For its 2025 season, ETO presents The Elixir of Love and The Rape of Lucretia in repertory, touring a diverse range of venues across the UK. Supporting this ambitious tour is White Light (WL), providing technical expertise and equipment to realise the creative vision of Lighting Designer Jamie Platt and Production Electrician Joe Kirk.

Jamie’s approach to lighting opera is deeply rooted in musical storytelling. “In opera, the narrative unfolds as much through musical leitmotifs as through sung text,” he explains. “Lighting becomes a second layer of narrative. I can shift the look of the stage simply because of an oboe or a violin.” This sensitivity is vividly expressed in The Elixir of Love, where a pivotal aria sees the lighting transform to reflect Nemorino’s emotional world. “We leave reality behind and enter his head and heart,” says Jamie. “The scenic practicals begin reacting to the music, shifting from naturalistic tones to colours that lift with the love and angst he’s feeling.”

In Lucretia, Jamie’s lighting takes on a more stylised role, shaping atmosphere and symbolism. “We use deep orange tones on white muslin drapes to visually disrupt a feminine space, reflecting the antagonist’s intrusion and the opera’s thematic tension.”

Touring presents unique challenges, particularly when moving between traditional theatres and concert halls. Jamie designs with adaptability in mind, favouring booms over overhead fixtures to streamline rigging. “My job is to make it as easy as possible for Joe when the shows are in-and-up in a single day,” he says.

Joe Kirk, ETO’s Lead Production Electrician, ensures Jamie’s design is faithfully executed in every venue. “ETO is all about making opera accessible,” Joe notes. “That means transforming non-traditional spaces into fully realised theatrical environments.” His work begins with detailed venue assessments and continues through close collaboration with Jamie to maintain consistency across the tour.

To meet the demands of varied infrastructure, the lighting rig is designed to be largely self-contained. “Using LED fixtures not only supports ETO’s environmental goals but also reduces the infrastructure we need to tour,” says Joe. The rig includes ETC Halcyon Titanium, Ayrton Diablo, and ETC Lustr 2 fixtures—selected for their reliability, versatility, and quality of light.

Jamie praises the Halcyon units for their punchy output and excellent diffusion options, whilst Joe highlights the importance of thorough prep and clear build methods to support local crews. “Some venues may only host one large touring production a year,” he explains. “It’s vital that everyone understands how the show goes together, regardless of experience.”

Joe adds, “From prep to performance, the team at WL have supported us every step of the way. I’d especially like to thank Dom for being so easy to work with.” Reflecting on his six years with ETO, Joe shares: “The most rewarding part has been bringing full-scale opera to communities that rarely experience it. Overcoming the challenges of each unique venue makes every performance deeply worthwhile.”

Dom Yates, WL’s Head of Lighting, comments: “Working with ETO over the past two years has been a joy. This collaboration demonstrates how technical excellence and creative partnership can bring world-class opera to communities across the UK – making every venue, no matter its limitations, a stage for powerful storytelling.”

As The Elixir of Love and The Rape of Lucretia continue their tour, ETO remains committed to its founding principle: “Opera that moves.”

Lighting Designer: Jamie Platt.

Lead Production Electrician: Joe Kirk.

Programmer: Stephen Settle.

Production Electricians: Graeme Smith, Ciaran Lillis.

Placement Student: Luis Callender (Production LX), Thea Bulgin (Design).

Image: Courtesy of Richard Hubert Smith.

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The National Mediator of Norway works to solve high-level disputes related to wage negotiations and collective agreements. As such, it frequently brings together representatives from unions and businesses to hash out last-minute deals that directly affect the Norwegian labour market.

After moving into a new office space in Oslo, these tough negotiations will hereafter take place under Glamox-provided luminaires.

“We all know that the wage negotiations that take place in these rooms influence the wages of almost all Norwegians. Since high-stakes negotiations can drag out, causing various parties to work around the clock to seal a deal, it’s vital to have the right lighting conditions to get the job done,” says Toril Bache Jenssen, Sales Director at Glamox, Norway.

The other tenant, the Labour Court of Norway, is a specialist court that considers disputes between parties to collective agreements concerning the existence, interpretation and validity of collective agreements. To meet the needs of the court, the architectural firm IARK, which led the refurbishment, custom-designed a courtroom with an adjoining judge’s quarters, considering functionality, acoustics, and video use.

Both offices had a selection of high-quality vintage Norwegian furniture from the 1960s, which was reintegrated into the new office space.

“High-quality, durable materials with a distinctive Scandinavian design language were seamlessly integrated into the overall furniture concept, contributing an added dimension and narrative quality to the space—one that would not have existed otherwise,” says Åsa Forsberg, Interior Architect at IARK.

The two office spaces are located on different floors in Backegården in Oslo, yet closely connected through a shared entrance area, reception, social zone, and a newly constructed internal staircase. Developing the lighting concept posed challenges due to the open ceiling structure. Given a low ceiling height, a carefully tailored lighting strategy was required to balance functionality and visual coherence. To find the optimal solution, Glamox invited contractor Statsbygg and the architect to review some of the lighting Glamox had selected for its own offices in Oslo.

“We had a feeling that some of the lighting in our own office would be a good fit for this project, and this ended up being the case. The visit to our office inspired the idea of using slim Glamox C80 linear luminaires to craft squares and rectangles above the various meeting tables. That lighting ultimately gave the negotiation rooms an elegant and distinctive look,” says Bache Jenssen.

In the end, the lighting enhanced the perceived quality and spatial experience of the large meeting rooms.

Photo credit: Niklas Hart.

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Metz Way is a vital part of Gloucester’s transport infrastructure, linking residential areas like Abbeymead and Abbeydale to the city centre and playing a central role in the local economy. The route includes key junctions such as Eastern Avenue and provides access to major developments and commuter corridors, including bridges over railway lines.

As part of ongoing routine maintenance, five high masts were identified as nearing the end of their operational life and requiring replacement. Gloucestershire County Council carried out a desktop study to determine the best way forward, concluding that a combination of new high mast lighting and LED street lanterns would provide optimal coverage, particularly in areas where traditional columns were unsuitable due to Network Rail access constraints.

M Group Highways, the council’s maintenance contractor, successfully tendered for the works with a specification that included CU Phosco products. Having worked closely with M Group Highways for several years on mast maintenance across the county, CU Phosco was well placed to support this project through design, manufacture and installation.

The project scope included:

• Design, manufacture and installation of 4 x 20m high masts, each equipped with 6 P855 luminaires and 2 FL800D-2 floodlights
• Supply-only of 16 P862 LED lanterns for street lighting columns
• Removal and disposal of five existing high masts
• Bespoke foundation studs covers designed and installed to protect foundations of decommissioned masts for potential future use
• Pull-off testing of existing studs

With sections of Metz Way elevated above Network Rail infrastructure, careful planning was required to manage access and ensure safe working conditions. CU Phosco worked to tight deadlines to minimise disruption to local traffic and reduce the impact on ongoing development and transport routes in the area.

The lighting infrastructure upgrade has delivered a compliant and modern lighting solution that improves visibility and safety for all road users. The use of energy-efficient LED lanterns and future-ready high mast infrastructure reduces ongoing maintenance requirements and supports Gloucestershire County Council’s long-term strategy for resilient, sustainable public lighting.

The retention and protection of foundations for potential future reuse reflects a practical and resource-conscious approach to asset management. Meanwhile, the collaboration between CU Phosco and M Group Highways ensured a smooth delivery process from design through to installation.

Jack Benham, Project Manager at M Group Highways, commented: “Metz Way is a key artery into Gloucester, and this scheme needed to be delivered quickly and with minimal disruption. Working with CU Phosco, we were able to provide Gloucestershire County Council with a robust, energy-efficient lighting solution. Their high mast expertise and ability to deliver on challenging access requirements were instrumental to the success of this project.”

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Hinckley House School is an independent day school designed specifically for students with special educational needs. It serves children aged 5 to 11 with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs, alongside a range of other associated conditions.

The school is housed in a Grade II-listed Old Rectory within a conservation area. During its renovation, careful effort was made to preserve and enhance its historic character while protecting local wildlife.

“In 2018, a bat detection study identified five distinct bat species and indicated a thriving bat community with a variety of roosting and foraging sites,” said Jake Smith, Senior Electrical Engineer at Crookes Walter Consulting, the electrical design consultant on the Hinckley House School renovation project. “For lighting the school perimeter, we specified lighting that was durable, energy efficient, and which would provide sufficient illumination for the safety of pupils and staff whilst minimising light spillage that could affect nocturnal species. Our goal was to preserve the nighttime environment as best we could.”

Glamox provided the DarkSky-approved version of its O21-W wall light for lighting the perimeter of the school building. The tough luminaire emits light only where it is needed – in a downward direction – minimising light spill into the night sky.

“Artificial light can adversely affect wildlife and plants, interfering with their perception of day and night and disrupting their natural behaviour. The lighting for this project has a warm colour temperature of 3000 K and uses special optics to restrict light spillage,” said David Hunt, Managing Director of Glamox’s business in the United Kingdom & Ireland.

“The wall light also supports a circular economy, which is the opposite of a throwaway society. It’s been designed to be disassembled, enabling parts to be replaced to extend its lifespan. Additionally, parts can be reused or recycled at the end of their life. Around 45 per cent of the wall light’s housing is made from recycled aluminium,” added Hunt.

The wall lights are manufactured by Glamox in Basingstoke, Hampshire, in the United Kingdom, and exported across Europe. Glamox’s customer for the project is Crookes Walker Consulting, which provides sustainable mechanical, electrical, and plumbing design and professional services to property and construction industries. Simcott Projects Ltd undertook the lighting installation.

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The performances were part of Sam Fender’s critically acclaimed and ongoing People Watching album campaign. The album is renowned for its heartfelt emotion, storytelling and overwhelming relatability.

The production equipment for these four spectacular shows – three at Fender’s hometown stadium of St. James’ Park, Newcastle, and one in London – was supplied by Liverpool-based Adlib (lighting, video, rigging, PA system) and Plymouth-based Nubsound (audio control).

To align with Fender’s raw and distinctively original aesthetic, Sam Tozer’s primary lighting requirement was “sheer firepower”… but applied simply in order to complement the epic cinematic aesthetic. The elegance and quality light output further accentuated the intensity of Fender’s material.

“The tour had already played extensively in arenas, where the streamlined, clean-cut lighting treatment worked brilliantly and everyone loved it, so the main basic need for the stadium gigs was to scale this up,” continues Sam.

Sam Tozer has been involved with the Sam Fender creative team as show designer since 2020, and works closely with lighting director and show designer Luke Avery and video content creator James Lockey, together with production manager Rob Simpson and tour director Oli James.

Adlib has been the equipment vendor since 2018, starting back then with floor lighting and video packages. The account has grown exponentially with Sam Fender’s success and is managed enthusiastically for Adlib by Jordan Willis.

Being in midsummer, “We needed extreme brightness for these shows,” stated Sam Tozer on why iFORTE LTXs were chosen.

There was also no roof above the band on the stage – custom-designed by Acorn Event Stages – for this show, so all the kit needed to be IP rated.

Six cantilevered structural towers provided rigging points for four horizontal trusses in overhead positions just above the band playing area.

The look featured a wide upstage screen – 50 metres wide by 10 metres high – made up of transparent Roe Vanish 8 LED product, which was framed on all four sides with iFORTES. A spectacular 22 x 4 matrix of iFORTES – 88 in total – was rigged behind the screen on ladders, which kicked some serious lumens into the picture when needed, and enabled the screen to appear one moment… and magically dissolve the next – like a trick of the eye!

The iFORTE wall also offered some great depth and kinetic effects to be created, although Sam admits that most of the time, these iFORTE LTXs were running only at 40 percent, leaving plenty of headroom for power stabs, accents and looks.

Sixteen iFORTES were rigged in fours on the front side of each delay tower and used for key and front lighting on the band and for other ‘specials’. Sam noted that they make “excellent face illumination, looking natural and well-balanced on camera.”

He has used iFORTES before on several previous projects, so already knew they were robust and reliable fixtures.

Around six songs into the set, the stage was atmospherically lit using a base layer of video content, with iFORTES also mapped into the mix and triggered by the lighting console running Notch Blocks.

The four iBOLTS were rigged on top of the structural towers along the top side of the screen and used for special moments when the show needed some dramatic and hugely intense beam effects to underscore the onstage action.

Using them simply, straightforwardly, and judiciously ensured maximum impact and a chorus of audible ‘wows’ from the crowd, and this is exactly what the iBOLT was designed to do.

Sam’s most exacting challenge for these stadium shows was integrating the structural elements of the stage into the overall picture, so they assisted in closing down the area for more intimate moments and for re-launching back into ‘big-rock-legend scenes’ when needed.

Playing two venues essentially made this a very short tour that logically required huge focus and smooth, asymmetrical teamwork from everyone to get it spot on for all – band, fans, and production.

Jordan Willis commented that, from a rental company standpoint, iFORTES are “a flagship profile” also versatile enough to be a FOH follow spot and main key light fixture in stadiums. “The iFORTES have proved impressively bright for those first songs when you are playing outdoors in the summer, as well as incredibly reliable!” he stated.

Adlib loves collaborating with Sam Tozer – winner of this year’s coveted TPi Lighting Designer of the Year Award – for many reasons, including his “attention to detail related to every aspect of the show. He is highly creative, and a real team player who understands how things work and what is possible – or not – from the outset,” concludes Jordan.

Photo: Luke Dyson.

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For the 2025 edition, held from 3^rd – 7^th September 2025, light quality played a decisive role. As the official service partner of Messe Friedrichshafen, Organissimo worked with Elation to upgrade the arena’s lighting, illuminating it with seventy KL PANEL XL LED soft lights to ensure reliable, flexible, broadcast-quality performance.

Lighting the Americana Show Arena presented several unique challenges. Activities began as early as six in the morning and ran until midnight, with rehearsals often stretching into the early hours. This meant the lighting system had to perform under near-constant use. The arena was also captured on eight to nine cameras for both broadcast and livestream, requiring lighting that would look natural and flicker-free on screen.

At the same time, the welfare of the horses was paramount. Traditional halogen fixtures had not only failed frequently, requiring constant bulb changes, but they also projected blinding light that could distract riders and animals. With fixtures mounted high on trusses above sensitive arena sand, there was no opportunity for quick maintenance if something went wrong, so reliability and performance were essential.

The venue knew they wanted to upgrade to LED, and the solution was Elation’s KL PANEL XL, a powerful LED soft light known for its even light distribution, high output and excellent color rendering. Organissimo mounted seventy units across three long trusses running the length of the hall, along with additional trusses at each end to achieve full coverage. Organissimo’s Martin Knauer chose the KL PANELs for the arena lighting and created the overall lighting design.

The KL PANEL XL adapts easily to the needs of live events, camera productions, and large-scale shows, and its features proved decisive for Americana: its 544W RGBWLC LED array produces up to 44,000 lumens with a CRI of 95, ensuring natural, high-quality color reproduction. With a color temperature range from 2,000 to 10,000K and flexible DMX control, the lights could quickly adapt from the bright white wash required for horse competitions to smooth pastels and softer tones for demonstrations and shows. The fixtures also include barndoors, which allowed the team to direct light precisely while avoiding unwanted spill.

“For an arena of this size, homogeneous and reliable lighting is crucial,” says Daniel Geiger, Managing Director of Organissimo. “The KL PANEL XL provided us with the perfect combination of performance, flexibility, and energy efficiency. It was an ideal light for this type of show.” The KL lights were integrated into the overall production by Organissimo, which not only managed lighting, sound, and video but also oversaw some construction and provided behind-the-scenes support.

Organissimo collaborated with camera teams, who specifically requested LED panel softlights, something that would not project blinding light but could cover the entire arena in a uniform wash. The LED panels enhanced video capture without distracting riders or animals, while the RGBWLC engine provided the softer color tones requested by the client. Engineered for both live and broadcast environments, the KL Panel XL ensures flicker-free performance through a 900–25,000 Hz LED refresh rate and maintains near-silent operation.

The KL PANEL XL units worked in conjunction with moving head fixtures, enabling Organissimo to combine uniform soft washes with dynamic spotlighting for specific scenes and performances.

The results exceeded expectations. For the first time, the Americana arena could transition seamlessly between crisp competition lighting and immersive colored scenes, something previously impossible with the halogen system. Riders, audiences, and online viewers alike benefited from improved visibility, natural colors, and dynamic effects. The system performed reliably under heavy use, even with near round-the-clock operation, and no failures were reported. “We were very excited but also a bit nervous as we had not used these types of lights for a horse show before,” Geiger commented, “but they performed excellently.”

By all accounts, Americana 2025 was a resounding success, drawing more visitors than ever before and raising production quality to new heights. The collaboration between Organissimo and Elation underlined their shared ability to deliver tailored event technology at the highest level while the KL PANEL XL proved to be an effective solution for equestrian event lighting.

Photo courtesy of Organissimo.

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In total, Glamox is providing 3,220 energy-efficient LED luminaires that will be installed under the forecourt canopies and used to illuminate the EV charging bays and station perimeters. The luminaires feature a light sensor, enabling them to switch on and off automatically based on daylight levels (see Notes to Editors for lighting details).

St1’s replacement of old fluorescent lighting with LED luminaires will improve light quality and reduce the electricity used for lighting the forecourts by up to 60 per cent.

“Through this refurbishment, we aim to reduce the amount of electricity used for lighting the forecourts at many of our retail sites across Norway,” says Erlend Føleide, Marketing Director at St1. “Importantly, the project will also align our forecourts with the EU directive that phases out fluorescent lighting.”

In August 2023, the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive began the phase-out of the most popular types of fluorescent lighting, including the most common linear (T5 and T8) fluorescent tubes. The goal is to reduce harmful substances in electronic waste, like mercury in fluorescent tubes. In Norway alone, more than 10 million fluorescent luminaires need to be replaced.

“Customers across the country are taking steps to align with the directive, as once current stocks run out, that is the end of the road for fluorescent lighting. With the added upside in light quality and energy savings, switching to LED, like St1 is doing, is an all-around great investment,” says Toril Bache Jenssen, Sales Director for Glamox in Norway.

To ensure consistent deliveries to St1 across Norway, Glamox established a stockpile of LED luminaires. Its contract for the project is with installer OneCo, which delivers services and projects within electrical engineering, automation, telecoms, mobile, security, electrical power and technical infrastructure.

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Beyond its architectural significance, the church plays a vital role in the life of the community. It hosts a wide range of services, concerts, exhibitions and outreach programmes. The church is also home to the Marylebone Health Centre and the Marylebone Project, which supports vulnerable women. The recent restoration project sought not only to preserve the church’s historic fabric but to enhance its accessibility and relevance as a vibrant, inclusive hub for all.

Specialist restoration

Beginning in 2013, Caroe Architecture was chosen to undergo the intensive conservation of the building, a project that called for a sensitive approach that respected the church’s architectural heritage. In early 2022, William Sugg & Co. was entrusted with the restoration of the two lanterns and pedestals at the main South Entrance, and the bracket and cradle-hung lantern that guides parishioners to the doorway. By 2024, the project expanded to include repairs and the replacement of missing decorative elements, including the ram heads and laurel swags on the north side pedestals, as well as the creation of exact replicas of the original front lanterns for the North Entrance

“Being part of the St Marylebone Parish Church restoration offered our team an incredible opportunity to revive cherished heritage features and ensure their preservation for future generations. The unique challenges of the project allowed us to utilise traditional skills together with innovative tools to restore and craft solutions that support the aims of the Changing Lives campaign,” commented Lucy Bubb, MD of William Sugg & Co.

History meets technology

The original lanterns on the north side of the church had been lost to time, with only historic references and surviving examples at the South Entrance to guide the restoration. The original restored lanterns could not be removed without disrupting church activities, so William Sugg & Co. enlisted Darren Bennet of Benetex to undertake detailed 3D scans of the lanterns in situ. Over successive site visits and collaboration with the William Sugg & Co. team, these scans were transformed into precise 3D models, forming the blueprint for restoration and replication. Many ornate lantern components originally cast in iron were rendered in aluminium, where casting would have been prohibitively slow and expensive.

Restoring and designing the lantern and pedestal parts from external 3D scan data posed unique difficulties, as the scans captured only outer surfaces. The process required careful internal design assumptions and hands-on problem-solving, with the absence of internal geometry leading to thoughtful discussions and live adjustments throughout the manufacturing process. This modern approach allowed the team to recreate intricate historical details and modernise the fixtures in line with current standards.

Andy Jones, Fabricator at William Sugg & Co., commented, “We needed to produce replicas that were visually identical to the historic lanterns at the church’s main entrance. The hands-on process evolved as we went, with 3D scanning giving us a solid starting point. From there, we used our experience to resolve functional issues, such as water ingress, until they perfectly replicated the originals. There’s a real sense of pride in seeing the finished lanterns light up the church, knowing every detail was considered, crafted and improved along the way.”

Illuminating a lasting legacy

The newly restored lanterns feature a top-mounted LED light source, complemented by frosted glass, creating a warm, authentic glow reminiscent of the original gas lighting. The project culminated in four beautifully restored and striking pedestals, three restored lanterns and two replicas using modern techniques outside St Marylebone Parish Church, ensuring that every aspect of the church’s historic lighting remains true to the original Neoclassical vision. William Sugg & Co.’s lighting solutions now illuminate the church’s facade and create a welcoming atmosphere at the newly restored entrance, symbolising the church’s renewed role as a beacon of hope and opportunity through the St Marylebone Changing Lives campaign.

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Guided by Kinzo’s vision of a workspace that feels both personalised and distinctly Munich, Light Forms ensured lighting became more than a functional layer – it was designed as a core architectural element and a driver of atmosphere across the office’s 5,500 sqm.

Light Forms solutions combined statement pieces with highly functional systems. The Serpentine system and MoonBands introduced a contemporary signature, while custom Lightplane 2.5 fixtures provided clear, functional illumination along high-traffic circulation routes. For focused and comfortable task lighting, Light Forms integrated Nova Medium downlights across workstations and meeting rooms.

In the central social zones, a striking visual focal point was created with MoonRings, complemented by a bespoke ceiling rose – fabricated to a unique UK specification. Conceived as both a technical and a sculptural centrepiece, it symbolises the fusion of engineering precision and artistic expression.

From this centrepiece, ELOA Glass Pendants in both Hebe and Haumea versions were suspended, adding warmth and a touch of elegance that set the tone for the wider space. Each lighting decision was carefully coordinated with Kinzo to balance performance with ambience – ensuring the office’s users enjoy a workplace that inspires comfort, collaboration, and identity, all with a modern finish.

Reflecting on the result, Laura from Kinzo said: “Light Forms’ technical expertise elevated our concept in every space. Their bespoke solutions, especially the custom ceiling rose and feature lighting brought our ideas to light and made the office truly distinctive.”

The Munich office demonstrates what’s possible when architectural vision and lighting design work hand in hand. By uniting technical precision with creative expression, Light Forms helped shape an environment that is both functional and inspiring. In this project, lighting doesn’t just illuminate; it defines character, enhances wellbeing, and expresses the company’s identity in every detail.

Client: International Software company.
Interior Architects: Kinzo.
Photography: © Sorin Morar | Kinzo.

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Peter’s approach was rooted in delivering quality and consistency across a technically demanding schedule. With productions rehearsing and performing in rapid succession, the lighting design had to be both flexible and precise. This consistency came from the team Peter works with regularly and had specifically assembled for this season. Each production presented unique challenges, and Peter had to creatively adapt each one using the same rig, while customising his design. Working with a brilliant LX team meant they were able to look at requirements for all the productions and find holistic ways to execute the lighting design, saving materials and time.

Pelléas et Mélisande, described by Peter as “entirely driven by light,” featured dancers manipulating practical light sources live on stage, with integrated LED lighting hidden within scenery and wireless fixtures creating ethereal effects. Working with Director Jenny Ogilvie, the lighting R&D phase was paramount to the success of the show, and WL was also key in recommending fixtures that would enable the overall creative look and feel. Peter comments: “The onsite LX team including James, Charlie and Ben did a fantastic job too and contributed massively to the success and smooth running of the show.”

One of the season’s most memorable lighting moments came during Pelléas et Mélisande, when Mélisande, dressed in white, drifted across the stage on a swing under a soft golden-grey glow from a hidden light source. In a striking final scene, Peter used rare sodium lights, borrowed from the Barbican, to bathe the stage in monochromatic orange, rendering the surrounding colours black and white. Mélisande, illuminated in full colour by tungsten light, appeared to radiate life as the characters around her shifted from grey to vibrant hues. This bold, poetic use of light transformed the atmosphere and underscored the emotional climax of the opera. The result was a visually rich experience that earned critical acclaim, including praise from The Guardian.

Meanwhile, Wahnfried demanded a dramatic, shadowed palette and rich earthy tones to match its intense themes, while Dido and Aeneas, and Il Barbiere di Siviglia leaned into warmth and naturalism, supported by a carefully curated mix of tungsten, LED and arc sources. Across all four productions, WL’s equipment enabled rapid changeovers, high-fidelity lighting, and creative flexibility, crucial in a repertory season where operas transitioned with minimal turnaround time.

WL supported this vision by providing a wide range of equipment, from tungsten TW1s and Svobodas to Martin Mac Viper DX washes, ETC ColorSource Cyc, Elation SixPAR 200IP,  enabling Peter and his team to craft distinct atmospheres for each opera while maintaining a cohesive technical infrastructure.

“WL’s support was platinum standard,” said Peter Small. “Their extensive inventory, from specialist tools to vintage fixtures, enabled me to fully realise my creative vision. Whether it was beam benders, bespoke rigging, or seamless logistics and budget management, their expertise helped us deliver a technically complex season with confidence and flair.”

Stuart Porter, WL’s Business Development Manager, comments: “We’re proud to add Longborough Festival Opera to the growing list of prestigious opera festivals we support across the country. It’s always a pleasure collaborating with Peter, as his creative vision and ability to blend vintage and modern equipment make each project uniquely inspiring. Working closely with Peter allows us to tailor our support to meet both artistic and technical demands seamlessly.”

As Longborough continues to push boundaries in opera production, WL is proud to be a trusted partner by bringing technical excellence, creative collaboration, and storytelling to the stage.

Lighting Designer: Peter Small.

Production Electrician: James Smellie.

Programmer: Rohan McDermott.

Senior Technician Lighting: Charlie Mann.

Technician: Ben Oakley.

Image credit: Barber (Bright crowd scene) – Clive Barda.

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