Claypaky Arolla Aqua LT Fixtures Enhance Teatro Colon's Production of Astor Piazzolla, Eterno

	"Arolla Aqua LT blended seamlessly into the lighting design, delivering advanced technical performance without drawing attention away from the stage," says Lavecchia. Photo: Juanjo Bruzza

Claypaky Arolla Aqua LT fixtures have been installed in Teatro Colon, one of Argentina's most iconic cultural venues, for the production of Astor Piazzolla, Eterno. The show explores the life and art of the late Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla, known as the man who revolutionized traditional tango by incorporating elements of jazz and classical music.

Lighting designers Mariano Demaria and Santiago Camara chose eight Arolla Aqua LTs for the production in one of the world's most prestigious opera houses. Arolla Aqua LT is a 900W white LED moving head that delivers brightness, color accuracy, precise narrow long-throw beam and advanced creative control. Its high-precision framing, silent operation and outstanding color quality allow the production's lighting design to fully support the emotional and musical depth of the performance while respecting the historic and acoustic demands of Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, the company says.

"We have been working with Claypaky for quite some time," notes Rodrigo Lavecchia, director general of Lavecchia Sonido, which provided the fixtures, and co-sound designer for the production. "Within our equipment inventory, the Sharpy Plus is a very familiar tool, but for this project we wanted to take a qualitative leap. We were looking for a more powerful, more precise fixture with greater expressive possibilities. The Arolla Aqua LT brought together everything we needed for a production like this, and it ended up becoming a central element of the show's lighting design."

He explains that, "at the outset, the production was primarily focused on audio, but as technical discussions evolved, it became clear that the theatre's existing lighting system needed to be complemented with dedicated fixtures capable of meeting the artistic and technical demands of the show."

When the Arolla Aqua LTs were proposed, the response from the creative and technical teams was immediate, he recalls. "They were exactly the type of fixture the production required. The units were confirmed as soon as they became available and delivered straight from the port to Teatro Colon, arriving on stage immediately after entering the country, without passing through [our] warehouse."

A number of factors played a role in the choice of Arolla Aqua LT. "Optical precision was the primary one," says Lavecchia. In addition, "the framing system offers exceptional accuracy and consistency, which is critical in a theatre environment where every scenic detail is clearly exposed.

"Equally important were the fixture's output, color quality, and especially its extremely low noise level. In a venue such as Teatro Colon, where silence is an integral part of the audience experience, quiet operation is not optional, it is essential," he emphasizes.

The lighting designers installed six fixtures on the sides of the stage with two additional fixtures used as followspots from the front-of-house position. A strong sense of restraint and respect was required to integrate the fixtures into a heritage venue like Teatro Colon. "Nothing can feel intrusive, either visually or acoustically," explains Lavecchia. "Arolla Aqua LT blended seamlessly into the lighting design, delivering advanced technical performance without drawing attention away from the stage. This is what ultimately defines a truly theatrical fixture: one that supports the narrative and enhances the performance without becoming a distraction."

He rates the overall experience of using the Arolla Aqua LTs as "extremely positive. Access to luminaires of this level allows creative concepts to be executed without technical compromise. In a production like Astor Piazzolla, Eterno, where music, staging and lighting are closely intertwined, having reliable and precise tools makes a tangible difference."

But he is quick to point out that the fixtures are designed for more than theatrical applications. "Versatility is one of the Arolla Aqua LT's defining strengths. While several units were in use at Teatro Colon, others were already scheduled for deployment on large-scale festival stages, including events such as Cosquin Rock.

"The ability to move from a historic opera house to an outdoor festival environment without changing tools demonstrates a fixture capable of adapting to very different contexts while maintaining consistent performance standards," Lavecchia points out.

Macaio is the official Claypaky distributor in Argentina. Mauricio Brando is the regional sales manager for Latin America for Claypaky/ADB.