Internationally renowned lighting designer Patrick Woodroffe will be providing the artistic lighting for the CHOGM Malta 2015 opening ceremony.

Woodroffe’s career began in the 1970s and he has since lit and directed productions for internationally acclaimed artists ranging from ABBA, Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel and Lady Gaga to Adele, Rod Stewart, Elton John and many more. He has also lit operas, ballet and special events all over the world and in 2012 he lit the London Olympic Games for which the Queen recognised his contribution with an OBE.

“I was asked by producer Cameron Mackintosh, who is closely associated with Malta, if I would like to be involved with the show,” says Woodroffe. “I had lit various productions for him in the past and was delighted to accept. I had never been to the island before and when I came to Valletta to see the venue for the first time, I immediately fell in love with the city and its people. I’m thrilled that the connection came about.”

What is the inspiration behind the lighting show for the CHOGM Malta 2015 opening ceremony?

“Ray Calleja has created a beautiful piece of theatre and we are simply following the lead he has given us. Where there is energy in the performance we accentuate it with the lighting and where there is poetry we will reflect that too.”

Woodroffe is renowned for designing the lighting for pop and rock concerts. How does the CHOGM Malta 2015 opening ceremony compare or contrast with these events?

“It’s different and it’s the same,” Woodroffe says. “Different in that with theatre the lighting is generally more subtle but the same in that it is simply a show that needs light to create narrative and atmosphere. That happens in a rock concert, a classical opera and various performances in between.”

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