Penza Regional Philharmonic celebrates 75th anniversary with ETC lighting upgrade

Founded in 1939, the Penza Regional Philharmonic is one of the most prestigious philharmonic organizations in Russia. Thanks to a large equipment upgrade, installed by ETC dealer Imlight, its theater is also one of the most technologically advanced. The Philharmonic marked its 75th anniversary with a new lighting system that includes ETC consoles, networking, architectural controls and power controls.

The Philharmonic's current theater was built in 2009, in preparation for Penza's 350th Founders Day. It houses the philharmonic ensemble and symphony orchestra and plays host to yearly musical festivals and touring shows. The five-story 20,000-square-meter (215,278-square-foot) venue is known for its unique architecture that features a glass exterior and an entryway adorned with the names of famous composers. It has rehearsal spaces, costume shops, a recording studio, and two music halls: the 750-seat Great Hall and 200-seat Organ Hall.

The Great Hall is outfitted with 500 conventional and LED lights, including ETC Source Four® PAR and PARNel® fixtures . A Congo® console controls the lighting in the space, with a Congo jr desk as backup and an RFR for remote programming. A Sensor®3 system provides power control, Net3 Gateways are used for networking, and architectural lighting is handled by a Unison Paradigm®  system.

In the Organ Hall, an ETC Element™ control console sits at the head of the lighting system. Its hybrid rig boasts more than 100 fixtures, including Source Four LED , Selador® Desire® D40 , Source Four , Source Four Zoom and Source Four PARNel fixtures.

The lighting upgrade has helped propel the Penza Regional Philharmonic to become a world-class multipurpose venue able to stage everything from orchestral performances and choir concerts, to operas, international tours and beyond. As the staff at Imlight puts it: "The Penza Philharmonic can cultivate a new range of concert work, and can fulfill the requirements of any technical rider, impressing any guest performer."