Two-piece drone light show with a live orchestra

• Mechelen, Belgium
• 20 Sept 2024

We transformed “The Herb Garden,” right in the heart of the city of Mechelen, into a hypnotic spectacle. In collaboration with the talented Casco Phil orchestra, we presented a breathtaking drone light show during the closing weekend of Construct Europe.

Over the course of an hour, melodies by Handel, Beethoven, Camille Saint-Saëns, and others came to life thanks to hundreds of drones, illustrating an enchanted journey.

For the work “The Swan,” we animated a giant swan. The thirteenth and penultimate movement of Camille Saint-Saëns“ ”The Carnival of the Animals." A swan is often depicted as the most beautiful of animals, and during the performance, it can be interpreted as an elderly animal stubbornly resisting the effects of aging or even death. We depicted it as a swan living its life for one day/one lifetime and falling asleep/dying.

The second part was Handel’s *Water Music*. This piece was composed in response to King George I’s request for a concert on the Thames. During the performance, we depicted the boat’s journey along the Thames, featuring instruments such as the violin and the trumpet. All of this was set to the music of *Alla Hornpipe* and the *Bourée*. As an interlude, a Baroque dancer performed to the beautiful melodies of the *Rigaudon*. During the final part of Water Music, we paid tribute to Mechelen by launching #love2800 into the sky. Our final piece was Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,” bringing to a close all the wonderful celebrations hosted by Construct Europe. Along with the European flag flying high in the sky!

Special thanks to Construct Europe, Stad Mechelen, CASCO Phil and our volunteers for making this magical experience possible!