in Singapore In France,
son et lumière shows are performed in and around France's historical
châteaux. In neighboring
Luxembourg, a
son et lumière event took place in 2007 at the Chateau de Septfontaines. In other countries,
son et lumière has been mounted at the
Forum in Rome and at the
Parthenon in Athens. In the United States, the first such presentation took place at
Independence Hall in
Philadelphia in 1962. Another presentation took place at George Washington's
Mount Vernon in May 1976 as France's bicentennial gift to the United States. The opening performance was attended by French President
Giscard d'Estaing and American President
Gerald Ford. Further afield, the first African production was at the
Pyramids of Giza at
Cairo, Egypt, in 1961, while the first in Asia was the
Red Fort in
Delhi, India in 1965 by the
India Tourism Development Corporation.
Canterbury Cathedral in England featured a
son et lumière in 1965 and more recently in 2005, along with
Rochester Cathedral and
Castle as part of the European "Cathedrales en Lumière" project. In Britain, where the majority of such productions have been staged at churches,
cathedrals and
abbeys, indoor presentations are frequently preferred, particularly as architectural gems might otherwise not be shown to best advantage. The first British production was at
Greenwich Palace in south London in 1957. In England in particular, where
son et lumière is as well received as it is in France, many of the nations's principal historic houses and church buildings have enjoyed such a production. Of particular interest have been the ones at
Canterbury Cathedral (produced as part of the European "Cathedrales en Lumière" events),
Rochester Castle,
St Augustine's Abbey,
St. George's Hall, Liverpool,
Tewkesbury Abbey,
St Paul's Cathedral,
Hampton Court Palace, and at
Chartwell, the country home of
Winston Churchill. Part of the
London 2012 Olympic bid involved the use of
son et lumière inspired light projections of
athletes upon various London buildings. In
India, popular shows are at
Red Fort,
Amer Fort,
Khajuraho,
Akbari Quila,
Ajmer,
Jantar Mantar, Jaipur,
Purana Qila, Delhi, and
Golconda Fort. Most of these shows highlight historic tapestry of the place. In
Peru, a
son et lumière show opened in
Park of the Reserve, Lima in 2007, called "Circuito Mágico del Agua" (
magic water circuit) which has a
Guinness World Record as the world's largest water source exposed in a public park. In Canada, the
National Capital Commission has sponsored a sound and light show on
Parliament Hill in
Ottawa every year since 1984, from early July to mid-September. In Australia,
Blood Under the Southern Cross, shown at
Sovereign Hill in
Ballarat since 1992, depicts the events of the 1854
Eureka Rebellion. In Israel, a son et lumière production is presented both at the
Tower of David in the Citadel of the
Old City of Jerusalem, and at the desert butte of
Masada. Composers who have produced son et lumière shows include
Jacqueline Nova and
Halim El-Dabh. French electronic music composer
Jean Michel Jarre has incorporated son et lumière productions into his live concerts, which often take place outdoors at historical sites, sometimes with more than one million spectators. On December 31, 2017, the
Burj Khalifa used an LED lighting system to present
Light Up Dubai—a multimedia show that served as its
New Year's countdown in lieu of a fireworks show (which had been one of the most expensive fireworks displays in the world). It set a record for the largest light and sound show displayed on a single building; for 2018-19, the show was supplemented by the return of its fireworks. ==See also==