SGM on Patty Pravo Tour

Italian lighting designer Massimo Tomasino has extended his relationship with SGM's Synthesis 700 and Giotto 400 moving head spots, featuring them extensively in the design for Patty Pravo's current Nella Terra dei Pinguini tour.

Having worked with the Italian pop legend - whose own career spans four decades - since 2005, he has a clear fix on the type of set design that suits her best. "With her elegant pop/rock style, I like to work with a lot of rear lighting," he says.

This time around, Tomasino designed both the lighting and the scenography, with a scalable set that would be equally dynamic in the smaller theatres as in the large arenas and amphitheatres. "I needed moving lights that would deliver a strong brightness and at the same time run very silent, especially when touring theatres," he says.

"The set list contains many slow songs, with soft dynamics - often with only a classical guitar and her voice. The Synthesis spots are ideal for this."

Working with the artiste's production company, Musikeria, he sourced 12 each of the moving heads from Fast Service.

The LD has used SGM products regularly in his shows since 2008. "Patty Pravo is especially happy with the Synthesis because of its low noise," he confirmed. "She is really concerned about this issue, as well as the rest of the lighting set-up."

In addition to its silent running characteristics, other unique features of the Synthesis are a Wireless DMX interface fitted as standard and protection against incorrect power supplies of up to 380V. With an optical path that enables it to unleash power comparable to a 1,200W light source, it offers the option of two types of lamp for different color temperatures: 7,200 degrees K or 5,600 degrees K. Automatic hot re-strike, color mixing, precise linear dimmer, animation wheel, automatic electronic pan/tilt unlocking, and supreme brightness are further features, the company says.

The Patty Pravo lighting rig is based around three 40' long trusses. The first six Synthesis heads are divided, two on the downstage truss and four on the mid stage, for backlit effects on the artist and front lighting on the band. The final six heads are used only for backlight effects on the upstage truss.

A further 30'-long truss is set far upstage and flown 1.5' from the stage floor on rotating panels designed by the LD. When these panels are rotated (half open), they reveal five vertical trusses, with a Giotto Spot 400 on top. Two additional trusses are placed vertically up front, with a further Spot 400 on top of each while the final five Giottos are distributed behind and in front of the band risers - to project narrow beams upwards from the floor. "This is something the artist really likes," confirms Massimo.

Summing up, he says, "SGM spots have a very fast response and are also extremely bright when used outdoors - in fact, I've often found that other brands with higher wattage lamps don't compare in the same class. They are also very strong and durable for touring, but, at the same time, I have also used them in designs for television because of their excellent zoom and color temperatures."