Click here to read the full article.
The world premiere of the David Bowie immersive concert experience, “Stage,” has been set for Feb. 14 at Berlin’s Uber Arena. It will play during the Berlin Film Festival, representing a rare foray into alternative
programming at the European film event.
The experience, which combines previously unseen Bowie concert footage and immersive sound and light, is designed around recently discovered and restored footage from the 1978 Isolar II World Tour, during which Bowie performed material from his album “Heroes.”
Presented in association with the Berlinale, the production is a collaboration between Rob Hallett’s Wonderworld, the David Bowie Estate and documentary filmmaker Brett Morgen, who first discovered the original camera negatives while working on his Grammy Award-winning film “Moonage Daydream.
With a three-screen presentation, the immersive experience combines large-scale projections and transparent LED screens with an elaborate lighting design by renowned lighting designer Patrick Woodroffe, whose credits include collaborations with the Rolling Stones and Elton John.
The production is further enhanced by a specially created sound mix from Academy Award winner Paul Massey (“Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Michael,” “Moonage Daydream”).
Using state-of-the-art 7.1 surround technology and spatial audio design, the production places audiences at the center of a live David Bowie concert experience.
Tricia Tuttle, director of the Berlinale, said: “The Berlinale is a place where cinema, art and new forms of storytelling intersect. It’s like a dream come true: Bowie, Brett Morgen, a world-class sound and light team all coming together in the city’s premiere music arena. To have this world premiere in Berlin, a city so closely connected to David Bowie, makes the experience especially meaningful.”
Rob Hallett, founder of Wonderworld and former president of AEG International, said: “David Bowie has bestowed upon us an extraordinary treasure — an unprecedented concert experience that has yet to be witnessed. Working hand-in-hand with David Bowie’s Estate and Brett Morgen, we are ensuring this experience is 100% faithful to his legacy while making his genius accessible to global fans and a new generation.”
Morgen will also be a headline speaker as part of the talks program of Berlinale’s European Film Market. Further details will be revealed in the coming weeks.
