L'International des Feux Loto-Québec 2009
Montréal International Fireworks Competition Report

Spain Saturday June 13^th, 2009 Odyssee

Pirotécnia Igual [Gold Jupiter, 1988 and 2001] designed by Albert Rovira and Marc Jouffroy; FireOne firing ScriptMaker choreography 92 modules ~2500 cues

Montreal, Friday, June 19, 2009 - The leading prizewinning fireworks company in the history of the Montreal International Fireworks Competition is back in town! Pirotècnia Igual, winner of six Jupiter Awards since 1987 - including two Gold Jupiters - will kick off the competition at the 25th edition of L'International des Feux Loto-Québec presented by TELUS in grand fashion. On this special anniversary occasion, it will offer spectators a dazzling light-and-sound journey from Barcelona to Montreal.

Titled "The Odyssey", this dazzling show will transport spectators from Catalonia's capital to Quebec's metropolis in just half an hour, not by way of the space shuttle Endeavour, but through the power of the imagination. The "light-and-sound craft" that will carry spectators will not follow an east-west itinerary; instead, it will travel east and provide spectators with a wealth of sights and sounds and moods from many different lands.

Naturally, in the first part of the journey, we will discover the colours of Spain - then, there will be stops in Egypt, India, China, and Japan before alighting on the coasts of Argentina, Brazil, and Cuba to name but a few of the destinations. Be warned, says Pirotècnia Igual, "The Odyssey" is full of unexpected adventure and sudden storms. And while the theme is global, as befits a journey around the world, Pirotècnia Igual's performance is truly Spanish, featuring colossal set pieces with numerous and surprising shifts in tone and rhythm.

At its inception in 1880, Igual was a modest, family-run company of artisans. It has since grown into a fireworks multinational, employing nearly 100 people, with offices in Abu Dhabi and Chile. In Chile, the company launched as many as 24 grand fireworks shows to celebrate the New Year, including one gargantuan, 20-kilometre display using 18 launch points throughout Valparaiso Bay.

A grey windless day with odd periods of drizzle gave an appropriately maritime feel to enhance Igual's chosen seavoyage theme. A large audience were lucky that the weather cleared up with just enough wind to move the smoke away - though to the detriment of everyone on the Jacques Cartier bridge. As the most rewarded company in the history of the competition, there was a strong feeling of anticipation amongst the audience and an eagerness to see what special effects were in store with the floatilla of seven pontoons making up ramp 5.

Part 1 to the music Barcelona by Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballé Large mines and shells of go-getters opened the display with sequences of meteor comets running left to right and in a broad fan with more shells of go-getters above. Then large mines with shells of strobes above as the music came to a close. A narration then introduced the theme of the display as a nautical voyage through various countries including the Orient, crossing the Pacific with storms and tempests, ending up in Montréal via Latin America and Cuba. Nautical strobes lit up the lake during this as well as horizontal gerb shots on ramp 5.

Part 2 to the music Orgia by Danzas Fantasticas by Joaquin Turina Converging and diverging fans of comets fired from ramp 3 as shells of circles fired above with colour-changing shells above these. As the comet fans continued, shells of serpents opened above followed by large colour changing shells with pistils. As the music turned more serene, red go-getters tracked across the sky and then the same in green. Some shells of comets followed by a return to the go-getters. This theme continued and was followed by volleys of shells with twinkling comets and Saturn shells (ball of stars with a ring of stars). These were followed by shells of bees above with converging star candles below. The bees were replaced by farfalles with blue pistils. This theme continued and the farfalles were replaced by double-rings of titanium spinners, then more farfalles and shells of crackle with crackling pistils. Small mine fronts fired below and then a return to the go-getters above. These continued and were augmented by fans of mines and more shells of crackle above together with rising tail shells of gold twinkling comets. This theme continued and then a run of comets across ramp 3 followed by mines and a volley of large shells above, bringing the segment to a close.

Part 3 to the music Titans from the film Alexander by Vangelis Shells breaking into two comets in a V with strobing pistils were fired to the sounds of seagulls and boat horns as kamuro mines fired below. Purple-tipped kamuro horsetail shells fired above as the V shaped kamuro mines continued below. Then shells of gold glitter comets turning to purple fired above as well as shells of pale falling leaves. The falling leaves continued alternating with shells of pale gold comets. Shells of go-getters as a line of strobing diamond set pieces on a vertical section lit up across ramp three (though 2 of 9 failed to ignite). The go-getters and falling leaves continued as the strobing set pieces burned. Then large shells of strobes with strobing pistils fired above and shells of clusters of blue stars chaning into falling leaves. These were augmented by farfalles and a carpet of nautical strobes on the lake as volleys of strobe shells fired above as the music moved to

Part 4 to the music Hunger from the film Black Hawk Down by Hans Zimmer Blue mines fired left and right and then a pyramid of waterfall fountains lit up on ramp 2. Wiggling serpent shells fired above, alternating with go-getters. This theme continued and then mines in Vs on ramp 3 with electric comet shells above. Wide-arcing Z-cakes then fired as the mines continued and were followed by fast angled fronts of mines and more of the Z-cakes and electric comet shells above. Shells of crossettes fired with bombette candles of salutes below and another sequence of angled mine fronts. The salutes and crossettescontinued, the segment coming to a close with a barrage of comet shells.

Part 5 to the music Barca Solaris by Hadouk Trio V-shaped mines fired to the sounds of boat horns alternating with shells above and straight firing mines as the shells of stars turning to crackle continued above. Z-cakes of stars started firing across ramp 3 in vivid colours as volleys of colour changing shells fired above. This theme continued as the music moved to

Part 6 to the music Throw Down by The Ananda Chankar Experience Shells of strobes and diadem electric comets were were followed by left, right and centre firing groups of comets and great sequences of stars and comets in perfect synchronization with the music. These were followed by shells of crossettes and a return to the tight sequences below, bringing the segment to a close to cheers from the crowd.

Part 7 to the music The Conference by Nintin Sawhney & Beyond Skin Three six-pointed fountains lit up in the middle of ramp three with two sets of five V shaped fountains on either side as diadem comet shells fired above and then mines of tourbillons below as the music moved to

Part 8 to the music Welcome by Zeus & The spiritual traders Whistling candles were fired with farfalle shells above as well as shells of crackle as the music moved to

Part 9 to the music Yu Jun Zhang by Thundering Dragon Shells of serpents with farfalles below were interspersed with titanium salutes on drum notes as the music as the music moved to

Part 10 to the music Explore japan by Patric Wilson & Adam Routh Shells of strobes formed the main theme for this segment as the music moved to

Part 11 to the music Concerto for Sitar & Orchestra by Ravi Shankar Candles of bombettes were augmented by mines firing left and right. Then Z-cakes of stars with shells of glittering comets above later augmented by shells of rings, the segment coming to a close with large colour-changing shells.

Part 12 to the music Lights & Shadow from the file 1492 by Vangelis Shells of crossettes and barrages of titanium salutes were followed by mines of crossettes that broke at different times as they ascended as the salutes continued above and then large shells of small strobes above. This theme continued and was augmented by blue shells and more crossettes and titanium salutes as the music transitioned to

Part 13 to the music Sherezade Op. 35 by Rimsky-Korsakov Shells of blue, rings and crackle with titanium salutes were followed by crossettes and salute cluster candles with barrage after barrage of shells and then large mines of clusters of pale gold comets as the barrages of rings and crackle shells increased on the percussion parts of the music, the segment coming to a close with the sound of seagulls.

Part 14 to the music Celos (Jealousy) by Danny Malando Very strongly sequence section with left, right and up fronts of comets and accelerating comets in perfect harmony with the music with bombardments of shells above as the music transitioned to

Part 16 to the music Samba Quente by Batucada Broad fans of gold comets with shells of rings above, again perfectly sequenced with the highly rhythmic music. Then shells of stars and dahlia comets as well as shells of small crackles.

Part 15 to the music Ritmo do brasil by Batucada A front of gerb hits and shells of photoflash and 180 fans of bright star-headed gold comets followed by shells of bees. Then bright flash pots on ramp three on the cowbell hits in the music followed by shells of bees again above. Fast sequences of mines opening from the middle of ramp 3 and back were followed by more shells of bees. Then a run of gerb hits across ramp 3 followed by sequences of comets from left and right and then the same but with starmine comets. Shells of photoflash and bees burst above as well as shells of whistles as comet sequences fired below as the music moved to

Part 17 to the music Cuba que lindos son tus paisajes by Celia Cruz & Willy Chirino Z-cakes of crossettes with the same in shells above were augmented by shells of glitter comets. This theme continued and then the shells became crossettes only, bringing the segment to a close.

Part 18 to the music La Califfa by Sarah Brightman & Ennio Moricone Gentle shells of falling leaves were followed by flight of double-ascension silver girandolas as nautical fountains lit up across the lake. The flights of girandolas continued and then the nautical fountains suddenly lept into the air, eliciting a WOW from your reporter. Fronts of mines of strobes then lit up across ramp 3 as shells of waving comets fired above. This theme continued and was followed by a broad fans of strobing comets across ramp 3 with the same in shells above. This theme continued and was then augmented by crossed mines of strobes with shells of strobes above at medium and high altitude which then transitioned to weeping willows bringing the segment to a close.

Part 19 to the music Navras from the film Matrix Revolutions by Juno Reactor A barrage of nautical shells burst from the lake to cheers from the audience. Large mines fired from ramp 3 as 5 little boats lit in in lancework on ramp 5 followed by another two to make a complement of seven. A huge boat spouting flames lit up above and around ramp 4. Some of the small boats fired shots and then all of them and some of them spouted flames too. The flame spouts and shots continued as Z-cakes of crossettes fired behind. This exciting theme continued as fans of crackling bombette comets fired together with sequences of stars across ramp 3. Then more barrages of nautical shells as the lances on the boats extinguished. Larger and larger nautical shells fired with shells of crackle above and shells of electric diadem comets, the segment coming to a close with volleys of crackling shells and a flight of titanium salutes, to cheers from the audience.

Part 20 to the music What the world needs love by Jackie Shannon Gentle kamuro horsetail shells tipped with violet stars set the scene for a calmer segment together with hearts. These were augmented by crossed violet candles and more heart shells. Then shells of spirals and saturns followed by more hearts. Meteor comet candles then fired with pastel strobe shells above as the music transitioned to

Part 21 to the music Do nothing till you hear from me by Robbie Williams Left and right firing meteor comet shots were followed by the same in vivid star colours. Several seconds of dark sky were followed by the starting sequence, another dark demi-pause and then shells with pistils. Fans of star candles were augmented by farfalles above. This theme continued and was followed by a return to the intial sequence of stars and comets, followed by more farfalles. Next, rising tail shells of gold comets, a sequence of fat comets on ramp three and mines of tourbillons followed by shells of pastel stars above. The tourbillon mines continued with willow shells above turning to purple stars, the segment coming to an end with a few seconds of dark sky and then a few mines of purple tipped willow comets.

Part 22 to the music Alegria by Cirque du Soleil The sound of a ships horn was augmented by crossing fat comets on ramp 3 and then crossed candles of kamuro comets. Above these, sequences of kamuro shells. This theme continued as broader fans of fatter kamuro mines started to fire as the pale gold kamuros continued above. The size and number increased, bringing the segment to a close.

Part 23 to the music Summer of 69 by Brian Adams & Bon Jovi A fan of bright mines opened this segment as candles of salutes fired below with shells of crossettes at the right hand side. Left and right firing fronts of starmine comets accentuated the chords in the music and were followed by V mines of strobes with star shells above. This theme continued and the shells turned to comets. The salutes continued below as a broad fan of starmine comets fired with comet shells above and some saturn shells. A broad fan of meteor comet candles fired as the shells continued above as the music transitioned to

Part 24 to the music Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne The broad candle fan continued with larger shells above and titanium salutes at mid level. Then crossed candles of salutes, titanium salutes above and barrages of shells above these as the music transitioned to

Part 25 to the music Bad Reputation by Avril Lavigne Candles of accelerating comets and whistles with salutes above these and pistil shells higher up and barrage after barrage of titanium salutes at mid-level. Several rhythmic barrages of large titanium salutes on the drum thrashing in the music brought the display to a close together with a large fan of thick comets, to cheers from the audience.

This was a very enjoyable display that was an excellent opener to the 25th Edition of the competition. Lots of beautiful product was very well choregraphed with the music through the first three quarters of the display displaying great skill and artistry and enhancing the theme of the display (which was similar to that used by Igual in 1999). The Brazillian music segment was particularly well done as well as the pirate battles. Unfortunately, Igual seemed to run out of steam towards the end from about Alegria onwards and it was apparent there must have been some technical difficulties as there were a couple of periods of unexplained darkness. The final three pieces of music, unfortunately, did not really give much feeling to the theme at all and were somewhat simplistically choreographed - maybe the technical difficulties had an impact here also. This was a shame as the majority of the display was extremely well done and, as usual, Igual's nautical shells and effects were superb.

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