A type of site-specific nighttime outdoor entertainment involving the telling of a story (or the history) of a large historically-interesting building through the medium of sound and light, without live performers or a stage.
The first Son et Lumiere is thought to be at the Chateau du Chambord in France, in 1952. The event was conceived by Paul Robert-Houdin, the curator.
Commentary by Frederick Bentham (of Strand Electric) about the state of the art in 1957/8
- See also Projection Mapping for a modern update on the form
Son et Lumiere Timeline
1952
Chateau du Chambord, created by Paul Robert-Houdin
1957
Greenwich Palace (first British performance)
Produced by Paul Robert-Houdin
Laurence Olivier as Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester
Pamela Alan as the Voice of the Thames
Norman Shelley as Henry VIII
Selma Vaz Dias as Queen Elizabeth
Alan Cuthbertson as the Narrator.
Other voices include: Carole Allen, Hilda Fenemore, Hilda Schroder, John Breslin, Peter Ducrow, Eric Lugg, Richard Mayes, Cameron Miller, James Thomas, Richard Warner
Script by Hugh Ross Williamson, adapted from an original idea by Paul Robert-Houdin
Music specially composed by John Hotchkis and played by The London Philharmonic Orchestra. conducted by the composer
Recorded by Andre Milon
Sound Production: John Allen
Direction: Harold Holt Ltd.
1958
Greenwich Palace
Atlas Lighting Limited presents Son et Lumiere with Charles Laughton
Royal Greenwich Park – July 31st – October 11th 1958
From commemorative programme, 1958
‘Lumens and Decibels”
This presentation of Son et Lumiere is first of all a feat of the imagination – a presentation seen and heard in the author’s mind interpreting in sound and light the dramatic scenes and great events of the past. But when the story has been written and the music composed; when producer, actors and musicians have played their vital parts; when all this has been recorded on a simple tape, then technicians and engineers reduce the entire matter to one of “watts, decibels, foot-candles and lumens”.
The Greenwich narrative has been recorded on a dual-track tape and it is reproduced from five sound sources. These are positioned in relation to the audience to create convincing effects of moving sound and to reproduce stereophonically recorded music with high quality through a wide frequency range. During the performance the tape runs at 7.5″ per second and the sound is distributed by one operator, using quadrant faders. The sound reproduction equipment has been designed by Electric and Musical Industries Limited.
The most important British contribution to the art of Son et Lumière lies in the wide variety of electric light sources and in new control methods. Nearly 600 Atlas fluorescent tubes are used in the Greenwich presentation- some white, some coloured, some of specially high VHO light output, and some with built-in reflectors. These tubes are used chiefly for colour floodlighting, whilst directional lighting – so necessary for dramatic effects – is produced by many types of Atlas incandescent lamps from a special 3,000 watt mirrored lamp to a low voltage 150w. lamp only 50 mm in diameter, smaller even than the ordinary household lamp yet capable of projecting light over distances up to a quarter of a mile.
All these lamps must be under precise operator control, and in the Atlas system of electronic control used at Greenwich we have a unique British contribution to the technique of Son et Lumière.The Greenwich lighting console gives fingertip control the 72 circuits on which incandescent and fluorescent lamps are connected, whilst there are also 24 switched circuits and their controls for special effects. The colour changes are effected by special thyratron valves ensure smooth yet positive dimming and colour blending. The cables from the lighting to the control points are little more than telephone wires so that it is possible to place this point in the audience area, where operators can see exactly the effects they are creating from moment to moment.
The Greenwich performance is the culmination of weeks of preparation on the part of the technical staff of Atlas Lighting Limited, starting with the choice of light sources to be used, the designing of the installation, the compilation of sound and lighting plots, followed by a process of simplification during the rehearsal period to ensure easy operation throughout the season.
The lumens and decibels-the light and the sound- -make their contribution to the great new night time spectacle that is Son et Lumière.
Atlas Lighting Ltd (based in Enfield) was a subsidiary of Thorn Electrical Industries, and held the contract for Son et Lumiere at the Tower of London between 1958 – 1962, but lost it in 1963 to ‘a British firm with Dutch connections’.
1958
Cardiff Castle
With Stanley Baker
Produced by Peter Wood
The script by Louis Macneice
The music composed by Elisabeth Lutyens and played by The London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Marcus Dods
Historical Adviser: Professor William Rees
Management: Harold Holt Ltd.
July 18 – August 3 at 10.15pm
August 4 – August 30 at 9.45pm
September 1 – September 27 at 9pm
The performance lasts approximately 45 minutes.
1960
HMS Victory, Portsmouth, UK (First performance July 1 1960)
Featuring the voices of Sir Laurence Olivier as Nelson and Robert Morley as Dr. Scott
From The Evening News, Portsmouth; June 29, 1960:
100 Switches for Lighting
The most important British contribution to the art of Son et Lumiere lies in the wide variety of electric light sources and in their control.
Fluorescent tubes under dimmer control have been ‘laid’ in the dry-dock which houses Victory and these will be used chiefly to give white and colour floodlighting to the ship’s hull.
Directional lighting, so necessary for dramatic effects, is produced by many types of incandescent lamps, and a battery of these has been erected on one of the Dockyard’s big storehouse roofs, opposite the flagship.
These will be used to pick out Victory’s masts, individually or collectively, and to pinpoint different scenes during the 40 minute ‘action’.
All the light points will be electronically-controlled from a hut specially built in the dock arena alongside Victory.
1961
Pyramids of Giza (part of the Son et Lumiere was featured in the 1977 James Bond film, The Spy Who Loved Me)
The presentation has now been enhanced with projections and laser effects, along with more up-to-date lighting effects.
1962
Independence Hall, Philadelphia (first US performance)
1963
Carrickfergus (first in Ireland)
1965
The Red Ford, Delhi, India (first Asian production)
1967
The Tower of London
May – September 1967
Narrated by Sir Ralph Richardson.
1968
St Pauls Cathedral
First performance 9th October 1968. Revived 9th June 1969, 1st June 1971 (to October 1971).
1969
Exeter Cathedral
Lighting & Sound Reproduction by the Theatre Lighting Division of British Lighting Industries Ltd.
1972
Salisbury Cathedral
21 July – 30 September 1972
1977
York Minster
1984
Hampton Court Palace
Presented by Richmond upon Thames Tourism Association
1 July – 30 September 1984
Artistic Direction & Script: Avril Lethbridge
Producer: Jenny Crosland
Sponsored by the Milk Marketing Board in aid of The Save The Children Fund
Some information from Britannica
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