Lighting Up the Night Skies

On September 14, 19, 21, 28 and October 1, the seafront area in front of Macau Tower will again be the location for the event organised by the Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO). Speaking at a press conference about this year’s contest, MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes said that over the past 24 years the event has won steadfast support from numerous pyrotechnic companies around the world, and has grown to become one of the not-to-miss annual international events in the territory.  

 

This year's contest boasts new elements such as a "Pyrotechnics Industry Forum", competing teams from five continents with first-time participation by a team from Africa, laser light effects and a promotional micro-movie. 

 

From September 28 to October 1, MGTO will host the first "Pyrotechnics Industry Forum" with industry partners from Mainland China and overseas coming together for a discussion on applied technology, safety and development of the pyrotechnic industry and its benefits for the tourism industry. 

 

In another development, this year sees the first African fireworks company joining the competition. Fireworks for Africa was established in South Africa in 1996 and has won numerous awards in international fireworks competitions, as well as having had the honour of presenting the fireworks shows during the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. From Angola to Zimbabwe, their presentations have wowed audiences across Africa and beyond. 

 

For the first time in the history of the event, five continents will be represented – Asia, Europe, North America, Australia and Africa – including companies from Spain, South Africa, Switzerland, Korea, Portugal, Australia, Italy, Canada, France and Mainland China. 

 

Making their debut in Macau this year is Dancing Fireworks Group Co. Ltd. from Mainland China. Organiser of the spectacular fireworks for the 60th Anniversary of the People’s Republic of China at the National Day celebrations in Tiananmen, Beijing in 2009, they were also behind the fireworks displays at the opening ceremony of World Expo 2010 Shanghai, and the Asian Games 2010. It is with great excitement that they are bringing their show “Chinese Dream” to Macau.

 

The teams from Canada and Switzerland are also taking part for the first time. 

 

Based in Montreal, Groupe Fiatlux-Ampleman has more than 100 years experience in the industry and has a reputation for pushing the envelope. Their list of achievements carries an artistic inclination, with events such as pyromusical and integrated effects at Quebec’s Winter Carnival, and Montreal’s International Jazz festival.  Their work has been shown at a host of international destinations, from Shanghai to Belgium.

 

Specialists in fireworks since 1971, SUGYP SA is one of the leading companies in Switzerland.  They have taken part in a number of contests and music fireworks shows around the world. Their first show in Macau is called “Stories of Love” and designer Nicolas Guinand says it is a tale that emotionally describes the encounter between “matter and imagination”. Stressing the importance of the location to the nature of the production, Guinand explains that elements such as the bridges, the city and the sea all influence the products used. “Our presentation will take you to a world of dreams and there will be stars in your eyes when you return to reality,” he enthuses.

 

Four of the participating teams returning this year are former winners in the Macau International Fireworks Display Contest, and their experience will certainly make for an exciting competition. Among them, SAS BREZAC Artifices from France has participated four times and won two first-place awards, among others. Founded in 1964, this family-run business has organised shows for a number of major events including the 50th anniversary of the independence of Indonesia, viewed by an audience of over 1 million people in Jakarta. 

 

SAS BREZAC Artifices and Dancing Fireworks Group Co. Ltd. will stage their fireworks display on October 1, the final night of the competition and China’s National Day.

 

PANZERA-INDUSTRIA PIROTECNICA from Italy has twice won in Macau. Founded by Luigi Panzera, the company has its roots in Turin and today operates all around the world. They pride themselves on the precision they implement in combining music and pyrotechnic timing, an art they have been perfecting for decades. "The theme of our display is 'Jukebox', a voyage into the past, and all these songs have left a mark in our lives," says company representative Maria Grazia Gerbaudo.

 

The fireworks companies from Spain and Portugal have also previously been awarded first place titles in Macau. With 79 years of history in Portuguese pyrotechnics, MACEDOS PIROTECNIA Lda has a roll call of awards that matches its timeline, and they have won competitions right across the globe, from Europe to Asia. 

 

Spain’s CABALLER FX & SERVICE S.L has a pyrotechnic heritage dating back to 1877, and their principal aim is to fill towns and cities with light, gunpowder and fire! Their numerous accolades are testament to their success in this area, and this year they bring their skills back to Macau in their quest for first place. 

 

Infinity Pyrotechnic from Australia came in third place in last year’s competition.  The company’s operators are experienced at choreographing, synchronizing and producing firework displays on both land and water. Founded in 2001, and with over 25 year's experience, director Robert Fairbanks has staged shows the width and breadth of Australia as well as in the Asia and Pacific regions. 

 

Korean fireworks company Hanwha Corporation has been operating since 1964 and has competed in a number of international fireworks competitions, including Macau.  They have also been the organisers of the Seoul International Fireworks Festival. 

 

With ten very diverse teams taking part in the 2013 event, the combination of experience, victories and different backgrounds will serve to raise the stakes, rewarding audiences with the best that the world of pyrotechnics has to offer.

 

MGTO has, for the first time, asked the teams to complement their firework shows with laser light effects, in addition to the usual musical accompaniment.  For nautical safety reasons, the interval between the two firework displays will be shortened. The first display will start at 9 pm as usual, followed by the second display at 9:40 pm. Each show will last for 18 minutes. Spectators can listen to the live broadcast of the fireworks background music on TDM – Radio Macau's Chinese Channel, every night of the event.

 

MGTO has partnered with a television broadcast company in Hong Kong to produce a micro-movie as a promotional feature this year. The movie has been broadcast on numerous TV and online channels owned by the company. This year's contest has also been promoted through various international, regional and local media channels, including advertisements through international media in neighbouring regions and published through key media in Mainland, Hong Kong and Macau.

 

In 2010, MGTO and Companhia de Telecomunicações de Macau S.A.R.L. (CTM) co-launched a "Macau International Fireworks Display Contest SMS Game". It has generated positive feedback and this year MGTO will again present the SMS Game with CTM to further encourage participation by local residents.

 

And adding even more fun and colour to the fireworks evenings, MGTO and the General Union of Neighbours Association of Macau will again jointly present the Fireworks Carnival. 

 

 

21:00

• panzera – industria pirotecnica

21:40

• groupe fiatlux – ampleman

 

21:00

• sas brezac artifices

21:40

• dancing fireworks group, co. Ltd