Horizons: A 21st Century Space Odyssey Theatre Tour with Professor Brian Cox
A Mind-Bending Cosmic Visual Spectacle as Close as You Can Experience It Without Going to Space
How 80six Installed the Largest LED Screens Possible in 15 Venues Across 4 Countries to Match the Scale of Cox’s Scientific Ideas
Why Earth, out of 20 billion planets in the Milky Way with the potential for life? In a vile universe, what made life here safer—and how can humanity justify its existence?
These profound questions were at the heart of Professor Brian Cox's latest tour, an extraordinary showcase of science and visual storytelling.
During his Royal Opera House residency , ‘Symphonic Horizons’, he joined forces with conductor Daniel Harding and the Britten Sinfonia, blending a collection of the finest orchestral masterpieces with visuals to explore ideas that language alone cannot express.
THE BRIEF
The vision was to install the largest possible LED screens in each of the 15 venues on the UK and Europe tour, from theater-sized spaces to iconic stages like the Royal Opera House. The high-quality, adaptable LED video system had to meet diverse architectural and technical demands.
Tom Bushell, 80six's project manager, and leading LED processing tech, worked closely with video system engineer Henri Latham-Koenig, bringing their skills together to tackle the project’s challenges and deliver an impactful visual experience.
Far more than a backdrop, the LED screens became integral to the show, transforming into a spaceship for cosmic journeys and an enormous whiteboard for real-time mathematical calculations unlocking the universe's mysteries.
Highlights included stunning visualizations of the sun, moon and black holes, as well as water droplets drifting through space, forming a scientifically accurate atom-splitting sequence, immersing audiences in the birth of matter.
THE SOLUTION
Technical Rehearsals at 80six Studios:
Adapting the largest possible screen to each venue, some with strict roof load limits and limited stage space, presented some logistical challenges. We tested multiple configurations at 80six studios, addressing load-bearing concerns and rigging adjustments for varying stage dimensions and audience sightlines.
Tom Bushell, project manager at 80six:
During technical rehearsals, we built the full-sized flown LED screen using load cells to gather load calculations for each hanging point. An ideal setup used five evenly spaced motors, but we also tested flying the screen with four, three, and two motors in various positions. This allowed us to gather load data for many different screen rigging configurations prior to the tour. All this forward planning enabled us to react quickly while on the road and ensure we could install a massive screen in most venues.
State-of-the-Art LED Screen Technology & Customized Video Systems:
80six designed and implemented bespoke LED setups for each venue, using both a ground stacking system and a flown rigging system. Truss and motors were provided by Sonalyst, with 80six providing all rigging, power and data distribution.
In the UK, we deployed a 12m x 4.8m ROE Visual CB3, in Europe, a 12m x 4.2m ROE CB3 and at the Royal Opera House, a 15.6m x 7.8m ROE CB5. For processing, we used Brompton Technology image processors and a 10-bit workflow, ensuring vivid visuals across all venues.
