Almost 70 Claypaky fixtures played a key role in the lighting design of Il furioso nell’isola di S. Domingo by Gaetano Donizetti. The 1833 opera was staged at Teatro Donizetti in Bergamo under the direction of Manuel Renga and conducted by Alessandro Palumbo. The production was presented over three performances plus an Under30 preview as part of Donizetti Opera 2025, the international festival dedicated to the famous composer from Bergamo, held from November 14 to 30 under the artistic and musical direction of Maestro Riccardo Frizza.
Lighting Designer Emanuele Agliati selected a combination of advanced lighting solutions, including 16 Claypaky Volero Cube, 15 Claypaky Volero Twins, 4 Claypaky Rhapsodya, 14 Claypaky Sinfonya, 4 Claypaky B-Eye K20, 4 ADB Actoris Profile and 10 ADB Klemantis fixtures. This setup was designed to support an opera rich in color, visual detail and dramatic atmosphere.
Fixture Selection: Claypaky Volero
“We chose the Claypaky Volero Twins to achieve a uniform backlight from a single position, avoiding the need for multiple separate sources,” explains Agliati. “The use of haze helped create a perfectly even backlight. A key feature of the Volero Twins is pixel control, which allowed us to dynamically blend color and intensity on a very white stage. By distributing color and brightness, I used the backlight to illuminate the white floor like a blank canvas. The result was never a flat, uniform color, but one that changed according to the action and scene transitions.”
Equipped with RGBW LEDs, the Volero Twins deliver a dense, powerful beam with precise control and sharp definition. Designed for modular use, they can operate as standalone units or as part of modular configurations. Suitable for both short- and long-throw applications and immersive lighting, they helped create a solid, dense light with clean effects, enhancing clarity and visual precision.
The almost rectangular beam of the Volero Twins filled the stage space more effectively than a traditional LED bar. “Because the fixtures were placed very close together, the light was perceived as a single source,” Agliati notes, “similar to a large LED bar with multiple chips. In some scenes, we achieved very interesting effects thanks to light reflecting off the floor.”
For side lighting of the performers, Agliati chose the Claypaky Volero Cube. Thanks to their compact size, they proved ideal for theatre use. “Their small footprint was crucial, and they were used as traditional wash lights,” says Agliati. “The square beam instead of a round one was both a challenge and a new opportunity, allowing better space coverage and cleaner stage wings. The wide source also ensured that, even when the fixtures were positioned close to the singers, the light remained even across the entire body, as if the fixtures were positioned several meters away.”
Technology Serving the Narrative
Agliati’s approach focused on maximizing the available technology to fully cover the stage without changing lighting positions—an essential requirement in a festival that presents three different opera titles over three consecutive weekends, plus additional events. Two productions alternate on the Teatro Donizetti stage, while a third is presented at Teatro Sociale in Bergamo Alta.
Regarding the Claypaky Sinfonya and Rhapsodya fixtures, already part of the Teatro Donizetti inventory, Agliati explains: “Il Furioso is a very colorful production, and lighting plays a key narrative role. We chose multispectral LED sources, which allowed us to reproduce any color shade without sacrificing brightness. The high-precision profiling of these fixtures was essential for creating defined ‘windows’ of light on stage.”
Perfect Balance
The ADB Klemantis fixtures were used to light the cyclorama, creating gradients from cool white to warm white. ADB Actoris Profile fixtures, positioned in front of house area, provided powerful and precise illumination, ideal for high-quality static lighting. Claypaky B-Eye K20 fixtures were used for backlighting and as a general soft wash over the stage.
Il furioso nell’isola di S. Domingo received great acclaim from both international critics and an enthusiastic audience across all performances. Agliati was supported at the lighting console by operators Mirko Bergami and Roberto Gelmetti, ensuring flawless management of the lighting setup.
With this production, Teatro Donizetti confirmed its commitment to technological innovation, presenting a visually striking show for Donizetti Opera 2025. Claypaky solutions enhanced the beauty of Donizetti’s work with a modern, engaging and expressive lighting design.
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