GROZNY — Last year, after a six-year rebuilding effort, the State Theater and Concert Hall reopened in this war-torn capital of the Republic of Chechnya with a new lighting system provided by ETC dealer Sistema. While any installation project can pose a challenge, few crews have to deal with venues with structural damage from massive waves of armed conflict.
“Our employees’ first impression was daunting,” says Pavel Petryanin, director of Sistema’s projects department. “The grounds of the facility were seriously damaged during the war. The sun was shining through a hole in the roof. Sistema would have to carry out a complete reconstruction project, practically starting from scratch.”
Sistema installed 560 conventional fixtures — including dozens of ETC Source Four PARs — and 808 intelligent fixtures, as well as smoke, fog, snow and confetti machines, all controlled by an ETC Congo lighting control system. An ETC Sensor+ dimming system is also used in the Hall.
Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov, who attended the reopening celebration, gave his seal of approval: “Now we see a completely new Hall, which meets all contemporary standards. Shows of the highest level can be presented here.”
Sistema’s Marina Druzhinina, director of the group that worked on the lighting, says: “Not every capital city can brag about the lighting system in its cultural center like the one here.” Now, after the refurbishment, the theater has a world-class lighting system.
“It’s wonderful to see this theatre up and running again,” said ETC Eastern European Sales Manager Armin Kloss. “ETC is proud to be part of the reemergence of the arts in Chechnya.”
For more information, please visit www.etcconnect.com.
