An array of Claypaky lighting fixtures illuminated the Smetanova Litomyšl Festival, the second oldest music festival in the Czech Republic and one of the country’s largest classical music festivals.  From June 14 to July 6 the 67th edition returned to its traditional setting of the courtyard of a Renaissance castle in Litomyšl, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where it delighted national and international guests.

Prague-based LightNeq, which specializes in premium sound, lighting, video and staging solutions with internationally recognized brands, provided the Claypaky fixtures, which included seven Rhapsodyas, 20 Sinfonya Profile 600s and 24 Midi-B/WWs, all of them capable of extremely quiet operation.

The festival, which dated from 1949, is named for the most famous native of Litomyšl, composer Bedřich Smetanova.  It offered 47 programs combining opera, symphonic music, ballet and chamber concerts unified by this year's theme of "Passion" as an artistic motif and a force that connects, inspires and transcends boundaries.  It featured the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, other prestigious orchestras, world-class artists and opera companies.  Attendees also enjoyed the Festival Gardens, art installations, guided tours, poetry readings and family events.

The designer needed to select lighting fixtures that would be suitable for broadcast and would maximize creativity for the musical scenes.  The Claypaky Rhapsodyas were mounted on the second balcony of the castle courtyard while the Sinfonya Profile 600s and Midi-Bs were positioned on movable trusses above the stage and auditorium.

They chose these products because of their quality, which they believed surpasses other competing brands on the Czech market. Claypaky products have [always] worked without any problems.  The brand that has been proven over many years and through many events, and they know that we can rely on it.

The team also cites the “excellent” support from Claypaky for the festival with a representative from the company on site during the installation.

David Bazik is the Technical Director and Set Designer for the festival.