white comet shells.

Part 7 to the music Batman's Theme by Erich Kunzel. This began with lasers and some small flares on the ground which grew into fountains. Then several amazing dazzling yellow flash-pots on the centre podium and then some devices producing bright yellow flames several feet long. Above this, several multi-break shells which burst into hundreds of titanium salutes. Then shells of colour star crossettes and another hugh barrage of titanium salutes. Next, the ground was covered in strobe-pots and flights of rockets with glitter tails took off behind, followed by more rockets with white tails. Finally, a set-piece line of fountains on the centre podium with a massive barrage of salutes above.

Part 8 to the music The Power of Love by Céline Dion. This five minute long segment began with a set-piece in the shape of a guitar which, unfortunately, leapt off its support as the last lance ignited and fell into the lake, where it could be seen still burning. A line of blue and charcoal candles followed with lots of yellowish silver comet shells and then shells of slow falling stars. Then four-leaf clover shells and shells in blue with glittery charcoal comets turning into a weeping willow effect. Next, more charcoal comet shells, this time turning into firefly stars. Next, crackling glittery comets of a silvery form with the same in shells and bombettes. Then bright orange ball candles with a titanium salute barrage above. This was repeated several times followed by charcoal, weeping willow and blue star shells. On the ground, fast candles of crackling comets and colour stars with a huge multi-break spider shell above. Then large weeping willow shells, followed by large ones with the fronds turning to silver, then the same in even large multi-break form followed by a single huge sky-filling one. After some blue star bombettes, the segment ended with a flight of girandolas.

Part 9 to the music Time to Say Goodbye by Brightman and Bocelli. This began with bright titanium fountains with dazzling white crossette comet candles and white comet shells above. Then multi-break white comet shells of slow falling stars, with red heart-shaped set pieces on the ground. Above these, red ring shells with silver pistils and then some multi-break comet spider shells.

Part 10 to the music Hymne à l'amour by Edith Piaf. Two large free swinging set pieces suspended from the centre podium opened this final segment with lots of shaped-burst shells in pink hearts above. On the ground, charcoal comet candles with very high paths and four-leaf clover shells above. Several nautic fountains fired up and moved around in the water whilst multi-break spider shells turning into fireflies burst above. Then gold glitter crossette shells, more weeping willows. The pace and scale increased until the whole sky was filled with thousands of weeping willow fronds giving the most incredible three-dimensional effect. If was like being in the centre of a glittering forest. By the end, the sky was completely filled and the whole audience surrounded by fronds.

This was an interesting display, much different to that of Austria last week. Great use of set-pieces, rockets and girandolas and a very different type of finale to that normally used set this display apart from the others. Some very nice shells as well and great colours were also memorable. The choice of music is bound to be popular with the judges too. Synchronization ranged from good to moderate and there were a few low breaks - and a shame about the set-piece that fell into the lake. My money is still on Austria though.

Italy Piano in the Sky Wednesday July 9^th, 1997

IPON S.R.L.

Dull, grey skies gave way to a magnificent sunset and perfect conditions for newcomer IPON's entry into the competition. With more than 90% of the fireworks specially constructed in the south of Italy, this promised to be an interesting ten-part display.

Part 1 to the music Tocatta and Fugue in D-minor by J.S. Bach. The display opened with a central rank of strobe-pots. As the music swelled, another rank of strobe-pots opened to the right, then another to the left - just like ranks of organ pipes. Then mines of blue stars on the centre podium, followed by colour and comet shells above. Then more mines and shells above. These were followed by gold glitter comet candles with large colour and comet shells above. This segment came to a close with a barrage of white glitter mines.

Part 2 to the music Slave's Chorus - Nabucco by Verdi. This began with white hissing ball candles. Then white comet shells and a barrage of titanium salutes. Then another volley of comet shells and titanium salutes, and another and another. Next, a line of fountains, with lines of blue star mines interspersed. As the fountains increased in size, crossette comet candles fired up and increased in number. Above this, shells of tourbillons similar in form to the scallop-type used by Germany. Then a volley of large white comet shells followed by a front of dazzling pink star mines and then glitter mines. Above this, shell after shell of the scallop-type tourbillons surrounded by a ring of stars to give the effect of large cauliflowers in the sky. Then another front of pink star mines and glitter mines. The synchronization to the music was flawless at this point. Next, a line of dazzling white fountains lit up. Above this, colour changing star shells of red to blue, blue to red, green to red etc. Then shells of blue stars and the cauliflower tourbillons. Then the same thing but with green stars. The segment came to a close with really large white slow falling comet shells to the enthusiastic applause of the audience.

Part 3 to the music Chorus of the Tziganes - La Traviata by Verdi. Large multi-break star shells in red and blue opened this section followed by shells of charcoal comets with long tails, some with gold glitter. This was repeated many times with great synchronization to the music. Then white comets shells with glitter and glitter mines on the ground. Then barrage after barrage of colour star shells with huge fast breaks which made the stars whiz across the sky. Next, shells of the cauliflower tourbillons followed by barrages of titanium salutes and shells with pistils. This was repeated again and again and again. Next, huge multi-break shells which appeared to just hang in the air until all of the shells released from the break burst simultaneously in dramatically perfect synchronization to the music. Next, shells with tourbillons colour stars and salutes and shells of blue stars. More huge multi-breaks, a barrage of titanium salutes and then white slow falling comets shells and more blue shells below this. Another barrage of the fast break colour shells, then barrage after barrage of titanium salutes, the segment being brought to a dramatic close with a massive multi-break in perfect synchronization to the music. Huge round of applause from the audience.

Part 4 to the music Turandot by Puccini. This began with tourbillon candles, where the tourbillon appeared to be shooting sparks from both ends. Above these, cauliflower type tourbillon shells. Next, a front of blindingly bright white comet mines, with white slow fall comet shells above. This was repeated and repeated until the air was filled with white slow falling comets. Then another front of the blinding comet mines with the comet shells above. Next, colour star and cauliflower tourbillon shells and a huge barrage of salutes. This was quickly followed by multi-break after multi-break, shells with pistils and another barrage of salutes. Then multi-breaks of blue star and charcoal comet shells moving rapidly to a grove of white palm-tree shells. Then a really enormous charcoal comet shell with the comets turning white and filling the sky. Then again but with glittering gold fronds, and again and again and again giving a great three-dimensional effect with the falling fronts. This great segment was brought to a close with volley after volley of dazzling firefly shells. Another great response from the audience.

Part 5 to the music Barcarolle by Offenbach. A more serene theme for this segment as it opened to a line of fountains with smallish green star mines interspersed. As the fountains got larger, crossed white comets fired from left and right, forming a glittering ballet of fire. Then a number of nautic fountains burst from the lake and appeared to pirouette around in the water, with delicately spinning tourbillons from candles pirouetting above these. Wave after wave of gold comets with gold shells above followed this in perfect synchronization to the music, bringing the ballet to a close.

Part 6 to the music Für Elise by Beethoven. Another delicately serene segment with small blue star mines fired with every note of the music opening in perfect synchronization. Then these changed to purple mines. A line of bright white fountains opened up with red mines, then green mines, again to every note. As the theme of the music changed, fan shaped comets in red fired up. When the primary theme returned, bright green star mines to every note. The music moving towards the end gave comet shells finally ending on the last chord with a large weeping-willow shell. Very delicate and impressive segment.

Part 7 to the music Radetzky's March by Johanne Strauss. A more dramatic theme demanded more dramatic fireworks and the segment opened with a hugh cauliflower type tourbillon shell with glitter mines below. Then colour star shells in red and blue with gold glitter comet candles below. After this, multi-breaks with sequenced rather than simultaneous breaks of charcoal comets. Then again but with glitter mixed in, then again with white comets. Next, shells of blue stars and white glitter comets, purple star shells, green star shells, red star shells and a mixture of colours and comets with glitter mines on the ground. Then a flight of blue star shells and barrage after barrage of multi-break star and salute shells to bring the segment to a close.

Part 8 to the music Tritsch Tratsch Polka by Richard Strauss. This opened with salute and tourbillon candles with shells of charcoal comets turning silver or to blue above. Then again, then a sudden barrage of tourbillons and multi-breaks of small colour stars above. Next, a screaming front of wiggling comets followed by crackling dragon's eggs candles. Above this, a massive multi-break which filled the air with criss-crossing comets and then screaming whistles from candles below with more dragon's eggs. Next, some really high pitched pure-tone whistles which I've never heard before with shells of charcoal comets turning to red stars above. This was repeated over and over and then more multi-break shells and crackling glittery salute candles below. More and more multi-breaks with salutes and really loud thumping bottom shots and shells with pistils brought this segment to a close with a loud roar from the audience.

Part 9 to the music Gataneh by Khatchaturian. A large barrage of colour shells followed by the cauliflower tourbillon shells opened the penultimate segment. Then shells of charcoal comets and blue stars followed by a loud barrage of salutes and shells which produced rings of tourbillons. Then shells of white comets and more salutes, repeated and repeated. Next colour star shells with pistils and more salutes. Then blue and white glitter comet shells and a volley of the white slow falling comet shells. A thunderous barrage of titanium salutes was followed by more of the slow fall white comet shells. Then multi-breaks of glitter stars, blue and charcoal comet stars and a large barrage of multi-breaks to bring the segment to a close. The audience hardly had time to roar their approval before the final segment began.

Part 10 to the music Carmina Burana by Orff. This began with loads and loads of multi-break shells of salutes and comets and tourbillons. Then barrage after barrage of titanium salutes followed by slow white falling comets shells and more salutes. The pace was already incredibly and the segment had only just begun. Next shells which made rings of tourbillons and stars and then shells with white rising tails bursting into bright palm-trees. Then shaped-burst shells with double and single rings of stars, enormous shells with pistils, shells with one half in red and the other in blue, more and more mixed colour pistil shells. Then amazing tourbillon and colour shells with multiple concentric rings of tourbillons colour stars and glitter. Shell after shell after shell of these were fired ending up with a really enormous one which filled the sky with expanding rings of tourbillons, glitter and colour. The pace increased and increased with the music and now all the shells were enormous ones of the slow white falling comets in multi-breaks with multi-break after multi-break with so many salutes mixed in that it is impossible to describe. In my notes, I wrote "salutes and multi-breaks gone mad" and that pretty much sums it up. Except that the pace increased and increased way beyond what words can describe with deafening volleys of salutes, titanium salutes, bottom shots (while multi-break after multi-break of the comet shells were being fired). Finally, the climax with the air filled with white comets and the most tremendous barrage of salutes I've ever heard. If my ears hadn't have been ringing so much, I would have heard the audience scream their approval. I was absolutely breathless by this point.

This was a fantastic display. I thought it would be difficult or impossible to top the Austrian entry but this managed to do that. The artistry, choice of music and the flawless ballet of synchronization were astounding. From segments of delicate serenity to dramatic thunder in the sky, everything just worked so well. The amazing pause of a large multibreak - its launch bang in sync with the music, its first break in sync, the seemingly endless pause when you think that the music will finish first and then the dramatic multiple bursting of dozens of shells all exactly on the beat. This was a really excellent display. The finale was beyond description. My prediction for the awards now stands with Italy for the gold, Austria for the silver and France for the bronze - all three of them deserve gold!

Canada As Time Goes By Sunday July 13^th, 1997

Concept Fiatlux

Heavy humidity and rain threatened to spoil the show but the cloud base remained high enough not to lose any shells. My notes were a little difficult to read though because of the rain so this report may not exactly track the 16 part display, the theme of which was the passage of time from pre-history to the future. All of the fireworks were supplied by A. Caballer SA of Spain, the conception, choreography and production by Fiatlux.

Part 1 Creation of the World to the music Innocence by J. Taverner. The display began with front after front of blue candles, with blue and gold comet shells above. Then a barrage of large titanium salutes as the Mirage water projection screen came to life. Above this, white ball candles and shells and then another large barrage of powerful titanium salutes.

Part 2 Prehistory to the music The Heat by Peter Gabriel. This began with several large fireballs producing mushroom clouds on the centre podium. Then more of the blue and gold comet shells, including a couple which flower-potted. Next, crackling comet and whistle candles, then barrages of salutes and whistling tourbillons. Next, large shells of orange stars, then shells of fireflies rapidly followed by barrages of titanium salutes and blue shells. The segment was brought to a close with barrages of orange shells and more fireflies ending with a really huge colour shell.

Part 3 Ancient Egypt to the music Passion by Peter Gabriel. This began with serene crossed glitter comet candles, followed by crossette comets breaking into fireflies with shells of the same with glitter rising tails. Next, the lake burst into bright strobe-pots whilst lasers played around its edge.

Part 4 Antiquity to the music Grand Canyon by J.N. Haword. Following seemlessly from the previous segment, firefly and tourbillon shells with fronts of orange and glitter and blue and glitter mines. Then mines of blue stars and white glitter followed by fan-shapef sheaves of rockets. After these, glitter crossettes followed by more sheaves of rockets. Then many barrages of colour star shells, some with comets mixed in. Next, screaming tourbillons and glitter comet candles and a line of fountains lighting up. Above these, large glitter comet shells ending with a massive pistil shell.

Part 5 Middle Ages to music by Dead can Dance. This began with shells of blue stars turning to white, followed by palm-tree shells. Then a really large glitter comet shell with rising tail followed by more of the gorgeous blue and charcoal comet shells. Next, barrages of glitter mines and then volleys of salutes with more mines of glitter and salutes. The segment ended with a barrage of loud titanium salutes.

Part 6 Renaissance to music by Monteverdi and Delalande. Charcoal comet canldes opened this portion of the display with horizontal fountain wheels on the centre podium which turned bright white. Above these, white comet shells and mines. Then another line of titanium fountains with blue and charcoal comet shells above (including more flower-pots). Then shells of aqua and comets, large colour shells with pistils and multi-break crossette comet shells. Several fountains in the shape of crosses lit up with glittering sparks and above this a barrage of shaped-burst shells with single and double rings.

Part 7 Industrialization to the music 7^th Symphony by Beethoven. This began with fan shaped glitter comet candles and crossettes with blue bombettes above his. Then some palm-tree shells followed by white fan-shaped glitter candles (at which point the music died for a few seconds). Then white ball candles with the stars going really high with shells of the same above and finally a large palm-tree shell.

Part 8 Modernism to the music Crumb from the film of the same name. Mines of blue stars and white glitter and salutes opened this segment followed by shells of a dazzling orange. Then mines of bright orange stars which turned into salutes. Above this, large multi-break shells of blue and gold comets, and flights of rockets bursting to small clusters of bright stars. The segment ended with a barrage of colour shells and shells of crackling salutes.

Part 9 Charleston to the music Charleston by Spike Jones. This began with many shells of rings and a flight of rockets which seemed to burst very low. Then more ring shells and more feeble rockets. Above this, large colour shells and then shells of slow falling white comets and titanium salutes, the segment ending with a massive comet shell.

Part 10 Jolly Years to the music Caberet from the musical of the same name. Crackling comets, salutes and candles firing into the lake opened this segment. Then fronts of salutes candles and glitter mines. This theme was repeated until the segment ended with shells of blue and gold.

Part 11 War to the music Entrée des Allemands à Paris from the film Les uns et les autres. True to the theme of this segement, barrages of crazy tourbillons and thunderous titanium salutes opened this segment. Then it was difficult to see because of the rain and smoke but there were mines or candles of tourbillons and whizzers. Above this, large shells bursting into lots of writhing tourbillons then a large volley of multi-break shells of blue stars and tourbillons. Next a more serene part with shells of blue stars and fireflies. Then shells of colour stars and bright white comets fired from the centre podium. Above this, shells of white, then fan shaped glitter candles and candles of really fat white comets and shells of blue stars changing to white. The segment ended with a barrage of titanium salutes. All hell broke loose in the lake now with huge mines bursting violently into colour stars and comets. Then mines of glitter and screaming whistles. A barrage of large white comets from the centre, then screaming tourbillons volley after volley of salutes, comets and high-pitched whistles with barrages of salutes following timed really well to the drums of the music. Then segment came to a close with multi-break glitter shells, clusters of small falling stars and a barrage of salutes.

Part 12 After War to the music Crazy Arms by the Andrews Sisters. This began more serenely with star and glitter candles with blue and comet shells above. Then a barrage of glitter mines and too much smoke to see for a while. It looked like lots of mines and shells with pistils. Then smoke cleared a bit as the segment ended with shells of colour and crackle.

Part 13 Swinging Sixties to the music I only have eyes for you by The Flamingos and She Loves You by The Beatles. Gold glitter candles opened with crossettes and bombettes above. Then glitter mines and palm-tree shells. More large colour mines and crossette candles, then a grove of palm trees. Next, shells with gold rising tails bursting to white slow falling comets and some firefly shells, followed by a really big palm tree. Next (to the Beatles), bombettes in orange and glitter, with colour comet shells above. Then more mins and a barrage of salutes and shells of blue and charcoal comets.

Part 14 The Seventies to the music Lindberg by Robert Charlebois. This opened with flights of rockets and a line of fountain wheels. Then shells of colour-changing stars, screaming tourbillons and rising tail comet shells. Then screaming mines, tourbillon mines and some small girandolas which wobbled hissing into the sky. Next, a barrage of salutes, crossed glitter mines and white shells. Then, bright yellow mines and some really loud titanium salutes. This was repeated again and again, then shells of orange, mines of orange and salutes and more rising tail comet shells. Then more barrages of salutes, rings of salutes, comet shells changing to colour stars, multi-breaks and finally a huge barrage of titanium salutes.

Part 15 Change to the music In the Flesh by Pink Floyd and Woman in Chains by Tears for Fears. Crossette charcoal comets and palm tree shells followed by glitter candles in gold opened this segment. Then shells of purple stars, more palm tree shells and candles of blue stars going really high. Next, shells of gold glitter turning into blue stars. Then charcoal and white ball candles, with huge multi-break start-cluster shells above.

Part 16 Today to the music Little Wonder by David Bowie. Ring-shaped bursts and rising tail shells opened the finale. Then double rings and large charcoal comets followed by weeping willow shells and barrages of salutes. Then big multi-breaks of small white comets, blue stars, go-getters and cluster-stars. The pace increased, volley after volley of really big colour and pistil shells, huge white crossette comet candle fronts from the ground. Then white and glitter mines, more and more white comet shells another huge front of white crossette candles, mines of titanium salutes. Finally, with the air filled with smoke, hundreds of really big salutes created the impression of a terrible thunderstorm in which the lightning is hidden in the clouds.

This was a great display. A lot of great choreography and excellent use of the Mirage facilites. A pity that the weather created so much smoke which blocked out parts of the display and a few low breaks too. Otherwise, definitely a contender for the bronze Jupiter or special Jupiter. My order still remains Italy - Gold, Austria - Silver, France/Canada - Bronze.

United States Pyrocarnival Wednesday July 16^th, 1997

Rozzi's Famous Fireworks

The heavy humidy of the previous display gave way to a perfect warm summer's evening. Huge crowds packed into La Ronde to see an eleven part display by one of the big Italian names in American fireworks. Promising a brilliantly coloured pyrocarnival, more than 80% of the fireworks for this display were fabricated by Rozzi in Loveland, near Cincinnati.

Part 1 to the music Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs by Jean-Baptiste Lully for the film Tous les matins du monde. The display opened with large comet shells followed by colour shells. Then some multi-break charcoal comet shells, shells of fireflies and some nice shells of blue stars and gold charcoal comets. This entire first section was played out in shells. Blue stars turning to white; colour stars mixed with fireflies; glitter comets; multi-break charcoal comets; gold comets and green stars; shells with comets and pistils; nice glitter and firefly shells; blue stars changing to red. The end of the segment began with really large colour shells followed by a massive weeping willow and finally a ring of titanium salutes.

Part 2 to the music Odeon by Gypsy King. This began with mines of wiggling serpents and salutes followed by shaped burst shells producing rings and double concentric rings in bright coloured stars. Then shells which produced tight clusters of bright stars followed by shells of blue go-getter. Next, multi-breaks of shells of charcoal comets with pistils, comet go-getters which turned into fireflies. Then some nice multi-break white comets. These were followed by multi-break cluster star shells, shells with pistils and more of the go-getter comets turning to fireflies. This theme was repeated and increased to bring this segment to a close.

Part 3 to the music Mi Terra by Gloria Estefan. A series of horizontal and vertical wheels with a flight of girandolas opened this segment. Then shells with rising tails bursting to glitter comets, then colour shells and shells of bright gold comets. Next, a line of bright glittering fountains with colour ball shells above and shells of rings. After this, crackling comet shells and multi-break cluster star shells. Then colour shells, gold glitter and multi-breaks of tourbillons which turned into salutes. Then a barrage of mines of serpents with shells of blue stars and tourbillons above followed by the same but with red stars. Another front of serpent mines and tourbillon shells followed by multi-break spider shells and a barrage of titanium salutes. Then mines of comets, mines of dazzling yellow stars, mines of serpents and salutes with multi-break go-getter shells above. Next, a line of orange fountains and a grove of palm-tree shells until a final large palm tree with silver glittery fronds and fireflies.

Part 4 to the music Thine Alone by Gloria Estefan. Blue star candles and shells of the same above opened this segment. Then the same thing but with pink stars in candles and shells. Then in green in candles and shells. Next, charcoal comet candles with silver ends and the same in shells above. This theme repeated and the segment was brought to a close with a huge glittering willow shell with a pistil and some crackling stars.

Part 5 to the music Fantasy for trumpet and orchestra from Carmen by Georges Bizet. Orange multi-break shells and go-getters with colour mines livened the pace from the previous segment. Then shells of crossette comets and shells of slow falling colour cluster stars. Then some really nice shells with glitter comets and interspersed bright saturated red and green stars around the edge. Many of these beautiful shells were fired. Then crossette white comet shells and lots of crackling shells and some dazzling multi-break electric comet shells. Then shells of crackling stars which sort of crackled into multi-pointed stars. Next, rings of salutes and then shells of charcoal comets which covered the sky with some really big salutes in there. Next, a line of very fast repeating ball candles with lavender stars. Then mines of the same and then green and then a beautiful peach colour with the same in shells above. Then blue, then purple, more peach and then clusters of slow falling stars in pastel colours. Next, a dramatic shell which produced the effect of multiple sheaves of golden wheat in the sky and finally a huge weeping will but with bright yellowish white rather than the usual dim orange fronds ended this segment and produced a gasp from the audience.

Part 6 to theme from the film Pyromaniacs. Nautic fountains and flares which turned into strobe pots covered a large portion of the lake. Then some small nautic mines burst gold and orange comets from the water. Above this, some white comet shells and then more but brighter. Next some remarkable firefly shells with really large stars which more flickered quickly rather than flashing on and off. Then different firefly shells with slower flashing orange stars and some white ones as well. Then really bright pale orange fireflies.

Part 7 to the music Mr Mottos Penguin by Mark Isham. This opened with shells of very large white fireball stars which burned all the way to the ground. This caused some concern in the section of the area I was sitting since we were having debris rain on us anyway because of the wind direction. Still burning pieces of shells were landing around me and some still burning stars were pretty close. After more of these fireball star shells, some dazzling white ball candles and shells which created a really great effect due to the brilliance. Then shells of silent salutes - in other words, very bright flashes. After several of these shells, a fairly bright weeping willow shell and then a shell with each half a different colour.

Part 8 to music fromThe Alan Parsons Project. Orange mines and shells of orange cluster stars followed by the same in green, then in purple, then in pale gold, then in aquamarine and finally in pink opened this segment. Above this, shells in multi-colour pastels. Then shells of ball stars turning into the crackle stars which produced the pointed star effects with crossette comet candles below. Then shells with each half a different colour and shells with pistils and comets turning to colour stars. This segment ended with some really large blue shells.

Part 9 to the music Dark Eyes from West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein. Shells of blue stars and white fireflies opened this section. Then red and fireflies and other colours too. Next, shells of tourbillons and glitter followed by weeping willows. Then some really nice colour shells with pastel colours, peaches, lavenders etc. all mixed with some fireflies. Then more tourbillon and glitter shells and finally some huge blue shells with nice comet pistils.

Part 10 to the theme music of the film Hook. This began with some big multi-break shells of pale gold comets and then some willow shells. Then more multi-breaks of white comets, willows and colour stars. Next, really big pistil shells and some really nice multi-colour shells as well. Then sequenced multi-breaks of spider comets and finally yet more multi-breaks of comets turning into colour stars.

Part 11 to the theme music of the film Robin Hood. A barrage of really loud titanium salutes opened this final segment. Then huge weeping willow shells followed by white comet shells. Then shaped-burst shells of saturns and double concentric rings. Next, charcoal comet shells and lots of big gold glitter shells and huge glitter mines with white comet shells above. The pace increased as mine after mine of glitter and colour were fired in rapid succession. Above this, dozens of dazzling colour shells with comets, pistils and volleys of salutes. Then the pace increased yet again with a tremendous barrage of all sorts of shells and then a thunderous barrage of massive salutes. Just when the audience thought everything was over after the salutes, another volley of huge shells with pistils and multi-coloured stars completely filling the sky brought the display to a dramatic close.

This was a very enjoyable display. The range and quality of colours was outstanding and I particularly liked the flickering firefly stars. Synchronization was ok though a few times it appeared to be poor, but this may have been because of the way the music was organized. The crowd certainly enjoyed this display, though the constant rain of debris did spoil my enjoyment a little bit! This display is definitely in with a chance of picking up one of the Jupiters, but I don't think anyone could beat the Italian display this year.

Paul's Rankings for 1997

My pick for the prizes this year is:

Gold - IPON S.R.L., Italy
Silver - Günter Vogler, Austria
Bronze - Brezec Artifices, France
Special Jupiter - Holland (for the use of the Mirage facilities

However, the Bronze could equally go to the United States or Canada. It is really difficult to pick this year because the overall quality of the competition was just phenomenal.

La Ronde Operetta Sunday July 20^th, 1997

Panzera S.A.S.

As ever, a fantasitc finale to the comeptition with an estimated 500,000 people watching in Montreal. I didn't write a report this time, but sat back and enjoyed the display, but took some photos instead.

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Official Results

Gold Jupiter IPON S.R.L., Italy
Silver Jupiter Weco Pyrotechnische Fabrik, Germany
Bronze Jupiter Günter Vogler, Austria
Special Jupiter Concept Fiatlux, Canada, for use of the multimedia Mirage facilities