Chaillot – Théâtre national de la Danse, one of France’s six national theatres, is currently renovating its Salle Jean Vilar. The work is part of a dual drive to improve energy consumption and modernise stage design tools, including the replacement of existing lighting fixtures to ensure an early and carefully considered transition to LED technologies.
Photo of Chaillot-Théâtre national de la Danse credit to © Patrick Berger
Built in 1937, the TNC is an exceptional venue in Paris because of the unique place it occupies in the history of live performance in France with the creation of the Théâtre national populaire founded by Firmin Gémier, and subsequently supported and developed by Jean Vilar. It is also part of world history since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed here in 1948.
Today, a cultural institution 100% dedicated to dance, in an iconic location facing the Trocadéro fountains and the Eiffel Tower, the Theatre completed the renovation of the Salle Gémier (390 seats) in 2017. It is now the large Jean Vilar auditorium (1200 seats) that is the focus of attention to improve the comfort of spectators, artists and technical teams.
The theatre’s lighting equipment consists of a large number of conventional Robert Juliat fixtures, including the popular series of 1kW 600SX halogen profiles. Since the beginning of the year, some of these halogen profiles have been converted to LED using RJ Sully modules, chosen in a fixed warm white version (650SX WW) and also in a 4-colour version (650SX 4C).
Photo of Salle Gémier credit to © Yoann Fitoussi
“We attach great importance to improving our technical equipment in line with an eco-responsible approach,” stresses Florence Salino, the theatre’s head of electrical services. “To do this, we are carefully studying all the technical solutions currently available, so that we can support this transition with full knowledge of the facts.
“Initially, we’ve started this process with the Sully modules, which are perfectly in tune with current environmental issues. They mean we don’t have to throw away quality equipment that is still in perfect working order. What’s more, having the choice of sourcing locally is a criteria dear to our values.”
Photo of Chaillot – Grand Staircase credit to © Patrick Berger
Technical lighting team from Theatre National Chaillot – left to right: Morgane Diedrich, TNC electrician, Romain Bianchi, casual electrician, Florence Salino, head of electrical services and Sébastien Dué, lighting manager. Photo credit to © Robert Juliat
For the time being, the Sully profiles have been installed in the Salle Gémier. Their optical qualities and performance replace their halogen predecessors in every respect, with lower energy consumption.
Those profiles converted to colour LEDs (Sully 4C) incorporate the RJ Color operating system, which offers comprehensive colour management. This gives users complete freedom to configure their luminaires to suit their working habits and needs. In addition to a CCT setting from 1700K to 10000K and 300 gel references in its memory, RJ Color gives access to controls for Delta UV, transmission, saturation and virtual gel transition time. It is also possible to work in direct colours (RGB, CIE X Y or HSB), to favour quality or brightness depending on the mode chosen, or to vary white and colours according to intensity, like a tungsten source to simulate the filament.
The Sully modules were recommended and supplied by So What & Co, an authorised Robert Juliat distributor.
More information on the Robert Juliat Sully range and LED conversion solutions can be found at https://www.robertjuliat.fr/LED/SULLY.html