July 9 to
September 8, 2019
Join
us this summer on Parliament Hill as key figures,
events and achievements from Canadian history are
brought to life against the backdrop of the Centre
Block and Peace Tower. It's free!
Show Time
July
|
10:00 PM
|
| August |
9:30 PM |
| September |
9:00 PM |
Northern
Lights Show is a free bilingual show
presented nightly from July 9 to September 8, 2019.
Show times: in July at 10:00 p.m., in August at 9:30
p.m., and in September at 9:00 p.m. The show lasts
about 30 minutes.
This experience of sound and light is a thrilling
thematic journey through Canada's history. Combining
bold digital technology with the architectural
splendour of the Parliament Buildings, the show
illuminates Canadian stories of nation-building,
partnership, discovery, valour, pride and vision at
the heart of our country.
Northern Lights has been a huge success! Since its
debut in 2015, more than one million spectators have
enjoyed the sound and light experience on Parliament
Hill.
Audiences have been captivated by sound and light
shows on Parliament Hill for more than 30 years.
Northern Lights is the 5th edition of the Sound and
Light Show on Parliament Hill.
Key figures, events and achievements from Canadian
history are brought to life using five distinct
artistic styles. All are presented in spectacular
detail, with stirring narration and an original score,
against the backdrop of the Centre Block and Peace
Tower.
The narrative unfolds through five thematic "books":
Book One: Foundations of the Nation.
A fluid ink-in-water style is used to paint stories of
how people from all over the world have expanded our
foundations. From traditional indigenous ways of life
and early European settlements to modern citizenship
ceremonies, these stories are linked by our desire to
call Canada "home".
Book Two: Strength in Partnership.
Partnership and determination have made Canada strong.
Using an illustration style inspired by classical
paintings, this book explores alliances that have
shaped our country.
Book Three: Discovery and Adventure.
A lithographic style takes us on a voyage showcasing
the achievements of explorers, scientists and
innovators whose quests into the unknown continue to
inspire us to follow our dreams.
Book Four: Valour.
This powerful book combines dramatic performances with
archival materials and charcoal drawings to honour the
men and women who have served their country, both at
home and abroad, in military conflicts since the First
World War.
Book Five: Pride and Vision.
Inspired by the stained glass windows of the Memorial
Chamber in the Peace Tower, this intensely colourful
book celebrates the natural grandeur of our country
and the diversity of her people.
The technology
What kind of technology is required to turn the Centre
Block on Parliament Hill into a screen more than 143
metres (470 feet) long and 30 storeys high?
Projectors
Seventeen different projectors work together to form a
seamless image on the front façade of Centre Block,
creating a fully immersive high definition visual
experience.
Lighting Effects
During Northern Lights, the Centre Block façade is
flooded with light by more than 150 moving and static
lighting fixtures. These include 50 automated lights,
some of which can produce more than 16.5 million
different hues, and 38 low-energy LED lights which
produce more than 4.2 billion different hues. This
complex lighting system is controlled by two computers
and more than 15 km (49,213 feet) of wiring.
High-impact lighting and environmentally-friendly
smoke effects enhance the experience. For the first
time, the sound and light show on Parliament Hill will
use a color laser to punctuate transitions and add
depth, making this a truly multimedia show.
Audio
Northern Lights features an original score, stirring
narration and captivating sound effects. These sounds
are brought to life on the front lawn of Parliament
Hill using an audio system custom built for the show.
The rich soundtrack is mixed using a 7.1 surround
sound system, with 18 speakers set up in 8 different
locations around the site. This system was designed to
improve the clarity of the narration and soundtrack,
and to create a more immersive experience. The audio
system has a total of 38,000 watts of power, 15,000 of
which comes from the subwoofers. The audio signal is
fully digital.
Video
Video programming for a large-scale multimedia show
like Northern Lights requires very specialized
software and a powerful control system. The show uses
10 different servers, almost 200 gigabytes of
processing power, and 80 gigabytes of video RAM. The
image projected on the Centre Block is comprised of up
to 35 million pixels (to put this in perspective, a
high definition television screen can display just
over 2 million pixels at a time).
Signal Management
With a show as complex as Northern Lights, many
different types of equipment have to communicate with
each other flawlessly, and this is accomplished
through an intricate show control system that links
lighting, video, audio, time code, network and control
signals. This amazing system, designed by the show's
technical director and his team, uses 150 km of cable,
including just over 7.5 km of fibre optic cable, and
almost a kilometre of speaker line. There are four
different networks, one of which is entirely dedicated
to the safety systems related to the show's laser. The
show's system includes more than 2,500 individual
signal connections, all of which must work together
seamlessly to bring the show to life.
The Cube
The projection trailer in the Centre Aisle is covered
with LED screens on three sides. This "CUBE" of video
screens counts down to show time and hosts interactive
games before the show. During Northern Lights, the LED
screens help tell the story, and a colour laser housed
in the CUBE, beams out onto Parliament.
The interactive CUBE activities begin about one hour
prior to the start of Northern Lights and run
approximately 55 minutes.
Parking:
Parking
is not available on Parliament Hill. Numerous public
and municipal parking lots ($) are located nearby. Free indoor parking is available
on Saturdays and Sundays at the World Exchange
Plaza located at 45 O’Connor Street (map).
Garage entrances are on Metcalfe and on Queen
streets. Please respect indoor parking signs posting
restrictions that apply at all times.
Washrooms:
Outdoor
public washrooms are located to the right of the
Centre Block building (to the left when looking at the building).
---
Northern Lights 30 sec sneak
peek: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvq7BqgFlio
Photo
Album: https://www.flickr.com/photos/canadianheritage-patrimoinecanadien/sets/72157651635418793
More info: https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/sound-light-show.html
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