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1999 l'International Benson & Hedges Montréal Pyromusical Competition Report

Opening Show 15 Years of Light Saturday June 19th, 1999

Industrie Panzera S.A.S.

Summer began two days early in Montréal with the opening of the 15th Benson and Hedges International Pyromusical competition. This non-competing opening show was specially conceived to pay tribute to fifteen years of competition in Montréal. This two section display salutes the countries competing in the first part, followed by an interlude to honour the local Montréal composer, Karl Hugo, closing with a pyromusical orchestration of Ravel's Bolero.

First Section:

Part 1 England to the music Overture to the Royal Fireworks, Yellow Submarine, The British Grenadiers and Rule Brittania by G. F. Händel, The Beatles, and Traditional composers. This segment opened with lines and fans of serene gold fountains followed by gold comet candles and bombettes. This was followed by yellow comet candles with blue shells above, representing the yellow submarine. Moving quickly to red comet shells with blue and gold comet shells as well. Next, multi-breaks of silver comets and charcoal comets. This segment was brought to a close with lots of multi-break silver comet shells with salutes.

Part 2 Switzerland to the music The Old Chalet and cow-bells, Yodel de la Mi-été, Gentille batelière and Le Coucou by L'Abbe Bovet, Traditional, J. L. Muri and G. Pichard, and Traditional. This segment opened with set pieces in the shape of fir-trees, with flares on the ground and fan-shaped comet candles in front. Then candles of orange tourbillons, shells of tourbillons and then candles with the dense flower-like tourbillons. Then a repeating theme of white comets shells, pink comet candles and shells and candles of the flower tourbillons. This was followed by a barrage of flower toubillons shells. Next, screaming whistle and serpent candles with white comet shells above. This segment was brought to a close with multi-break charcoal comet shells.

Part 3 Spain to the music Torreador Overture (Carmen) and The Marriage of Luis Alfonso by Bizet and Geronimo Gimenez. Loud crackling comet candles and shells of the same above opened this segment. The crackle comet candles and shells increased in intensity with barrages of titanium salutes. Next, gold crossette comet candles and bombettes of gold glitter. Next, multi-break charcoal comet shells followed by larger and larger white comet shells. This was followed by silver crossette comet candles with big silver comet multi-break shells above. Then barrages of white comet shells turning to crackle and finally a thunderous barrage of huge nautic mines of white flitter comets.

Part 4 Canada to the music The Pidgeon on the Gate, Mon pays c'est l'hiver and Tour d'Arcadie by Traditional, Gilles Vigneault and Traditional. This segment opened with blue ball shells turning to white fireflies. This theme increased in scale with more and more fireflies filling the air and giving the impression of snowflakes. Next, ball and comet shells and fronts of pink mines below with the segment coming to a close with volleys of ball shells.

Part 5 Italy to the music Vivo per lei and Caruzzo by V. Zelli, M Mengali, G. Panciere, M. Kunze; and Lucio Dalla. Thick gold comet candles with glittering charcoal comet shells opened this segment. This was repeated and then followed with weeping willow and palm tree shells. Next, a similar theme but with white comet candles in fans with white comet shells above. The brightness and intensity increased and led to the sky being filled with large silver weeping glitter shells. Next, tourbillons with multi-break comet and salute shells above. Then flower tourbillon shells, lots of blue ball shells, multi-breaks of comets and salutes and then blue and gold comet shells, bringing this segment to a close.

Part 6 France to the music Simphonie pour les soupers du Roy, La servante au bon tabac, Douce France and Vivo ("Can Can") by Delalande, Michel Fromenteau, Charles Trenet and Offenbach. This segment began with pink ball candles turning to crackle, with multi-break shells of the same above. Then twenty-four shaped burst shells in the shape of hearts in pink with more ball and crackle candles below. Next, multi-break white comet shells, then the same in gold and then blue and gold with salute comet candles below. Then blue ball candles, big multi-break white comet and salute shells above and barrages of salute comet candles below. The segment was brought to a close to a barrage of salutes and a front of big mines.

Part 7 USA to the music Stars and Stripes Forever, Summertime and When the Saints go marching in by Erich Kunzel, Geroge Gershwin and Traditional. This began with multi-break shells of small clusters of white stars and shells with groups of comets forming "stripes". Then more of the same moving into white palm tree shells breaking into crackling comets. These increased in intensity filling the air with crackling comets. Next the lake was filled with serene white nautic fountains to Gershwins musical background. Then the pace increased for the finale of this segment with crackling comet candles and shells above, then white comet and blue ball shells and finally lots of large multi-break charcoal comet shells.

Interlude:

Lets do it to music by Karl Hugo. This interlude segment began with lines of ball candles with white comet shells above. Then blue and gold comet shells followed by shells of crackling comets. Then a line of gold fountains burning with red flames. These were followed by more ball and comet candles with the segment coming to a close with glittering white comet shells.

Final Section:

Bolero by Maurice Ravel played by the Montréal Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Dutoit. This final ten minute long segment used fireworks specially designed for this pyromusical orchestration. It began with crossed charcoal comet candles and then mines of salutes. More charcoal comet candles, mines of salutes and then gold glitter candles. Above these, pink ball shells, salute mines below and then crossette candles. Next, lines of blue mines in front of clusters of comet candles. Then mines of red stars turning to salutes followed by silver crossette candles with repeating fronts of mines turning to salutes. Next, thick gold crossed comet candles, followed by the same but brighter with more red salute mines. Then silver comet candles with red ball shells above followed by bombette candles of gold comets with shells of blue and gold above. Next, blue mines with gold comet shells above, mines of salutes and then crackling candles. Above these, comet shells and crossette candles below with fronts of salute mines. Then some beautiful gold firefly shells followed by the same in bombettes and also in crossettes. A line of tourbillon candles, shells of tourbillons and salutes, increasing in intensity. As the final two minutes approached, I stopped taking notes as the intensity and pace increased and increased with barrages of multi-break comet shells, thunderous volleys of salutes, then a dramatic dazzling silver mine front with huge volleys of multi-break comet and salute shells above. The pace continued to increase with shells in flower shapes, multi-break silver spider shells, thunderous volleys of titanium salutes and salutes of all sorts until the deafening climax was reached with the air filled with dazzling white comets and huge titanium salutes.

This was a great beginning to what promises to be an excellent year's competition. All of the participants this time are previous winners of either Jupiter or other pyrotechnic awards.

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United Kingdom Rendezvous with the Stars Saturday June 26th, 1999

Kimbolton Fireworks Limited

The 15th Benson and Hedges International Pyromusical Competition proper opened in spectacular style with a perfect hot summer evening and temperatures in the high 80s to a seven part display from the United Kingdom's only pyrotechnics manufacturers. Recipient of the first ever Special Jupiter, awarded in 1993, Kimbolton fabricated more than 80% of the material for tonight's show.

Part 1 to the music One Vision by Queen. A line of ground salutes announced the beginning of this segment followed by a line of strobe pots. Above these, many many shells of large salutes and titanium salutes, also with salute terminated white comets. A front of bright mines of stars turning to salutes, then a front of blue star mines and then purple. Above these fronts, many different coloured ball star shells, then more mine fronts, shells with vivid pink stars and yet more fronts of mines. This sequence repeated, with really fantastic coloured ball star shells. Next, shells of small stars breaking into six-pointed star clusters. Below these candles of white comets turning to salutes and then huge shells of white comets. Next, more silver comet shells and colour ball star shells. Three ranks of gold glitter candles then opened up on the ground with shells above in the same pale gold glitter, but in crossette form. The scale increased, with shells of gold ball crossettes and then some gold fireflies. The pace increased with volleys of salutes and salute terminated ball star candles and mines, rising to a deafening crescendo with huge white comet shells above and shells of red, white and blue. The segment ws brought to a close with massive pistil shells turning to gold weeping willows, to shouts of approval from the audience.

Part 2 to the music War of the Worlds by Geoff Wayne. This segment opened with barrages of shaped-burst shells producing rings in many different colours, including turquoise, red and blue. Below the ring shells, candles of pink ball headed glitter comets. The single rings were replaced with double concentric rings, linked rings, triple rings and even spirals with some gold charcoal comet shells and the glittering charcoal comet candles below. Then some really large multi-colour changing shells going from blue to red, followed by gold comet shells. Next, candles of screaming whistle tourbillons with shells of gold glitter turning to weeping willows above. Then mines of ball stars with ball and comet shells above and palm tree shells in bright gold. Next, some more large colour changing shells going from lilac to green, with glittering crossette candles below. Then the same in shells above, followed by shells in yellow and gold and finally huge white star shells with clusters of small coloured ball stars.

Part 3 to the music The Longest Day by Paul Anka. This segment began with shells of dense ball stars and screaming whistle candles below. Then shells of go-getters and whizzers followed by fronts of green mines, bombettes of dense ball star clusters in fantastic colours and shells of ball stars above, creating a perfect three-level display. Next, really large multi-colour changing ball star shells, with bombettes clusters below and candles in really bright violet. Then shells in violet and orange pistil shells and fronts of matching mines with more large pistil shells above. The pace was increasing, with some really unusual shells with dense clusters of small stars forming the shape of a larger star. Lots and lots of shells with balls and gold comets, with amazing colours, barrages of large silver comets and finally huge shells of gold comets and violet stars.

Part 4 to the music Bitter Sweet Symphony by The Verve. Barrages of firefly shells opened this segment, completely filling the sky for seemingly several minutes. Then a huge dazzling mine front followed by crossette ball candles in bright pink. Then shells in orange ball crossettes and then the same in white. Below these, glitter comet candles with yellow ball heads and becoming crossettes. Next, a volley of large shells followed by another dazzling mine front, followed by shells of stars turning to fireflies. Then shells of clusters of ball crossette stars and also shells of comets turning to blue. Below this, fans of crossed glitter candles and then shells of slow turning tourbillons with white and gold clusters. Next, crackling charcoal comet candles with huge crossette comet shells above, with blue bombettes at mid-level. More bright mines and shells of lilac above. The pace increased as the segment was brought to a close with shells of lilac, yellow, pink, violet and glitter, all turning to a falling weeping willow effect at the end.

Part 5 to the music The Hornpipe by H. Wood. This opened with a line of twenty pairs of fountains in front of the lake. A line of white palm-tree shells bursting to blue stars and charcoal comets played behind the fountains. Next, a line of twenty pairs of larger fountains and then a line of twenty single fountains with brighter and higher sparks than the previous fountain-pairs. As the volume of the music increased, the pace of the display followed with shells of salute terminated comets, rising-tail shells of salute terminated tourbillons, lots of shells of colour clusters turning to crackle.

Part 6 to the music Bach's Toccata and Fuge in D-minor by Sky. This dramatic segment began with rising-tail comet shells in threes, the pace quickly increasing with more and brighter comet shells. Then shells with smaller white comets and mine fronts below followed by large shells of colour stars turning to weeping silver. Next huge shells of comets with blue pistils turning to silver weeping willows. Next, dazzling mines of orange comets, with the same in shells of clusters above. Then more of the same, but brighter with big shells above, bombettes in the middle and comet candles below and mines fired two by two. Then green mines, then turquoise, then another repeating three level display. Next, gold glitter candles, bombettes at mid-level and bright ball star shells above. Then shaped burst shells bursting into large bowties, with more and more filling the sky and bringing the segment to a close.

Part 7 to the music Russlan and Ludmilla Overture by Glinka. Thunderous volleys of salutes and mines opened this final segment. The pace immediately became incredible with lots of huge pistil shells, dazzling mine fronts and a faux finale so intense that all I could write in my notes was WOW. However, this was only a faux finale and the pace immediately changed to a line of twenty serene fountains as there were still several minutes to go. Above the fountains, ball and comet shells and shells of balls turning to crackle. Then two levels of fountains with nautic mines in the lake and silver spider-web shells above. Then shells of slow falling white comets, followed by shells of charcoal comets turning to colour with pistils. Next, really bright mine fronts and more nautic mines followed by slow falling glitter comet shells, with charcoal candles below. This theme was repeated and then followed by shells of weeping pale gold glitter, filling the sky. Next, silver rising tail shells, with fans of salute terminated tourbillon comet candles below. The pace increased to the real finale, with mine fronts, barrages of titanium salutes and many large shells of tourbillon salutes and lots of other large shells. However, the pace at the very end of the finale was a little bit less than expected.

This was a great beginning to the 1999 competition. A very artistic display throughout, always taking advantage of the symmetry of the shoot site and the three levels of space to fire into. The choice of music is bound to be popular with the Jury and the range of colours presented was superlative. The synchronization to the music was excellent, especially considering this was a manually fired show. I later discovered that the reason the end of the finale fell slightly flat was due to some flights of shells failing to fire. This didn't detract from an excellent display and the Kimbolton team received a standing ovation in the press room afterwards.

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Switzerland Movies in the Sky Saturday July 3rd, 1999

Bugano Feuerwerke AG

Dark clouds and heavy humidity threatened to spoil the evening for the Swiss newcomers to the competition, but the weather gods smiled and it remained dry throughout the eight segment display. This young company, founded in 1987, has won twelve prizes from sixteen appearances in international competitions in Europe and tonight's display was their first appearance in North America. This evening's show was entirely manually fired, using a chronometer rather than a cue track as a timing reference.

Part 1 to the music Don't cry for me Argentina from the film Evita. The show opened with a fans of silver comet candles with blue ball bombettes above. Then, above these, shells of charcoal comets turning to blue balls. The size of these increase, some of them with blue balls and some with white. Next, a line of crossed blue ball candles with several horizontal wheels with silver sparks behind. Then shells of white comets with blue ball pistils. These increased in size with the colour theme reversing - blue balls and white comet pistils with more and more and finally a really large blue ball and white pistil shell, to whistles of delight from the audience.

Part 2 to the music Beyond Borders from the film Far and Away. This segment opened with a line of green headed comet candles and hissing tourbillons. The number increased so that there were several fans of candles, with larger, apparently double-ended tourbillons so that the air was filled with hissing and whizzing. Above the candles, really nice shells of the doubled-petalled flower-type tourbillons also with shells of lilac stars. There was volley after volley of these followed by a line of ball and comet candles in lilac. Next, a line of green comet candles, where the comets had sparks coming out along the last few feet of their burn. Then the same but in gold. Above these, shells of charcoal comets turning to blue then to red, or to white then red. The size of these increased so that they had pistils and multi-colour changes, the segment ending with three really large ones.

Part 3 to the music Conquest of Paradise from the film 1492. Gold comet and blue ball candle fans opened this segment, followed by silver nautic fountains. Then a fan of candles at the left end of the floating ramp sending comets to the right and the same thing at the right end sending comets left, giving the effect of two curtains. At the same time, bombettes of blue balls were also shot in the same style of left and right fans. After this, groups of five charcoal comet palm-tree shells with rising tails (including a low break with stars hitting the ground). Next, gold comet candles and the same in bombettes above. Above these, shells of gold comets turning to multi-colour changing balls ending in blue. These were followed by the multi-colour changing charcoal comet shells, with nice slow falling stars. Then shells with blue pistils and bright gold comets and then the same but dahlia-style (a few, wide comets forming a star-fish shape) ending in crackle. Next a new type of shell, called a "popping broca" which starts out as a charcoal comet to silver comet shell, and then clusters of small colour stars appear, giving the effect of lots of bunches of flowers appearing. More and more of these were fired, the silver comet part filling the sky with a silver weeping willow effect, to cheers from the audience.

Part 4 to the music Shakespeare in Love from the film of the same name. This began with pink hissing comet candles with bombettes above. Then shells of charcoal comets turning to silver or red above, with some really large ones. Then shells of crossette comets and some multi-breaks as well, with really wide bursts. More shells of crossettes with shells of silver with pistils and the same but in charcoal comets turning to multi-colour changing balls with barrages of salutes thrown in. The segment was brought to a close with a large barrage of really large charcoal comet pistil shells turning to white.

Part 5 to the music Everything I do (I do it for You) from the film Robin Hood. Gold comet candles, with blue, green and red balls as well, opened this segment. Above these, bombettes in green, silver and blue. These were followed by volleys of firefly shells. After these, shells of gold dahlias and gold firefly type shells but with twinkling rather than flashing stars. Then shells with some tourbillons, falling clusters of stars and pistils as well. Next, shells with slow falling ball stars which split into many small stars. On the ground, mines of colour stars with bombettes above. The mines burst slowly so that the stars rose much less fast than is usually the case. Next, large shells of slow falling silver comets, followed by volleys of colour ball stars with slow falling clusters. The segment was brought to a dramatic close with around twenty lines of colour stars on parachutes (which I thought had been banned in the competition). The crowd loved it though with raptuous applause.

Part 6 to the music Once Upon a Time in the West from the film of the same name. This began with a line of bright-headed comet candles, a crown of fountains on the remains of the Mirage multimedia system in the lake and a large number of red nautic flares, filling the lake. The red flares turned into dazzling white strobe pots and then large shells of charcoal comets with pistils were fired above. Then bright gold comet shells with amazing crackling pistils (where the crackle affect appeared only when the pistil was at full size). Then shells of pink stars, also with crackling pistils, then the same but in green, also crackling. Then shells of colour changing stars turning to slow falling weeping willow, the segment being brought to a close as the sky was filled with pale gold weeping willow, with the final shell in the segment a couple of seconds after the music had stopped.

Part 7 to the music What a Feeling from the film Flashdance. White fan comets in groups of five opened this segment, with mines of crackling green stars and then a line a lilac ball candles. Above these, barrages of shaped-burst ring shells. First, single rings, then double concentric rings, double adjacent rings, first in balls, then in comets. Then double rings in different colours, then some with three or more rings. Next, shaped-burst shells in gold comets producing bow-ties. Then more multi-ring shells with triple rings, then a single ring surrounding a five pointed star. Next, some large multi-break silver comet shells, with barrages of salutes, more silver comet multi-breaks followed by silver ball shells. The pace increased until the sky was filled with large slow falling silver weeping willow, the segment coming to a close as the stars fell all the way to the ground, filling the air with silver threads.

Part 8 to the music My Heart will Go On from the film Titanic. This began serenely with fans of hissing gold comet candles. Then gold glitter candles with the same in bombettes above and also gold glitter crossettes. Above this, shells of charcoal comets to colour changing stars. Lots of these were fired, then shells of slow falling white comets with pistils. Next, pale gold glittering crossette candles and shells with pale gold and crackling pistils above. Contrary to most finales, this continued relatively serenely with volley after volley of charcoal comet shells, until the air was filled with weeping willow, then the same but with silver falling threads. The display was brought to a close with two really large weeping silver willow shells, followed (a couple of seconds after the lights had come on) by three really large salutes.

This was a very enjoyable display, with some really great shells. The size of the breaks was very impressive, probably accentuated by the relatively low height bursts used. The finale was interesting in that it differed from the usual formula of make as much noise and light as possible, a technique also used by Weco a couple of years ago, earning them a Jupiter. The synchronization was good for the most part, though there were a couple of occasions where it could have been tighter. I think this display stands a good chance of an award if the Jury agrees that a different formula can work. It is already shaping up to be an exciting competition!

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Spain A Voyage from Catalonia to America Sunday July 11th, 1999

Pirotécnia Igual

A return to summer-like weather warmed everyone's spirits as the Spanish team brought a visual fiesta to Montréal with their journey from Catalonia to America. 100% of the material was specially constructed for tonight's large display, with more than 4000 components launched in the 32 minute display.

Part 1 to the music El Bateo by Dominguez A. Paso- F. Chueca. The display opened with a barrage of salutes and multi-break tourbillon shells. Then a front of mines with more toubillon shells above. Next comet shells in white, with the same in candles below, then turning to red. Then the first of many wiggly go-getter shells in orange, with orange comet candles below, then the same sequence in white. Gold glitter and purple ball candles below and more wiggle go-getters above. The segment ended with orange ball and salute candles, mines of wiggly comets, wiggly go-getters above, white comet shells, and rising tail shells in silver turning to red, to cheers from the audience.

Part 2 to a medley of popular Catalan songs. Fronts of dazzling yellow mines, with yellow comet shells above opened this segment. Then the first of many nautic pieces, this being fountains opened up in the lake. More yellow mine fronts and mines of wiggly comets followed by nautic flares turning to yellow strobes. Above these, wiggly go-getter shells and then comets turning into fireflies. Next, pale gold comet candles with colour ball bombettes above, followed by comet to ball shells. More large yellow mines, then pale gold comet shells, a barrage of orange mines with shells of slow falling comets above. Then bright headed comet candles, with comet to ball shells above followed by barrages of purple mines. A large number of charcoal comet palm trees, with some really big ones were repeated again and again. Then shells of comets ending in crackle, with mines of crackle and blue below. More nautic shells, this time in comets, with ball and comet shells above and lots of comet and crackle shells. Then rising tail shells of comets to crackle and some really nice large multi-break crackling cluster shells. The segment was brought to a close with rising tail shells bursting to blue balls and gold comets, ending with a particularly large one.

Part 3 to the music Adagio in C minor by Yanni. This began with a line of yellow fountains firing over the lake, followed by a front of orange mines. Then shells of very slow falling stars which ended up twinkling. This was followed by shell after shell of red wiggly go-getters. Then a volley of firefly shells, then more wiggly go-getters. Volley after volley of these were fired and then the theme change to fireflies in repeated fronts of mines and shells above. After these, big shells of comets turning to fireflies with crackling pistils. Another big volley of firefly shells and then a barrage of nautic shells brought this segment to a close.

Part 4 to the musicRhapsodie Espagnol by Maurice Ravel. This began with wiggly comet candles with comet and ball shells above. Then shells of the wiggly go-getters with gold glitter candles below. These were repeated and followed by bright yellow comet shells and yellow ball candles. Next, a line of cross-shaped fountains opened up with mines of yellow stars behind. Then nautic white fountains with a line of fan-shaped fountains behind. As the nautic fountains burned down, they suddenly shot serpent comets into the air. Next, fans of purple ball candles, wiggly comet mines with white comet to blue star shells above. Then pink ball candles, wiggly mines, green ball candles and yellow ball and comet shells above with salute barrages. Lots of shaped-burst shells in the form of rings, arcs and spirals followed, then a huge shell of blue stars turning to white comets. A line of gold glitter candles opened up with fronts of wiggly comet mines. Above these, shells of blue and white and then a barrage of nautic comet shells, getting larger and larger with volleys of salutes above and a huge multi-break silver spider shell, bringing the segment to a close.

Part 5 to a pot-pourri of Tangos. Mine fronts and wiggly go-getter shells opened this segment. Then white glitter comet shells end in crackle and more wiggly go-getters . Next, some multi-breaks and shells with blue pistils and white comets, followed by shells of purple and charcoal comets. A front of bright yellow comet mines with more and more wiggly go-getters above. This theme was repeated several times and added to with mines and salute candles and shells of tourbillons. Then gold glitter candles, wiggly comet mines, more wiggly go-getters and some screaming serpent candles, with comet shells above. The pace increased and the segment was brought to a close with two huge yellow comet shells.

Part 6 to a Latin-American festival. Bright mines with multi-break shells above opened this segment. Then comet candle fans and screaming whistle serpents. Then a repeating section of wiggly comet candles with colour bombettes above followed by bright pink to glitter mines with crossette candles. Above these, wiggly go-getter shells and then bright ball-headed comets in pale yellow, with the same in shells above increasing in volume and followed by lots of small comet shells. Then pale gold candles, wiggly go-getters above with salute barrages and slow-fall white comet shells following. More salute barrages and bombettes with some firefly shells above. The pace kept increasing with multi-breaks and large colour changing shells and double colour shells. Then shells of crackle, salute barrages below and wiggly go-getters above. This was repeated and the segment brought to a close with barrages of salutes, multi-breaks and wiggly go-getters.

Part 7 to a New York bouquet of Gershwin and Cole Porter. Dazzling white mines and salute candles opened this segment, with white comet and blue shells above. Then mines of wiggly white comets and a barrage of large weeping willow shells, with stars falling all the way to the ground and turning white. Next, many nautic shells of tourbillons with wiggly go-getters above. Then loud fronts of screaming whistle comets with glitter shells above. This was repeated and then shells with pistils and crackle comets, blue pistil shells with gold comets, shells with bright white comets increasing in volume and bringing the segment to a close with a salute barrage.

Part 8 to Surprise Bouquet of Sinatra. The finale began with a line of fountains and lines of flashing lances in between. Nautic flares and fountains turning to strobes followed with mines of slow falling glitter and then mines of fireflies. Next shells of the wiggly go-getters, shells with rings and big flower pistils, shells with rising tails and big comets. More fronts of mines moving to a theme of weeping willow shells. Then shells of blue stars and gold comets. The pace started to increase with barrages of yellow comet shells, many barrages of wiggly go-getters and some tourbillon shells. Multi-break spider shells, lots of mines and more and more ball and comet shells. The pace increased so that it was impossible to take notes as the sky was filled with volley after volley of shells, shells with bright flashes, titanium salute barrages and barrage of salute candles below. Nautic shells exploded in the lake, filling it with comets. The number and volume of salutes in the air increased, until a tiny pause and then a finale barrage of large titanium salutes brought the display to an end with a roar of approval from the audience.

This was a fantastic display with many magnificent nautic shells, many of which were very unusual. The scale and pace of the display was very intense and was thoroughly enjoyed by the audience. The Spanish team received a very enthusiastic standing ovation in the press room afterwards. The synchronization was good, especially considering the display was manually fired, though it was slightly off in a couple of spots. This didn't detract from an excellent spectacle and this will be the display to beat!

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Canada The Fire of Passion Wednesday July 14th, 1999

Ampleman Inc.

For the first time in five years, Canada was blessed with perfect summer weather for their three section display. Designed by the 27 year old Eric Cardinal, the youngest designer this year, the display was the first to fully utilize the new firing infrastructure at La Ronde by using the computerized FireOne system.

Section 1 À la recherche de l'âme soeur (Looking for a soul mate).

Part 1 to the music Without LOVE, by Tom Jones. The display opened to large red mines, then blue, orange and green, with colour shells above. Then shells of clusters of slow falling stars in white, then red, turning to fireflies. Candles of silver crossette comets with colour bombettes above and rising tail shells bursting to comets and balls above. These got larger and then shells with slow falling stars, volleys of red mines below, followed by dahlia shells of charcoal comets as the display moved seamless to

Part 2 to the music Savoir AIMER, by Florent Pagny. The charcoal comet dahlia shells continued, as fan comet candles opened below. Then white comet dahlia shells. Groups of silver fountains forming fleur-de-lyss opened up with more dahlia shells above as the fountains turned to salutes. Then shells with tight clusters of colour balls which rose from the burst then fell with larger shells of slow falling comets. Shaped-burst shells of hearts and some shells of whizzers came next followed by large comet to ball shells. Then barrages of dazzling crackling glitter mines with silver comet shells above and shells of blue heart bursts. These were repeated over and over as the display moved seamlessly to

Part 3 to the music I want to know what LOVE is, by Foreigner. Rising tail shells bursting to silvery weeping willow were followed by shells of slow falling comets, then shells of blue stars with white comet pistils, looking really flower-like. These were repeated again and again and followed with orange ball shells and then silver comet and ball shells, more blue ball and white comet pistil shells, more orange ball shells and then another larger silvery weeping willow as the display moved seamlessly to

Part 4 to the music Everything's gonna be all right, by Sweetbox. Crossed fan charcoal comet candles with charcoal comet shells above, some with twinkly pistils formed the repeating opening theme. Then blue bombettes with more brighter charcoal comet candles. Next, three palm trees followed by more charcoal comet shells, some with pistils. This blue bombette, palm-tree and charcoal comet shell sequence was repeated and followed by dazzling volleys of crackling gold glitter mines with blue ball and weeping charcoal comet shells above. Then again and followed with small slow falling clusters of pink stars, shells of balls and comets, more slow falling clusters and some white comet shells which I noted were very cool but I can't read why. The display moved seamlessly to

Part 5 to the music Made in Heaven, by Freddie Mercury. The slow falling clusters continued followed by volleys of large glitter mines with shells of balls and weeping comets above. This sequence was repeated many times until this first section was brought to a close with a really large blue ball turning to weeping willow shell.

Musical Interlude to the music Falling (Twin Peaks theme), by Julee Cruise. Cherubs and Cupid's arrow set pieces in red were fired as note-synchronized red glittering crackle mines were fired. Above these, shells of red hearts and shells of white comets, then the same in blue hearts.

Section 2 Découverte de l'AMOUR (Discovering Love).

Part 1 to the music I Feel Good, by James Brown. Shells of tourbillons with fan comet candles below opened this section. Then ball and comet shells, more tourbillon shells and large shells bursting to balls with small clusters appearing. This theme was repeated as note-synchronized comets flew left, right and then in threes with shells bursting above. The display moved seamlessly to

Part 2 to the music What a Feeling, by Irene Cara. Candles of crossette comets and tourbillons opened up with blue ball and charcoal comet shells above and then glitter comet and blue as the candles continued. Then a theme of slow falling star shells, shells of comets and clusters changing colour ending in large glitter shells with pistils as the display moved seamlessly to

Part 3 to the music Wonderful World, by Louis Armstrong. Nice fan green changing to red comet candles opened up with ball and comet and then gold glitter shells above followed by large gold dahlias. Then blue ball and charcoal comet shells and a repeating section of glitter shells followed by more of the tight colour cluster shells. These were followed by large glitter shells, red clusters with comet candles below, more large glitter shells, some with titanium salutes as the display moved seamlessly to

Part 4 to the music That's the way, by KC and the Sunshine Band. Mine fronts, then screaming whistling serpent candles and a barrage of large nautic mines dramatically opened this segment. More mine fronts and more nautic mines were followed by shells of wiggly go-getters and charcoal comet with twinkling pistil shells. Shells of blue with white comet pistils, more wiggly go-getters formed a repeating theme as the display moved seamlessly to

Part 5 to the music I've Got the World on a String, by Frank Sinatra. Red ball shells and charcoal comet shells with some salutes were followed by slow falling white stars and multibreak colour ball shells. Then more colour shells and salutes, more slow falling star shells and multi-break crossette ball stars. This theme continued, with the multi-breaks forming criss-crossing trails. Shells with twinkling pistils, more salutes and more of the multi-break crossettes. This section was brought to a close with mines, ball shells and titanium salutes.

Musical Interlude to an instrumental compilation. Five white girandolas rose majestically into the air as the audience cheered. Then another five, and another and another, some rising and falling. At the same time, a large number of nautic fountains were fired into the lake as yet more groups of five girandolas ascended. As the fountains burned down, they launched comet serpents into the air, to great crowd applause as yet more girandolas were fired.

Section 3 La Passion (The Passion).

Part 1 to the music I Believe I can Fly, by R Kelly. This section opened with gold glitter comet candles with the same in shells above, the shells turning to gold fireflies. Then a barrage of silvery weeping willow shells, gold dahlia comet shells, shells of blue headed charcoal comets. Next, cones of rockets bursting to salutes, colour stars with mines as well. This was repeated and followed by rising tail shells bursting to large pale silvery weeping willows as the display moved seamlessly to

Part 2 to the music I will always LOVE you, by Whitney Houston. This began with crossed comet candles and crossettes with silver comet and pistil shells above. Then shells of slow falling silver comets, shells of bright balls which burst very wide and shells of the colour clusters. Then more of the very wide burst bright balls, more cluster shells with the pace increasing until the display suddenly became serene as it moved seamlessly to

Part 3 to the music Que je t'AIME, by Sylvain Cossette. A large number of red nautic flares were fired into the lake and the audience cheered as these became dazzling white strobes. Above these, multi-break comet to crossette ball shells. Then shells of glitter, increasing in number and more of the wide burst ball shells with bombettes below. Large ball and glitter comet shells turning to fireflies moved the display seamlessly to

Part 4 to the music Je vais t'AIMER, by Michel Sardou. Thick white crossed comet candles with heart shaped burst shells above and then fan comet candles below. More heart shaped burst shells in blue and some red spirals formed a repeating section followed by rising tail to charcoal comet shells, then glitter comet shells, then charcoal again, alternating and getting bigger and bigger as the display moved seamlessly to

Part 5 to the music Carmina Burana - O fortuna, by Orff. This immediately get of to a dramatic pace with large ball and comet shells and some very large nautic mines. Dazzling crackling glitter mines, large charcoal comet shells, more glitter mines. Then huge weeping willows, colour clusters. The pace and scale increased beyond my ability to take notes as barrages of shells filled the sky and enormous 6" nautic mines blasted out of the lake as thunderous volleys of titanium and other salutes brought the display to a fantastic finale. The audience screamed and shouted with enthusiasm.

At the beginning of the competition, Maurice Cardinal, father of Eric and owner of Ampleman told me "watch out, we're going to win the competition this year". He may very well be right. This was a fantastic display, the best I've ever seen by a Canadian company and they're right in at number one at the moment. The synchronization was fantastic, there were some really beautiful shells, especially the colour cluster shells and the nautic shells were stunning. With the many girandolas and cones of rockets, this display had everything, including the intense finale which the audience here loves. The choice of music worked extremely well and the whole concept was superb and the complexity was such that my notes really don't do it justice. The Ampleman team received a well-deserved standing ovation in the press room afterwards. This is the one to beat!

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Italy Millenium Promenade Sunday July 18th, 1999

Pirotecnia Soldi S.R.L.

Another perfect summer's evening was the backdrop to what promised to be an exciting display from the Italian team. All of the fireworks were specially constructed for this display and the creative talents of Giovani Panzera and Pierre Walder were used in the choice of the music.

Part 1 to the music Nessum Dorma interpreted by Pavarotti. After the usual ten second countdown, the lights were turned off and the music began. But no fireworks appeared. The music continued for another thirty seconds before an announcement was made that there were technical problems. After a couple of minutes, the lights went out and the music started, but again there was a delay before any fireworks appeared. Then a line of red flares pointing over the lake appeared, with silver comet candles behind. As the flares burned out, they shot out stars into the lake. A line of silver fountains then opened up, with crossed candles of small balls. Then a front of glitter mines with candles of clusters of charcoal comets which rose then fell, in front. Another front of bright white mines, then another. Next, multi-break shells of ball stars, shells with comet pistils above, bombette candles below with the segment coming to a close with a barrage of multi-break ball star shells.

Part 2 to the music 'O Surdato' nammurato interpreted by the Napolitan Mandolins. Fast candles of blue balls and silver glitter opened this segment. Then volleys of multi-break ball shells in complimentary colours with glitter. Next, tourbillon candles and candles of blue balls, with more multi-break ball shells above in complimentary colours with glitter. The number of multi-breaks increased, with blue balls, then red, bringing the segment to a close.

Part 3 to the music Santa Lucia interpreted by Angelo Petisi. This opened with crossed gold glitter candles, with blue ball candles as well. Above these, multi-break ball shells in blue and green, turning to slow falling stars. Then shells of bright pink-headed comets. The segment was brought to a close with multi-breaks of blue and green balls.

Part 4 to the music Torna a Surriento interpreted by Pavarotti. Loudly screaming serpent comet candles with a barrage of nautic mines opened this segment. Then a large fans of gold comet candles followed by silver. Next, very fast blue ball candles with whistles in as well, followed by another barrage of nautic mines. A line of serene gold candles in threes forming a V shape opened up next. Then groups of six silver fountains firing horizontally and vertically followed by more blue ball and whistle candles. A dark spell was followed by a long line of vertical silver wheels and then followed by a line of very loudly hissing V-shaped silver fountains. A barrage of dazzling white mines was followed by large multi-breaks of silver ball shells, then multi-break silver spider shells, followed by multi-break comet shells turning to slow falling fireflies, bringing the segment to a close.

Part 5 to the music Con te partirò interpreted by Andrea Bocelli. Soft-breaking white bombettes opened this segment followed by a line of dazzling white horizontal fountains raining sparks down into the lake. Then crossed silver glitter comet candles with the same in shells above. These were followed by pale yellow-headed silver comet shells. Next, candles of the clusters of rising and falling charcoal comets, with candles of clusters of blue balls. Above these, blue balls shells, followed by green-headed silver comet shells. A huge front of white mines was followed by fans of silver comet candles, with the same in shells above. Then another huge front of dazzling mines, with larger silver comet shells above followed by a barrage of silver nautic mines. The segment was brought to a close with a large barrage of glittery silver weeping willow shells, reaching all the way to the ground, to cheers from the audience.

Part 6 to the music Il volo interpreted by Zucchero. Candles of clusters of green balls with glitter shells above opened this segment. Then nautic mines of green balls, with green glitter shells above. Then multi-breaks of salutes which burst into two small stars moving in opposite directions. These were followed by candles of clusters of red stars, with large flower-like tourbillon shells with blue balls above. Then two sets of red ball candles at each end of the floating ramp firing stars which bounced on the surface of the lake. Above these, shells of blue balls and shells of large slow-turning tourbillons. The number of tourbillon shells increased and increased until the air was completely filled with hundreds of whizzing tourbillons, bring the segment to a close.

Part 7 to the music Overture to Notre-dame de Paris. This segment consisted entirely of round after round of silver girandolas, one flying a a dramatic angle towards the audience, but burning out before doing any damage.

Part 8 to the music Belle, from Notre-dame de Paris by P. Fiori-Garou and D. Lavoie. This segment began with just three red ball candles, perhaps indicating another technical problem. After these, shells of gold glitter turning to fireflies followed by shells of clusters of gold comets which fell slowly. Then a barrage of weeping willow shells, marred somewhat by lower-level colour ball shells. Next, candles of clusters of red balls, with red ball shells above. Then volleys of salutes with blue balls above. These were followed by shells of clusters of comets turning to fireflies. The control room in the centre of the firing area was then used dramatically, sending a huge fan of gold charcoal comets across the width of the display area, with shells of the same comets above. The gold charcoal shells were replaced with glittery silver weeping willows, with a huge barrage, bringing this segment to a close as the stars fell all the way to the ground, and a final burst of three weeping silver glitter shells with gold firefly pistils.

Part 9 to the music Leaving Port, from the film Titanic composed by James Horner. A line of bright white strobe pots opened in along the lake. Above these, burst after burst of white firefly shells. Then a barrage of large white nautic mines, followed by more volleys of white firefly shells. Another large barrage of white nautic mines and then more firefly shells. The pace increased with burst after burst of larger and larger white firefly shells, with multi-breaks and finally huge shells of crackling fireflies.

Part 10 to the music My Heart Will Go On, from the film Titanic interpreted by Céline Dion. This segment opened to white ball candles with red-headed silver comet shells above. Then a barrage of large titanium salutes and more white comet shells, this being repeated several times. Large flower-like tourbillon shells with single and double petals and blue balls moved this segment seamlessly to

Part 11 to the music I Don't Want to Miss a Thing, from the film Armageddon interpreted by Aerosmith. Fast blue ball and whistle candles with crossed glitter behind opened this segment as rising tail shells burst to salmon-coloured comets above. Then shells of pale orange balls with multi-breaks of blue balls. Barrage after barrage of multi-break shells were followed by huge shells of orange or blue balls and comets with the centre of the burst filled with titanium sparks. More multi-breaks and shells of balls stars with comet pistils, then larger shells changing colour, also with comet pistils. Then beautiful shells of huge numbers really bright small stars, surrounded with either single of double rings of silver comets. Lots of white ball multi-breaks, then enormous silver-spider multi-breaks, filling the sky and bringing the segment to a close.

Part 12 to the music Believe by Cher. The finale started at a breath-taking pace with barrages of salutes with shells of blue balls and gold glitter above. Then shells of green balls, more salute barrages, mines and nautic mines. The pace kept increasing with shells of clusters of stars, constant barrages of salutes, then shells of the salutes which broke into two stars. The pace increased further with salutes at the bottom, mine fronts, the huge shells with titanium centres above. A small let-off in the pace and then even more furious with white comet shells, even more salutes and more of the huge titanium centred shells. By this point, the music was completely inaudible as the number of salutes increased and increased, a couple of dramatic and very short pauses and then a final deafening barrage of enormous salutes which created very loud echos from a long way away. I was breathless by this point, unable to see too well because of all the bright flashes and my ears were ringing.

This display had many really nice shells, with some excellent and clear colours. However, the false start lead to a slight feeling of anti-climax and the one or two technical problems unfortunately detracted from the display. The choice of music was not really to my taste and I got the impression that this was more of a fireworks with music display rather than a pyromusical. Overall though, this was a very enjoyable display with the most dramatic finale of the competition so far.

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France Notre-Dame de Paris Wednesday July 21st, 1999

Société Étienne Lacroix

Once again, a perfect warm summer evening was the setting for the sixth display in the competition. With the purchase of Ruggieri, Lacroix-Ruggieri is now the oldest and largest pyrotechnics company in Europe, with a history dating back to 1739. Tonight's display was the first joint Lacroix-Ruggieri venture put on in Montréal with shells from Spain, Italy and France. Fired using the Pyrodigital system, the seven part display promised to be exciting.

Part 1 to music from Notre-Dame de Paris.
Ouverture. Rocket cones bursting to blue stars opened this display. Then barrages of weeping willow shells in threes and fours, followed by multi-breaks bursting to blue balls as the music moved seamlessly to
Belle. Charcoal comet with small fireflies candles with firefly shells above were followed by green comet shells and then more volleys of firefly shells. This alternating theme of green comet shells, charcoal firefly comet candles and fireflies shells was repeated. These were followed by silver comet dahlia shells, then more firefly shells, slow falling silver comet shells, going back to the repeating sequence of green comets, firefly charcoal comet candles, and firefly shells. Next, large shells of silver comets turning to red, with candles of the same below. The segment was brought to a close with rocket cones bursting to red stars and a shell of tourbillons.

Part 2 to music from Starmania.
Needing Love. This segment opened with palm-tree shells, followed by mines of blue stars and glitter, with bombettes of blue stars and gold glittery fireflies above. This theme repeated several times and was followed by beautiful blue mines moving from left to right in perfect note synchrony. Then mines of comets in the centre, with blue mines moving from right to left. Finally a large gold comet to blue ball shell as the music moved seamlessly to
Business Man Blues. A line of gold fountains opened up with fans of gold comets in the centre. Then a flight of palm-tree shells, followed by gold glitter comet candles with colour bombettes above in red, then blue and then green. Next, weeping willow shells followed by pink ball candles. Then a line of brighter fountains followed by white ball candles. A grove of weeping willows and then nautic mines of green stars with the same in shells above. Next, orange ball candles, then green, then silver balls and fine gold glitter comets. This sections was brought to a close with a really large multi-break of balls and comets as the music moved to
One against the others. Bright yellow-headed comet candles opened up with shells of really great colour balls above. Then red glitter mines followed by really bright comet candles criss-crossing left and right. Above these, comet and ball shells in pale green, then red and blue, then really bright red comet candles. Above these, ball and comet shells as the music moved seamlessly to
Ziggy's Song. Pale gold bombettes with rising tail shells behind and then mines of crossettes in pale gold glitter with red ball shells above. Then tourbillon candles and really deep blue mines followed by wobbling ball with comet shells above. More tourbillon candles and then more blue mines and bombettes with large double-petalled flower tourbillon shells above bringing this segment to a close.

Part 3 to music from Notre-Dame de Paris.
Asile. The segment opened with silver comet shells above and glitter mines below followed by crackly bombettes, sounding like applause, followed by the same in shells above. Really thick gold comet candles opened up with thin gold comet shells above followed by bright palm trees. Then a barrage of palm-tree candles followed by glittering palm-tree shells with blue stars at the ends. These were followed by the same, but with red stars at the end. This segment was brought to a close with a huge weeping willow shell with the stars reaching to the ground, to cheers from the audience.

Part 4 to music from Les Misérables.
Tombé par Terre. A line of silver fountains opened up followed by barrages of salute candles to the fast rhythmic music. Red mines in note synchrony left and right, with small silver glitter mines. Above these, silver dahlia shells and then crossed bombette candles below. Volleys of large ball and comet shells followed by more salutes and mines. The section was brought to a close with three huge palm-tree to blue shells.
La Premièe attaque Nautic gold fountains fired up in the lake with pastel coloured crossed ball candles behind, each shot a different colour. Then small palm-tree shells, then brighter and larger ones with blue note synchronized mines moving left and right. Barrages of palm-trees were fired as the music moved seamlessly to
Final with double-petalled flower tourbillon shells and some really bright yellow cluster shells, with mines below and more tourbillon shells above as the music moved to
Mon Histoire Candle of clusters of stars and the same in very large mines were followed by five silver girandolas, rising gracefully into the air. Then shells of fireflies and silver mines in the centre as the music moved to
Intro as slow spinning tourbillon shells were followed by shells of very slow falling red stars, with fireflies from bombettes below. Then another flight of five girandolas followed by more firefly shells. The segment was brought to a close with two rocket cones bursting to gold stars with slow spinning tourbillon shells above.

Part 5 to music from Révolution Française.
Ouverture. Silver strobe pots and fountains opened up at the back of the display with shells of bright red and blue balls above. The shells were split half and half in the two colours and were followed by a barrage of multi-break blue ball shells as the music moved to
Retour de la Bastille. Fans of bombettes in silver and blue were followed by palm-trees turning to blue, with glitter comets below and then more double colour shells. Large blue mine bursts were followed by a large weeping glitter shell, with the stars reaching to the ground, bringing the segment to a close.

Part 6 to music from Notre-Dame de Paris.
Le Temps des Cathédrales. A period of dark sky, longer than was artisicaly feasible indicated a technical problem. Then bursts of bright mines were followed by another period of darkness. Things got going again with bright headed comet candles and silvery comet palm-trees. These were repeated and followed by shell bursts of very small and vivid blue stars and shells of silver crossette comets. The pace of these increased until the sky was filled, bringing the segment to a close.

Part 7 to music from Hair.
Let the Sun Shine This final segment began with vast numbers of small palm-trees coming from candles. Then large glitter palm shells behind followed by ball and comet shells. Larger numbers of glitter palm shells were followed by some titanium salute barrages and then multi-break ball shells. The pace increased somewhat with large numbers of glitter palm shells, some more titanium salutes and a final really large weeping willow shell with stars reaching all the way to the ground.

This was a very well co-ordinated and artistically designed display. It turned out that the dark sky was caused by a very large mine which knocked over a firing rack, burning some cables. There were some nice shells and good use was made of the synchronization capabilities of the Pyrodigital system. However, the finale was rather short and my overall feeling of the display was that, whilst it was very enjoyable, at no point did it really excite me. I still think Canada is the one to beat.

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United States Raptures (Rhapsodies and Overtures) Sunday July 25th, 1999

Performance Pyrotechnic Associates

Heavy humidity, no wind and ominous looking clouds threatened to spoil the final entrant in this year's competition. Luckily, with this being the 130th display since the competition started in 1985, the weather gods smiled, the rain clouds disappeared and a light breeze came up. Fired using the Pyrodigital system, this complex ten-part display featured more than fifty 12" shells and used over 2000 firing cues. There were many specially made Japanese shells also.

Part 1 to the music Overture from William Tell by Rossini. The display opened with bright comets in a line, glitter mines and two really large shells above. Then crossed ball candles, with glitter comet shells above, then larger silver comet shells and more glitter mines. Next, shells of fireflies with single-shot balls moving from left to right and right to left in perfect note-synchrony. Above these, large comet shells, then a fan of comet candles in the centre below, then more firefly shells above. Next, silver comet shells, glitter mines below, more silver comet shells above, another fan of comets from the centre, more firefly shells above, the segment coming to a dramatic close with glitter mines, a barrage of titanium salutes and two huge shells above.

Part 2 to the music Hungarian Rhapsody No.2 by Liszt. This segment opened with a repeating theme of crackling comet candles with shells of slow falling clusters of small red stars above. Then shells of blue-headed gold comets, trailing all the way to the ground. These were followed by blue bombettes with gold trails, with more of the slow falling red cluster shells above. The theme repeated again with blue bombettes, crackling comet candles and slow fall cluster shells in tangerine above. Next, shells of comets turning to balls, with colour pistils, again and again. Then red single-shot balls moving from left to right followed by blue moving right to left in note-synchrony with shells of applause-sounding crackle above followed by shells of comets with applause-crackle pistils, then comet pistils with applause-crackle outer petals. Next, blue shells with silver pistils followed by shaped-burst shells of five-pointed stars in red, then the same in blue, followed by more of the crackling comet shells, crackling pistil shells with comets. Below this, angled comet candles firing left and right, followed by the slow falling cluster shells above, with the stars reaching all the way to the ground. A return to the applause-like crackling shell theme, with the segment coming to a close with large mines, a barrage of titanium salutes and some huge shells above.

Part 3 to the music Overture from The Magic Flute by Mozart. Shells launched just before the music started exploded exactly on cue into balls and comets. Below these, silver glitter candles with ball and comet shells above in tangerine and purple. Glitter comets firing left then right were followed with more large ball and comet shells above and followed by shells of pink balls turning to fireflies. Then more large tangerine and purple shells, more of the pink shells followed by silver bombettes below. Shells of glittery falling clusters were followed by large colour and comet shells and more bombettes in silver glitter. Note-synchronized mines were followed by large glitter comet and purple ball shells, shells of purple and tangerine pistils, crossed comet candles below, then segment coming to a close with large ball and comet shells and titanium salutes.

Part 4 to the music Roman Carnival by Berlioz. Single comets firing from the left and right crossing in the middle opened up followed by a line of strobe pots in front of the lake. Then pairs of comets firing left and right with a line of spinning wheels in gold glitter, with gold glitter bombettes above. Fans of gold comets from the centre with the same in candles. These were followed by brighter ball-headed gold comet candles with the same in shells above, turning to gold twinkling stars falling to the ground. Then shells of electric comets making a crackling noise, with mines of the same below. Then more crackling electric comet shells with the falling twinkling stars. The segment was brought to a close with mines of fireflies, salutes and two really huge shells.

Part 5 to the music España (Spanish Rhapsody) by Chabrier. This began with a fan of silver fountains in the centre. Silver comets firing from the left and right opened up with blue note-synchronized mines and bombettes. Above these, large shells of blue and silver balls, then more note-synchronized blue mines. Shells of slow falling blue star clusters were followed by a repeating theme of left and right firing comet candles, blue note-synchronized mines and blue bombettes. Following this theme, large silver weeping willow shells, with stars trailing to the ground. Then larger ones with the comets turning to blue at the ends. Back to the repeating theme, again followed by the silver weeping willows. Next, glittering blue mines, crossette ball candles and shells of blue stars and silver comets above. The segment was brought to a close with fans of comets, a barrage of salutes and huge shells of blue balls with silver pistils.

Part 6 to the music Overture from Die Fledermaus by Strauss. This segment opened with some remarkable shells. Silver balls appeared and then broke like crossettes, these spread out in the sky and then broke again into clusters of umbrella-shaped falling silver comets. Below these, fans of red ball candles, with gold comets as well. Then shells of rings above followed by multi-break ball shells, filling the sky. More ring shells, some with comet pistils followed by really bright orange comet candles. More of the balls-to-crossettes-to-silver comet shells, with blue bombettes and glitter mines firing left and right. Silver rising tail shells bursting to a six-pointer cluster of comets (like a starfish) were repeated and interspersed with shells of balls and comets. Below these, fat comet candles, more rising tail to starfish shells followed by note-synchronized mines firing left then right. The segment was brought to a close with a large mine front with huge shells of charcoal comets turning to silver above, with a barrage of titanium salutes.

Part 7 to the music Swedish Rhapsody No1 by Alfven. A line of gold glitter candles in the front with a line of higher blue ball candles below were followed by shells of gold comets and blue balls. Then shells with a ring of blue balls and gold comets in a bow-tie shape followed by shells of purple headed electric gold comets. These were followed by barrage after barrage of weeping willow shells, with fans of gold glitter in the centre afterwards. Then shells of tight fine-cometted weeping willows in pale gold, with fans of gold glitter comets in the centre. More barrages of weeping willow shells, with the stars reaching to the ground were followed by fans of blue balls. Then more purple-headed electric gold comet shells followed by gold glitter comet shells and candles. Shells of glitter and blue then turning to fireflies were followed by large weeping willow shells with pistils and the stars turning to blue, with a front of big mines and salutes bringing the segment to a close.

Part 8 to the music Overture from Carmen by Bizet. This segment opened with fronts of bright red glitter mines, with multi-break silver spider shells above. This theme was repeated, then multi-break red ball shells, then more multi-break silver spiders. Shells of fireflies followed by salmon pink comet candles with electric comet bombettes above. More glitter mines and multi-break spider shells, multi-break red ball shells and multi-break firefly shells. Next, glitter comets and pastel balls, then more multi-breaks in salmon pink balls. Mine fronts, more multi-break spider shells, multi-break ball shells and a final barrage of huge multi-break spiders and salutes brought the segment to a close.

Part 9 to the music Roumanian Rhapsody No1 by Enescu. A line of fountain pairs with pastel ball candles behind and shells of slow falling clusters of lime-green stars above were followed by mines of salute-terminated tourbillons with double-petal flower tourbillon shells above. Then shells of starfish clusters of comets followed by more tourbillon mines and double-petal flower tourbillon shells above. More mines of tourbillons with multi-colour pistil shells above in pastels. These were followed by more of the double-petal flower tourbillon shells. Candles of hissing tourbillons were followed by shells of clusters of slow falling green stars with some go-getters in as well. Then huge shells with pistils and comets, shells of fireflies followed by silver comet candles below. Two huge shells of starfish clusters and pistils followed by more of the slow falling green clusters and go-getters. Huge double-petal flower tourbillon shells were followed by a line of silver wheels, with the centre wheel in gold glitter. Above these, slow falling green clusters, then a barrage of the huge double-petal flower tourbillon shells and titanium salutes, bringing the segment to a close.

Part 10 to the music 1812 Overture by Tchaïkovsy. A line of strobes with note-synchronized comets firing from left to right then right to left opened this final segment. Shells in pastel balls above, with double comet blasts left on right representing canon fire. Then left and right firing glitter mines. As the music moved to the slower bell section, barrage after barrage of firefly shells filled the sky, with the stars falling as the musical scales descended. These were followed by a segment with barrage after barrage of gold weeping willow shells, with the stars reaching to the ground. As the pace of the music increased, the weeping willows were replaced with large pistil shells with mines firing below and comets going left and right. The pace increased as the shells moved from 5" colour pistils, to 6", as the pace increased further and further. Then the sky was filled with enormous colour pistil breaks from 8" shells, with mines below. As the music moved to its climax, a dazzling front of silver comets, with a line of massive multi-break thunderous salute shells, all exploding simultaneously and bringing the display to a dramatic end, as the audience shouted and whistled in delight.

This was a fantastic display. The synchronization and pyroeography were absolutely flawless. The rhythm and pace of the display rose and fell, building excitement and release time after time. The finale was excellent and its size was correctly proportioned with the rest of the display. Because the display was so good, I'm going to be critical. The note-synchronization was excellent but some of the effects used to show this didn't show it too well. The single-shot stars moving left to right were fired so fast and burned so long that the fact they were in sync was lost. Mines fired every other note would have been more effective. Whilst the range of shells used was great, with some really unique ones, there was less range of material used than in some other shows. No nautic mines, no rockets and no girandolas. These criticisms should be taken in context though - this was a Jupiter winning display and was a truly beautiful piece of pyromusical art.

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Paul's Rankings for 1999

Once again, an excellent year's competition. The choice of winners is somewhat easier this year since some of the displays had technical or other problems which take them out of the rankings. It is very hard to decide between the two best displays from Ampleman and Performance Pyrotechnic Associates. Both were outstandingly pyroeographed, but had very different themes, giving two excellent displays. Ampleman used a greater ranged of product, including some fantastic nautic mines, lots of rocket cones and girandolas. PPA used a more restricted range of product, but had some truly beautiful shells. The choice of music was very different in each case. For the other displays, Switzerland cannot be ranked because they used parachute shells, which are banned. Italy had several technical problems, as did France. The UK also had a couple of small problems and Spain was pretty much problem free. Given all this, I will try and pick the three winners and rank the rest.

First of all, a small critique of each display:


I'm going to go out on left field and predict that the USA will not pick up the Gold Jupiter this year. I think they will get a Special Jupiter for "Development of the art of the Pyromusical". Here are my personal rankings:


My predications for the jury's results are (assuming that the Special Jupiter isn't given):


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Official Results

As predicted, the official results are:

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La Ronde Dance Card Wednesday July 28th, 1999

Industrie Panzera S.A.S.

For the ninth successive occasion this year, a perfect warm summer's evening was the backdrop to another fantastic display. Maestro Giovanni Panzera, in collaboration with musical designer Pierre Walder, produced a brilliant show. In eight thematic segments, each representing a different type of dance music, an amazing forty two pieces of music were performed in the intense 30-minute display. I didn't take any notes, but just stood awe-struck and watched as the art of fire painted the heavens.

Vast numbers of shells, fantastic tableaux of dazzling Roman candles, nautic shells of glittering willow, impressive barrages of huge multi-break shells, all served to thrill the full-to-capacity crowd for this final display of the season. The finale, in typical Panzera style, was thunderous. After a massive barrage of salutes, silence descended and a train lit up with a sign saying "2000" slowly traversed the back of the display area, as red flares illuminated the firing ramps. Many people thought this was the end and just an announcement of the running of the competition next year. They were wrong. A final thunderous minute brought the season to a final close, leaving people with their ears ringing, their legs shaking and the air full of smoke and huge quantities of shredded paper. A fantastic end to another memorable year's competition.