By
When the creative team behind Les Indes Galantes chose to switch to ETC and change lighting consoles mid–pre-production it sounded like an impossible task. But with a mix of skill, teamwork, and the unwavering support of the ETC team, the transition to Eos - just before heading out on tour - turned out to be smoother than anyone expected.
Jean-Philippe Rameau’s 18th-century French opera-ballet Les Indes Galantes has seen countless interpretations over the centuries. In this latest adaptation ‘Les Indes Galantes: De la voix des âmes’ (translation - 'Of the Voice of Souls') the production mixes the past and present by blending Baroque opera with the energy of hip-hop dance. This ambitious collaboration brings together Cappella Mediterranea, Structure Rualité, and CAV&MA, with lighting design by Benjamin Nesme, choreography by Bintou Dembélé, and direction by Leonardo García-Alarcón. The goal: to revive the ghosts of another era through a universal language of movement, music, and light.
After two weeks of creative work, lighting designer Benjamin Nesme was joined by console operator Yannick Dussoyer, following Tony Dreux. Dussoyer quickly raised a crucial question: what about the console? The production had not been created on an Eos desk, but the tour venues were a different story. From Ion Xe to Gio to Apex, nearly every stop on the tour is equipped with an ETC console. To simplify setup and ensure consistency across venues, the team decided to make the switch. “It seemed more logical to present an opera show in ETC’s Eos format; it made sense,” explains Yannick.
A quick search revealed that the show file could be converted. Yannick got in touch with ETC France, who invited him to send his file for review. Less than a week later, he had an Eos-ready version of the lighting show file in hand. The team
scheduled three days to check, correct, and configure the file in the new format - but in the end, the process took only a few hours to complete and the switchover was a success.
Although this was Yannick’s first direct contact with ETC, he was already familiar with the company’s training resources. Like many others during the pandemic, he had taught himself using ETC’s Learning Stage, live webinars, Facebook groups, the official forum, and the ETC YouTube channel.
“I was incredibly surprised by the welcome I received from ETC,” he shares. “From the moment I called, I got extremely helpful technical feedback, but also a very personal touch. That’s what surprised me most.”
Looking ahead, Yannick hopes to continue deepening his knowledge of Eos — perhaps even taking advantage of the consoles available to professionals at ETC France’s Saint-Denis location to experiment, program, and train.
Following two weeks of creation and rehearsals, Les Indes Galantes premiered with two performances at La Seine Musicale in Boulogne-Billancourt before embarking on a tour that includes stops in Madrid, Bordeaux, London, and São Paulo. As one of Rameau’s most celebrated works, Les Indes Galantes continues to inspire reinvention - and this latest version proves that with a strong creative vision and the right technical support, even a mid-production console switch can become part of a show’s success story.
More information on the Eos range can be found here.
Controller conversion:
- To convert GrandMA control to Eos, email: m2e@etcconnect.com.
Credits:
Staging & Choreography: Bintou Dembélé
Musical Direction: Leonardo García-Alarcón
Lighting Design: Benjamin Nesme
Screen Operators: Yannick Dussoyer and Tony Dreux
