MARDAN PALACE GRAND OPENING - ANTALYA, TURKEY

The grand opening of the six star hotel, the Mardan Palace Hotel in Turkey was an extravagant event, paying homage to the themes of history, technology and imagination. Video mapping, aerial performers, lasers, flames, fountains and special effects created a 360 degree experience. International celebrities included Seal, Sharon Stone, Mariah Carey, Richard Gere, Tom Jones and Paris Hilton.

The show began with a celebration of ideas - the spark where all journeys begin. Conducted by an aerial performer dreaming the building into life, video mapping sparkles and over 700 pyrotechnic points exploded in glittering gold dust across the facade. 

The outer wings of the hotel, designed reflecting architecture from the east and the west, were awakened with a homage to history. The Turkish wing came alive with a flame ballet, suspended belly dancers and projected scenes from Turkey's iconic historic architecture. The European wing came alive with a French son et lumière show, silk dancers suspended above the audience over dancing musical fountains with European architecture projections. The scene culminated in the great Bosphorous Bridge, linking the wings and symbolically linking eastern and western cultures.

The building was de-constructed to the drawing board. Lasers and video mapping created an architectural wireframe grid aerially and on the buildings. Aerial performers with specially designed LED costumes abseiled down the walls and leapt against the building, causing the grid to bend and flex. The power of the imagination was the next theme. Dancers within 'thought bubbles', giant inflated balls, floated on the pool in a choreographed ballet, propelled by scuba divers guiding them hidden beneath the water. These giant balls symbolised thought bubbles being made manifest into reality. The hotel was many years in the dreaming before it was finally built. 

The show culminated in a giant pyrotechnic display, leading us to world class acts performing on stage. Finally the evening was brought to a close with a synchronised paramotor display.

CONCEPT AND CREATIVE DIRECTION
Client - LSE Belgium

Equipment list  
30 semi trailers of equipment
160 crew on site
16 aerialist performers
700 pyrotechnic firing points
40 lasers
flames, fountains
6 paramotors

To see the concepts and storyboard that led to the Mardan Palace show click here