Carroponte: Synergy 7 under the former Breda Siderurgica’s vault

The Synergy 7 Profile have been included in the Carroponte’s lighting plot where dozens among singers, musicians and performers will play during the summer in Milan. The Italian lighting company is proud to see their projectors installed in this context, not only for the names of the summer lineup but also because of the importance of highlighting industrial recovery structures such as the former Breda industrial archaeological park.

Milan, summer 2022. Open-air concerts are back without restrictions: a summer of music and entertainment on the Carroponte’s stage has started.

We met Diego De Ferrari, founder of Sonique S.r.l. Audio, Lighting and Video Service and Brian Anfossi Bonaccorsi, Sonique’s lighting operator in charge of the lighting plot. Here’s what they told us about this entertainment project that, from May to September, will accompany the summer in Milan.

The lighting plot designed by Brian Anfossi Bonaccorsi for the Carroponte’s stage is characterized by great versatility:

“The stage consists of a ring with three 3 trusses (front, middle and rear), a minimal structure designed with the aim of guaranteeing ease of use for the lighting designers who will light up the artists. Therefore, the lighting setup is also optimized for the different needs that will arise during the numerous summer evenings: I chose standard fixtures such as spots, washes, strobes and blinders, while avoiding any fixtures positioned directly on stage.” With these words Brian Anfossi Bonaccorsi describes his technical choices. Code word: functionality.

“It was the first time I used the Synergy 7 Profile moving head –continues Brian. I already had the opportunity to use other DTS-brand products, but I must say that I was amazed by these profilers, especially by their luminous output which I would define impressive. Carroponte is not an easy location to be managed due to the excessive light pollution. Despite this, Synergy 7s managed to position itself very well.
While the selection of lights provides a standard structure which is easy to use, I wanted to be more creative with the positioning of the Synergy 7: in fact, I wanted them in two rows of 5 luminaires each, so as to have a central headlight.

I was also impressed by the creative potential given by the overlapping games between gobos and prism wheels, solutions that can be extremely interesting also in other contexts such as theater.”

Diego, on the other hand, tells us what happens behind the scenes and how Sonique has become the reference service at Carroponte, an important location not only for the importance of the entertainment it offers, but also for its history.

“Carroponte requires a demanding organization and management: the structure is huge and the artists who will follow one another on stage will have very different needs from each other. This involves a very in-depth study of what must be present already from the start: the goal is to give all the professionals who will take turns behind the console a complete and versatile choice.

I come from the world of music and this helps me to evaluate situations also as an artist. It is not easy to put yourself in the shoes of world-famous groups such as Offspring, New York Ska Jazz, The Dropkick Murphys, or Biffy Clyro but I know the dynamics and needs: to highlight one’s performance and entertain the spectators.

The 2022 is the third year that Sonique has provided audio and lighting equipment and, above all, technical assistance throughout the summer. The real challenge is the one that every service should win: keeping up with the technology that progresses so as to offer products that are always at the top of the performance.

The arena can host about 9,000 people arranged in a very wide area, so I needed power. When given the chance to rent some new Synergy 7 Profiles, because of the recognized quality of DTS products, I didn’t miss it. The amount of light is huge and, above all, the projection is clean and optimal which is not to be taken for granted when it comes to powerful projectors. In addition to their power, the Synergies were a choice also for their ability to respond to various design needs. To create a lighting plot in such an eclectic stage, it is necessary to give a basic design that can be adapted to the different needs of the various shows.”

Carroponte is not only entertainment and music but also sustainability.
The concert area is in fact housed under a metal “cage” 20 meters high, 60 meters wide and 200 meters long built in the 1930s, restored and transformed into this amazing arena. Weird to think that the space was built to accommodate seven overhead cranes for handling over 40 tons of material, while today it offers shows and entertainment. The ex-Breda industrial archaeological park has been a major urban redevelopment project, in which Carroponte inserts itself by also including the MIL Space (Museum of Industry and Work) and the entire adjacent green area once used as a scrap yard from the Breda steel plants.

Diego and Brian told us what happens before a show and how a stage takes shape: it is the work and creativity of specialized and passionate teams. The same passion that also DTS, as a made in Italy company on the international market for over 40 years, puts into its work and into the products it offers to the professional market.