Apparently BEM are not giving any press release in advance of their display nor did they allow any media presence on the firing ramps leading to speculation of some special surprises for their show tomorrow. However, the music selection has been published

La Mer Claude Debussy
Mon Pays Gilles Vigneault
L’Hymne au Printemps Félix Leclerc
Babel Armand Amar
Le ballet des vaillants combattants Antoine Boesset
Concerto pour piano #21 W. A. Mozart
Montagues & Capulet Sergei Prokofiev
Adagio Tomaso Albinoni
Requiem Kyrie W. A. Mozart
Nocturne Frédéric Chopin
Espana Emmanuel Chabrier

Their designer, Marc Masson, did however give an interview in French in which he promised "the most original display in the competition this year with the best concept, the best since the competition began". He also promised a special "mechanized flower with hundreds of lances". This sounds very similar to the Irdieden (Maltese wheel) used by Hop Kee in 2003 (and also by Ampleman in their opening show in 2004) so I hope that's not the main surprise. I'm looking forward to seeing what they do with the Debussy listed in the soundtrack, though, as this is a very beautiful piece of atmospheric music.

Paul.

Paul, following what you report about the BEM's "no media presence" policy and from the official interview, I have a strange feeling. Does BEM's team is overconfident? Due to the high level of the competition and the incredible creativity of some contestants, I am not sure that it is a good strategy to frame their display as "the most original display in the competition this year with the best concept, the best since the competition began".

However, BEM demonstrated in 2000 that they are able to do a high quality performance. Now, if they can add the innovation, it can be a winner display. We will see.

A press release is available (in French only) on the official website of L'International des feux Loto-Québec:
http://www.internationaldesfeuxloto-quebec.com/fr/info/presse.asp

Below is the most important segment of this press release.

Frédérick

Le Canada à L’International des Feux Loto-Québec de La Ronde

Avec « Au Pied-du-Courant », BEM FEUX D’ARTIFICE raconte pyromusicalement l’histoire du Québec depuis sa découverte par Jacques Cartier

Montréal, le 22 juillet 2005 - À 22h le samedi 23 juillet prochain, L’International des Feux Loto-Québec de La Ronde accueillera le huitième concurrent en lice dans la course aux Jupiters, la firme BEM FEUX D’ARTIFICE, représentante officielle du Canada. Avec leur prestation « Au Pied-du-Courant », l'équipe canadienne entraînera les spectateurs dans un grandiose périple pyromusical au cœur de l’histoire canadienne, de la découverte du nouveau monde jusqu’à nos jours. Originaire de Coteau-du-Lac au Québec, la firme BEM FEUX D’ARTIFICE en est à sa deuxième participation à Montréal.

Durant cette magnifique prestation, les spectateurs seront invités à revivre l’Histoire de l’endroit même où ils se trouvent pour admirer le spectacle : le Pied du Courant. Segmentée en huit somptueux tableaux représentant certains grands événements historiques de la fondation du Canada, l’unique prestation « Au Pied-du-Courant » sera agrémentée d’une narration poétique mettant les spectateurs en contexte. Cette narration sera assurée par Albert Millaire et ce, dès l’ouverture du spectacle. C’est sur des airs de Claude Debussy, de W. A.. Mozart, de Gilles Vigneault, de Félix Leclerc et de Frédéric Chopin entre autres que les spectateurs seront transportés dans cette histoire pyromusicale.

Ainsi les spectateurs se retrouveront au 16e siècle et seront témoins de la rencontre entre Européens et Amérindiens; au 17e siècle où ils vivront les défis, les déchirements et les joies de l’établissement d’une colonie; au 18e siècle pour revivre les épisodes américains de la guerre de sept ans; au 19e siècle pour assister à la pendaison des patriotes; au 20e siècle pour revivre l’époque de la prohibition de l’alcool et au 21e siècle pour célébrer le brillant avenir que leurs réservent les joies d’antan.

Pour leur tableau en hommage aux patriotes, l’équipe de BEM FEUX D’ARTIFICE a créé un imposant mécanicasse unique en son genre constitué d’aluminium et d’acier. Version améliorée des Irdieden de l’île de Malte (célèbres roues de tir en bambou), cette structure de tir en forme de fleur avec des pétales rotatifs piqués de lances pyrotechniques et synchronisés les uns aux autres créant ainsi un des plus beaux effets pyrotechniques au monde. Cette fleur de métal et de feu est animée par deux moteurs électriques et a exigée plusieurs mois de conception et de construction.

BEM FEUX D’ARTIFICE œuvre dans la pyrotechnie depuis près de 40 ans et a produit des déploiements pyrotechniques majeurs dans la plupart des villes importantes de l'est du Canada. Afin de bien illustrer cette aventure historique, l’équipe de BEM FEUX D’ARTIFICE a importé les pièces pyrotechniques de leur spectacle des plus grands manufacturiers asiatiques, européens, nord et sud américains.

It is interesting that the press release talks of the "improved" Irdieden (Maltese wheel). It seems that all the main fireworks companies in Quebec have one: Ampleman used theirs in the opening show in 2004 and Royal used theirs in the closing show of the Sherbrooke competition last year (and, of course, Hop Kee used one in Montreal in 2003). I know that both Royal's and Ampleman's Irdiedens are motorized - this makes the wheel much cheaper to operated compared to the approximately 100 fireworks drivers that would otherwise be required. The press release is somewhat mistaken in saying these are made of bamboo in Malta; I know Toni Busuttil quite well and his Irdieden are certainly made of metal. Toni and his son Clint were in Montreal building the one used by Hop Kee and they have a very interesting website about these fascinating contraptions at:

http://www.maltafireworks.com/index.html

Cheers,

Paul.

"the most original display in the competition this year with the best concept, the best since the competition began"???? Are you serious??? These guys better have their sh*t together after making claims like that! How arrogant!

And why not give access to the ramps? What makes them so special to deny something that has been accepted by all other participants in the history of this competition?

So, if this is the most original display, then for sure we won't see an Irdieden, since this has been done before, right? It won't be live music also, since this wouldn't be so original? Live performers? been done before, flame effects? nope.

I get it! underwater fireworks!!! That has not been done before!

Even Eric Tucker never made claims like these, and he always made a point of letting visitors on his ramps so that he could share his passion for the art.

This reeks of arrogance and it is par for the course coming from Bernard Masson.

Message for Bernard: You'd better blow us away with an incredible show tonight, something we've never seen before done in Montreal, or you'll be the laughing stock of this forum tomorrow.

I was thinking of going tonight and maybe have a beer at the salon des artificiers afterwards but I guess you won't let anyone outside your circle in, so I'll just stay at home and read the reviews of this ground braking display tomorrow!

Paul, please take extra care with your notes so that you can share these revelations with us tomorrow and help all the community elevate their art to the rank of BEM.

Lastly, what a stroke of genius to use "Espana" for the finale of a show dedicated to Montreal!!!! I would have never tought of it myself!

I agree with anonymous. It's very easy to make direct claims like this when you probably don't even know all what has happened in the history of the competition. The way he makes it sound is as if this will be in 1st place! He'd better prove me wrong!

But then again, maybe this will be a very different display, so we shouldn't really underestimate them or anyone else so I could be wrong, myself, for doubting their abilities. But, when someone makes radical statements such as this, you'd better be ready to back up your points and keep your end of the bargain.

In any case, I feel that he's bluffing. In other cases, I think we should be in for a treat. Only one way to find out.

Regards,

Trav.