Energy-efficient LED lighting from ETC for Dresden's cultural power plant

In Dresden, Germany, an imposing industrial monument ­– a former power plant from the 19th century ­– has been transformed into a unique 120 million sq m venue for arts and culture ­– Kraftwerk Mitte Dresden. As a part of this, forming the centre of the creative scene of the Saxony capital, Staatsoperette Dresden and the Theater Junge Generation (TJG) have opened four new stages equipped with energy efficient LED fixtures from ETC.

The newly designed building now houses a 700-seat state operetta stage, a 350-seat TJG stage and two smaller TJG studios, each with 125 seats. Across the four spaces, a total of 581 ETC LED fixtures have been installed, including Source Four^® LED Series 2 Lustr and Daylight HD luminaires, with various attachments, and a selection of ColorSource^® PARs.

Responsible for the delivery and installation of the stage lighting solution was TAL Theater-Architekturlicht Chemnitz GmbH. It was the high output of the Source Four Series 2 LED fixtures that attracted the attention of the company’s managing director, Mathias Meyer: "With its x7 Color System, the Series 1 was already revolutionary. With its advanced brightness, the Series 2 is an obvious choice for decision-makers”.

For the state operetta stage, Uwe Münnich, head of the Dresden State Operetta lighting department, opted exclusively for Source Four Series 2 LED Daylight HD fixtures. "Our main requirement was high-quality light, with colour temperatures and tints that can be adjusted for perfect illumination,” says Münnich. “The Daylight HD is ideal. The light produced is indistinguishable from tungsten light but, unlike with tungsten, it is possible to switch steadily from warm to cold light and through a range of pastel tones. At the same time, the spectrum is enriched by the x7 Color System, which means that orange and red tones are reproduced well, even in cold light." Most of the fixtures used have a fixed focal length, illuminating the stage with the greatest possible brightness, from different positions. Münnich has defined several standard lighting arrangements which enable him to light different productions with a small team, without significant adjustments. The fixture selection is supplemented by zoom optics for additional flexibility.

To equip the TJG stages, a combination of ETC Source Four LED Series 2 Daylight and Lustr fixtures are supplemented by 245 budget-friendly ETC ColorSource PARs, to provide additional colour. "The ColorSource PARs blend perfectly with the Lustrs and the x7 Color System,” says Meyer. “They impress with their precise calibration, and a warranty and service guarantee from ETC.”

"The flexibility and quality of the ETC LED fixtures, as well as the excellent service provided by ETC, influenced the decision to use them for the four stages,” adds Meyer. “They cover a wide range of applications and replace the usual variety of tungsten fixtures in the performance class 650 to 1200 watts. The fixtures meet all the necessary requirements of energy efficiency, long life, reliability and TV-suitability.” Münnich adds: "The ETC devices have already proven their worth, with their incredible light quality and brightness."

Photos © TAL Theater-Architekturlicht Chemnitz GmbH