Arizona Opera: ‘Riders of the Purple Sage’
Arizona Opera’s world premiere of “Riders of the Purple Sage” also marks the debut of a new high-tech asset at the Phoenix-based company: an LED video wall that enables the opera to take the digital imagery in its productions to the next level.
Purchased with a $432,000 grant from the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, the video wall consists of 248 vertical panels that snap together into what is essentially a giant TV screen measuring just shy of 27 by 52 feet. That’s for “Riders,” but the modular array can be arranged in any configuration, including multiple, smaller display shapes.
“Riders of the Purple Sage,” adapted from the novel by Zane Grey, uses animated video backdrops based on paintings by Arizona artist Ed Mell. It opened Feb. 25 at the Tucson Music Hall and continues March 3-5 at Symphony Hall in Phoenix.
Video imagery has become a staple in scenic design over the past couple of decades, usually using projectors illuminating a backdrop, like a movie screen, but lit from behind.
The video wall will have a noticeably different look.
“It’s lower resolution, but hugely more bright and vibrant,” said Jake Pinholster, the video designer for “Riders” and also a theater professor at Arizona State University.
“It will actually illuminate the stage. There will be enough light coming off that wall to do what the sky does, to put luminance into the environment.”
The brightness in turn will give more flexibility When: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 3-4; 2 p.m. Sunday, March 5. Where: Symphony Hall, 75 N. Second St. Admission: $25-$135. Details: 602-266-7464, azopera.org. to lighting designers, who have to worry about washing out projected imagery.
But the biggest advantages of the video wall are behind the scenes.
“It makes my life hugely easier,” Pinholster said.
That’s because rear projection requires multiple projectors that have to be painstakingly fine-tuned to make a seamless image. They also require about 20 feet of “throw” space, reducing the depth of the stage available for the performers and scenery.
“That’s 20 feet of noman’s land,” said Greg Hirsch, Arizona Opera’s director of production. “It can’t be used for anything. You can’t walk through it in the middle of the show. It’s dead.
“This wall is 4 inches deep.”
The extra space will be vital for some shows, Hirsch says, including next year’s “Das Rheingold,” a production created by Minnesota Opera using extensive video imagery.
“If we didn’t have this screen, I don’t think we could do that production,” Hirsch said. “We couldn’t do the rear projection that it would require. There’s no space.”
Joseph Specter, Arizona Opera’s general director, said the video wall will be available to other arts organizations as well.
“This enables us to be a resource to other nonprofits in the area at rates that normally wouldn’t be achievable from a for-profit rental agency,” he said. “If Gammage or the museum need an asset like this in order to execute a show or a display, we really hope to be the place that they can come to to use that technology.” Theater and twitter. com/KerryLengel.