Esch2022
The challenging circumstances of the first Covid-19 lockdown offered Battle Royal Studios the opportunity to develop a novel hybrid format for the Esch2022 REMIX Opening, unique in its scope and interactivity for the traditional opening ceremony of a European Capital of Culture. With a wide range of immersive live entertainment, Battle Royal Studios took the audience to the moon and back.
An opening ceremony of the future
The opening night was created as a complex immersive journey. The audience was invited on a secret mission: By solving puzzles and participating in generating so-called Co-Creation Energy for the region, they were the driving force behind the experience.
The highlight of the evening was the launch of custom augmented reality rockets submitted by more than 800 students from the region as part of a painting contest, with the common goal of remixing the future, Esch2022’s motto.
The evening also included a cross-genre concert, Future Frequencies, directed and developed by Frank Wiedemann and Matthew Herbert. Here, over 100 local musicians came together to perform a colossal mix of styles on stage, accompanied by an enormous light show. Another highlight was a video appearance of the International Space Station (ISS).
Battle Royal Studios produced and staged the event with a focus on audience participation – both online and offline. A show composed over two stages carried the evening, while a playful scavenger hunt structured the visitors’ experience on site.
200 volunteers were involved, immersed in the action and helping to shape it. Online, special participation features such as polls and live interaction tools also turned viewers into contributors.
The city came alive with live music, DJ sets, dance performances, architectural projections, light installations and a wide range of immersive live entertainment. There were approx.
18,000 visitors welcomed in covid-compliant conditions on-site and 14,000 online.
Battle Royal Studios saw the opening ceremony as an opportunity to bring together people from the local community as participants and creators, strengthening a cultural identity in the long term beyond the cultural year.
The aim was to enable encounters between different groups, generations and cultural influences and thus open up new, sustainable perspectives on the Esch region and Europe as a whole
Credits
- Client
Esch2022 – European Capital of Culture 2022
Special thanks to all the incredible volunteers of the Esch2022 Remix Opening. - Creative Concept, Direction & Production – Battle Royal Studios
Brendan Shelper – Remix Opening Director
Judith Hoch – Executive Producer
Sarah La Tragna – Producer
Andy Machals – Creative Producer
Ky Lloyd – Production Manager
Jonathan Buckels – Creative Director
Michael Masberg – Associate Creative Director and Line Director
Basil Hogios – Musical Director and Sound Designer
Chris Moylan – Lighting Design
Xevi Venancio – Art Direction and Graphic Design
Alex Burgos – Line Director
Florian Bücking – Aerial Director and Creative Coordinator
Emily Rose Meyer – Senior Project Manager
Fran Koetter – Production Manager
Shani Moffat – Project Manager
Thao Tran – Creative Producer Digital Engagements
Sabrina Deichert – Artist Producer
Stephane LeBreton – Artist Manager
Alessandro Carta & Alessia Avallone – Project Assistants
Alexandra Mittag – Brand Strategist
Rina Soloveitchik – Editor
Michelle Kastrop – Marketing Assistant - Video & Media Design
Alexandra Weltz-Rombach – Video Producer
Duncan McDade – Lead Motion Designer
Marc Osswald – Art Direction Video and VJ
Alf Ruge – Motion Designer
Achilleas Gatsopoulos – Motion Designer and Editor
Andreas Schindler – AR Artist
Maxin10sity - Script & Theatre Direction – Les Enfants Terribles
liver Lansley – Artistic Director
James Seager – Creative Director
Fiona Porritt – Creative Producer & Writer
Anthony Spargo – Writer
Keziah Serreau – Stage Director
Garrett Moore, Thom Mitchell – Immersive Directors
Tanya Dickinson – Production Assistant
Tristan Bruemmer – Translator & Assistant Stage Director
Beth Hoare-Barnes – Company Stage Manager
Sophia Elinor Dalton, Tina Dézart, Amelia Daisy McElhinney and Nicole Jane Richardson – Stage Managers - Future Frequencies Artistic Leads
Frank Wiedemann & Matthew Herbert – Musical Directors
Imogen Knight – Movement Director
Gabriela Flores – Stage Director
Basil Hogios & B Deodato – Musical Associates - Choreography
Denis We – Choreographer
Dolores Dujak, Sebastian Hörman, Ini Hanfmann & Terry Stewart – Choreographer Assistants
Lil Amok – Dance Mentor - Show Calling
Konstanze Agatz – Broadcast Show Caller
Sebastian Maier-Hallard
Stefan Kröger
Jens Bosch - Technical Planning – adhoc engineering GmbH
Malte Joergens, Kalle Reichert – Technical Director
Peter Gombac – Technical Director Video
Tim Schweizer – CAD Masterplaner
Tobias Nievelstein – Technical Director Sound - Health & Safety
SATURN production – Angelo Plate
- Technical Production
Steven Jackson – Technical Designer Projection
Alan Cox – Projection Consultant
Bodo Bergmann – Associate Technical Director Sound
Francisco Tauro, Paul Pröhl – Lead disguise Operators
Maxence Bannetel – Assistant disguise Operator
Gerrit Hotzel – Technician
Sean Röller – Technical Assistant - Technical Suppliers
Apex Luxembourg
Production Resource Group AG
Magnum France
Stageco Belgium N.V.
The Powershop BV
LunatX
Emisys
Pixway GmbH - Set Design – Hinnerup Production
Christian Jensen – Lead Designer Props and Decorations
Niels Thorsen, Micala Rode & Rebecca Levy – Props and Decorations
Heidi Trusback – Tailor
Paul Kirkland – Technical Drawings
Niels Bunk Stenger – Light and Sound Technician
Nico Dumitru Bucataru, Morten Schmidt & Calin Conescu – Worksho - Lighting
Matthias Schöffmann
Raphael Demonthy
Daniel Gündner
Sebastian Hüwig - Stage Management
Sissy Moylan
Nadja Zoltek
Jürgen Cappell
Anna Engelkamp - Costume & Make-up
Isabel Seidler – Costume Design
Kira Mathis, Aleksandra Kuchta & Anne Fidler – Costume Supervisors
Linda Mikolaskova – Lead Make-up
Celine Feltgen, Claudia Rinaldis, Isabelle Georg & Luca Demichele – Make-up Artists - Broadcast
Freecaster / Broadcasting Center Europe (BCE)
Franck Villano – TV Director - Documentation
Christian Fussenegger – Videographer
- Partners Communications
Rethink
Plan-K Advertising - Special Thanks to
Rockhal & Rocklab
Luxembourg Space Agency
European Space Agency - Images
Paul Gärtner, Kooné and Chris Moylan
