The Power of the Pyramids: Light on an Epic Scale

After a millennium of drab desert moonlight, The Pyramids of Giza found themselves in the midst of an epic gala, swathed in brilliant, eye-popping color and surrounded by a festive symphony of sound.

The event was organized by Egyptian telecom company Orascom to celebrate its fifty millionth subscriber. Pop supergroup The Pussycat Dolls headlined the evening’s entertainment.

British lighting designer, Durham Marenghi of Lumitect Limited, was appointed as Art Director for the event. His vision included dramatic floodlighting of the Great Pyramid — so he called on Syncrolite, which flew in sixteen of its new 10kw Dichroic searchlights and twelve 8kw units.

The Great Pyramid is an awesome canvas: its base covers 13 acres (52,609 m2), each of its sides is over 750 feet (230 m) long, and it rises 450 feet (137 m) above the desert sands. This means that the main face of the Great Pyramid is almost 169,000 sq. feet (almost 16,000 m2).

To achieve the “dawning of a new era” feel, the 10kw Dichroic searchlights were placed behind the central Pyramid. The 8kw units (equipped with standard gel scrolls and gobo effects) were placed in front of the Pyramid.

Additional floodlighting of the side pyramids was supplied by local contractor ProLite under the direction of lighting designer, Baher George.