Orbiter demonstrates its qualities in Austrian concert halls

The Wiener Konzerthaus (see opening image) in the Austrian capital Vienna is a first-class venue for music lovers. Top artists of all genres have performed in this atmospheric Art Nouveau setting since 1913. The musical spectrum of the Wiener Konzerthaus is not limited to classical repertoire, it ranges from the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque, jazz, and world music to the progressive sounds of the present day. The demands placed on the fixtures installed here are as varied as the program.

Copyright © Amanda Peniston-Bird

Top artists of all genres perform at the Wiener Konzerthaus

To ensure that not only the musical enjoyment but also the aesthetics of the magnificent auditorium are not compromised, the Wiener Konzerthaus decided to conceal ARRI Orbiters with ARRI 25° projection optics in the existing chandelier openings in the ceiling.

Viktor Scheck, Electrics & Lighting Wiener Konzerthaus, explains: “We were looking for a suitable replacement for the old 2 kW/2.5 kW profilers. We illuminate the stage from a distance of 24 m to 30 m, and there are not many LED fixtures on the market that provide sufficient luminosity at this distance. After checking our initial impression with measurements, it quickly became clear that the ARRI Orbiter was the best fit and the decision to purchase it was quickly made.”

Copyright © Amanda Peniston-Bird

The Wiener Konzerthaus decided to conceal ARRI Orbiters with ARRI 25° projection optics in the existing chandelier openings in the ceiling

The installation in the ceiling proved to be extremely difficult due to the limited space available and the fact that as little of the equipment as possible should be seen from the auditorium. “The position in the hall ceiling allows us to illuminate the entire stage area evenly without dazzling the musicians. We are a concert hall, not a theater. We play something different every day—a concert, a piano recital, a quartet. The Orbiter is an all-rounder that evenly illuminates the entire stage as a front light,” says the lighting expert and adds: “The color temperature is important to us, and we sometimes use colored lighting. The push of a button is all it takes to sufficiently bathe the whole stage in light with the new fixtures.”

Offering more than 40 fields of studies, the Mozarteum University in Salzburg, Austria, is one of the most renowned music and art universities in the world. Over 2,000 highly talented local and international students, together with 550 teachers, are dedicated to the arts, their mediation and research. Many world-famous artists have emerged from the ranks of the university.

Students of vocal studies at the Mozarteum University Salzburg sing an opera as their final performance. The lighting for “Elegy for Young Lovers” by Hans Werner Henze was the first employment of ARRI Orbiters with Fresnel optics at the Mozarteum. The lighting design was crucial for differentiating the many scenes and locations in the staging of this production. The stage was transformed into a glacier and then a mountain farm, each with a main light from the side. The LED fixtures were placed on two levels, at floor level and at a height of approximately 1.80 m.

Copyright © Markus Ertl

The stage was transformed into a glacier and then a mountain farm, each with a main light from the side

Alexander Laehrm, Master of Event & Event Technology/Lighting Technology at the Mozarteum University Salzburg, comments on the use of the ARRI Orbiter: “Adjustments work very well via the control panel on the back of the unit and adapting to other spotlights is also flawless. Thanks to the built-in spectrometer, the spotlight can be perfectly matched to other fixtures; the white point and green-magenta deviation are perfectly adjusted very quickly. Our performances were broadcast live on the internet with six cameras, and the Orbiters provided perfect light for the cameras as well as for the audience. These are really good fixtures.”