L'International des Feux Loto-Québec 2006
Montréal International Fireworks Competition Report

USA Curtain Call July 19^th, 2006

Melrose Pyrotechnics - designed by Mike Cartolano Pyrodigital firing; Show Director choreography; a lot of cues!

Montréal, July 18, 2006 - The American fireworks company Melrose Pyrotechnics will give its regards to one of the world's great theatre districts - Broadway - on Wednesday, July 19, at 10 p.m. at L'International des Feux Loto-Québec presented by TELUS.

Members of the Melrose Pyrotechnics team are proud to represent the United States, one of the nine countries selected to compete in the 2006 edition of the Montréal International Fireworks Competition. They consider this to be the world's most prestigious event of its kind and they plan to give spectators tomorrow evening a truly stunning show.

For its presentation, titled 'Curtain Call,' the company will rely on a wide variety of wheels, candles and comets to create a feeling of closeness to spectators with pieces that occupy a lot of space-time. Mike Cartolano, the firm's artistic designer, plans to lean heavily on single-shot technology, which instantly ensures greater precision.

The presentation will also feature a wide range of colours, as ultra-intense tints blend with the extremely soft to create a most attractive symbiosis. Golds, oranges and silvers will be among the colours that will delight the crowd. The soundtrack, chosen especially to fit the Broadway theme, includes pieces from renowned musicals such as The Sound Of Music, Chicago and Phantom of the Opera. Open your eyes and look up ' you're on one of New York City's most famous streets!

What started as a hobby for the company's founder, Anthony Cartolano, quickly became a lifetime mission, with the result that Melrose Pyrotechnics is now one of the world's largest fireworks firms. It presented more than 800 shows in 10 days as part of the recent Fourth of July celebrations in the United States. With the third generation of the Cartolano family now the helm of the firm, Melrose Pyrotechnics remains focused on its original objective: to delight its audiences with the fruit of its team members' talent, passion and know-how.

The best weather conditions of the competition so far were the backdrop for the this year's third debutant company. Warm temperatures, low humidity and just enough wind were in place for this highly anticipated display. Well known to those in the pyrotechnic community who attend the PGI convention, Melrose had been wanting their chance to compete in Montreal for many years.

Part 1 to the tracks from the musical Chicago by John Kander The display began dramatically with huge crossette mines and then gold glitter shells above. Fast sequences of mines danced across ramp three as shells burst above and then the mines fired left and right in angled fronts. Comet runs swept ramp three as shells of stars turning to glitter burst above. Vertical firing mine fronts fired below and then sequence of the huge crossette mines moving from the centre outwards in pairs and then a front of the same. Angled mine runs left and right were followed by large intersecting comet shots on the notes, filling the display area and culminating in a large fan in the centre. Candles of double-ended comets were augmented by shells of bright dual colours above. This theme continued and was followed by glitter comets below and then fans of meteor comets as large colour changing shells with pistils burst above. The comet fans below were replaced by star fans in cold colours as more huge colour changing shells with pistils burst above. Then large shells on the notes. Meteor comet runs angled left and right danced across ramp three, with fronts of the same on music hits as shells of stars turning to silver comets burst above. Then left and right firing fronts of mines in alternating colours followed by alternating colour meteor comet fronts with more of the large star to comet shells above. Glitter comets fired below with shells of strobes at a medium level above followed by barrage after barrage of huge shells with pistils, bringing the segment to a close to cheers from the audience.

Part 2 to the tracks from the musical Oklahoma by Rodgers & Hammerstein A rogue double-ended comet candle fired as an introductory narration ensued with a backdrop of flares on ramp 2. Strobing Niagara Falls shells opened up representing the curtain being raised on the stage as lines of gold fountains in the shape of old-fashioned theatre footlights lit up across ramp three. Shells of gold glitter comets then fired and were followed by brighter silver shells. Then shells of silver comets and popping bursts of colour clusters. This theme continued and was followed by shells of rings of stars alternating with go-getters. Gold glitter comets fired from below with bombettes above these. Then a return to the ring shells intermixed with go-getters followed by more of the shells of silver comets and popping bursts of colour clusters. Ring shells above were augmented by shots of blue star mines with single gold comets and then more of the shells of silver comets and popping bursts of colour clusters and the odd out-of-place large star shells. These were followed by note-synchronized bursts of bright yellow shells and fronts of salute-terminated serpents below. Sequenced fans of the star mine and comet shots with large comet shells above, brought the segment to a close.

Part 3 to the tracks from the musical The Sound Of Music by Rodgers & Hammerstein Dense gold dust mines in sequences were followed by kamuro shells above turning to silver. This theme continued serenely and was followed by shells of gold strobing comets. This theme continued for some time ad was followed by a return to the kamuros turning to silver. As the music moved to another track, double-ended spinning saxon candles fired. These continued and were followed by a line of wheels on ramp three. The wheels and saxon cnaldes continued and were followed by shells of multi-coloured stars. The track changed as amazing red-headed silver line rockets flew left and right towards ramp 4 and triggered bursts of comets rising into the air. Then shells of warm coloured stars burst above with stobe comets rising from ramp four. This theme continued and then shells of multi-colour changing stars (blue white and red), bringing the segment to a close.

Part 4 to the tracks from the musical West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein Whistling wiggling serpents were followed by comets shot at the lake and then more wistling wiggling serpents. More low comet shots over the lake and then a front of mines followed by comet shells with some strobes and then bigger and brighter silver kamuros. These continued and were followed by large ones with strobing pistils. Bright gold Niagara Falls shells then rained down towards the lake, filling the sky serenely as the music track changed. Shells of crossettes were then augmented by shells of silver comets and then large star and dahlia shells above followed by a return to silver kamuros, bringing the segment to a close.

Part 5 to the tracks from the musical Cats by Andrew Lloyd Webber Barrages of shells of blue stars turning to gold comets began this segment. This theme continued and included higher shells of paler blue stars. Then shells of half red and half blue also turning to gold comets. These continued and were followed by huge shells of silver comets with pistils turning to strobes. Next, lower shells of kamuros with go-getters above with this theme continuing. These were followed by fans of gold comets below with shells of orange stars turning to strobes above. Then big shells of blue turning to red and then strobes as the comet candles continued below. Next, huge shells of blue turning to gold strobes followed by smaller shells of strobes below and then huge silver comet to strobe shells with criss-crossing gold glitter comet candles below, arcing over to the lake and bringing the segment to a gentle close.

Part 6 to the tracks from the musical The Fiddler On The Roof by Jerry Bock Silver comet crossette mines opened this segment and were followed by crossette comet shells above. A front of silver comet crossette mines were then followed by volleys of farfalle shells and then a return to the crossette comet shells. Barrages of salutes and colour shells were followed by sequences of the silver comet crossette mines as the salutes and colour shells continued above. Low level bombettes of bees were followed by the same in shells, the bees going well with the theme of "if I were a rich man" being hard working etc. The bee shells continued and were followed by charcoal comet fans at the left and right of ramp 3. A run of mine from right to left was followed by the reverse in meteor comets and then back to the mines. The bee shells returned as the charcoal comets continued. Then a fan of mines in the centre and then in pairs outwards on ramp 3 followed by left and right firing mines with shells of stars ending in crackle tips above as the mines crossed below. Brighter mines and shells of stars and dahlia comets fired above, bringing the segment to a close.

Part 7 to the tracks from the musical The King & I by Rodgers & Hammerstein Dazzling orange flames erupted from ramp 5. Gold dust mines were then followed by more dazzling orange flames drowning out the dimmer shells above. Another run of gold dust mines on ramp 5 and then shells of tourbillons with strobing pistils above. These continued and were followed by mine fronts on ramp 5. Fast sequences of gold glitter comets fired from ramp 5 with shells of rings of comets above and candles of whizzers on ramp 3. This theme continued and was followed by mines on ramp 3 and brilliant pastel colour shells above. Dancing mines then fired from ramp 5 as the track changed showing brilliant synchronization. Wide fans of fountains then lit up on ramp 5 and were augmented by pastel star candles and more of the dancing mines on ramp 5. The mines then fired at angles in sequences, first right in threes and then left, in perfect harmony with the music. This theme continued and then a return to the pastel star candles and other left and right firing mine sequence fronts with the mines crossing over. A change to dazzling strobing white Niagara Falls shells causing me to write wow in my notes. Mixed in with these were dense bursts of colour stars and then huge blue shells turning to gold strobes with a front of silver strobe mines below bringing the segment to a close.

Part 8 to the tracks from the musical The Phantom Of The Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber Cakes shot out multiple shots which landed on the lake and turned to flares as a narration announced the final act. Barrages of the dazzling silver Niagara Falls shells filled the sky. This theme continued and was augmented by lower shells of strobe. These were then followed by electric crossette comet shells filling the sky with more and more. Huge shells of strobes were then followed by deafening fans of screaming whistles causing another wow in my notes. Different coloured meteor fans then fired left and right with massive shells turning to kamuros above, the meteor fans somewhat drowning these out as did the lower colour star shells that augmented the mix. Fast changing angles of meteor comets were followed by barrages of kamuro shells above, filling the sky as thunderous titanium salutes filled the sky. Then barrages of bright white shells with dimmer kamuros above hard to see. Huge kamuro mine fans then fired below as the bombardment continued above with a massive barrage of salutes and huge kamuros appeared and trailed to the lake to cheers from the audience and another standing ovation.

This was a fabulous display greatly enjoyed by the large audience. Brilliant colours, incredible synchronization which was done in harmony with the music rather than the sometime mechanical technical prowess we sometimes witness. Good variation of rhythm and pace with a good, though somewhat predictable, theme mean that Melrose will surely be rewarded with a place on the winner's podium. A couple of small technical details (orange flames way too bright and the kamuros somewhat drowned out in the finale) are only noted here because the display itself was so well done.

Thanks to the public relations people of La Ronde for the official press release material, shown in white.