Author: François

And the stone became light.

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A show where architecture comes alive.
With “And the stone became light”, the Collegiate Church of Huy transforms into a true scenic jewel. The show follows the tradition of heritage operas conceived by Luc Petit, where stone, steeped in history, becomes the starting point for an immersive experience blending light, dance, music, and performance.
In this context, light does not merely illuminate: it reveals. It highlights Gothic lines, redefines volumes, and constantly interacts with the architecture. Each scene enhances the venue, transforming matter into emotion.
Our work on this project was guided by this logic: to design lighting capable of existing on a grand scale while remaining precise, sensitive, and deeply connected to the location. A luminous design conceived to accompany artists, structure spaces, and guide the audience’s gaze to the heart of the show.
Between visual power and narrative finesse, light here becomes a language in its own right — a direct link between stone and life.
A project where heritage and contemporary creation meet to give birth to a timeless experience.

Production: Les nocturnales
Direction: Luc Petit
Text: Michel Teheux
Light designer / operator: François Vandermeeren

And the stone became light.

Qing Show – Luc Petit (Qingdao, China)

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We participated in the lighting design and operation for Qing Show, a permanent, international-scale immersive show designed for a 360° theater featuring an aquatic stage, special effects, and advanced media systems.
We developed a lighting narrative that serves the storytelling, with particular attention to spatial perception, contrast dynamics, and the integration of volumes within a complex and evolving stage environment.
Our involvement was part of a multi-department technical ecosystem (video, automation, laser, FX), requiring precise synchronization and a deep understanding of the interactions between light, materials (water, smoke, laser, reflective surfaces), and media.
We also managed the operation of a large-scale lighting system in the context of a permanent show, with high demands for reliability, precision, and reproducibility.

Position: Lighting & Laser Designer & Operator

Qing Show – Luc Petit (Qingdao, China)

The Journey of the Magi (tour) – Belgium

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As part of this immersive creation directed by Luc Petit, we participated in the lighting design and operation for the show Les Rois Mages, presented within the cathedrals of Brussels and Tournai.
Conceived as a visual and narrative journey, the show relies on a powerful spatial arrangement, where the lighting accompanies the story and guides the audience’s gaze through the various sequences.
We developed a lighting style centered on creating atmospheres, managing contrasts, and highlighting architectural volumes, in constant dialogue with the specific characteristics of these heritage sites.
Our intervention required precise adaptation to each location, taking into account technical constraints, monumental scales, and diverse viewpoints, while ensuring the coherence and clarity of the performance.
We managed the lighting operations in a demanding context, with particular attention paid to precision, the fluidity of transitions, and the quality of execution within sensitive environments.

The Journey of the Magi (tour) – Belgium

Reaching for the Moon VII

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A monumental show at the crossroads of reality and imagination.
For Reaching for the Moon, lighting becomes a central element of the storytelling. It structures the space, supports movement, and amplifies every emotion. On a grand scale, it shapes powerful visual tableaux while maintaining the essential precision required in service of the performers.
Our work on this project consisted of designing a lighting language capable of engaging in dialogue with the architecture, volumes, and scenography. Every atmosphere, every contrast, every transition was conceived to immerse the audience and enhance the show’s impact.
Between visual power and finesse of execution, light fully contributes to the experience: it guides the eye, sets the pace of the narrative, and helps create moments that feel suspended in time.
A project where technique gives way to emotion, giving the audience the feeling of coming close to the impossible.

Reaching for the Moon VII

Inauguration of Les Bastions – Tournai (Belgium)

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As part of the inauguration of the Les Bastions shopping center in Tournai, we participated in the design and lighting operation of the show created by Luc Petit for the VO Event agency.
Presented before several thousand spectators, the event combined choreographic performances, high diving, juggling, and pyrotechnic effects in a large-scale stage setup.
We developed a lighting approach aimed at structuring the space, supporting the narrative, and enhancing the visual impact of the different sequences, while ensuring optimal visibility in a complex outdoor environment.
Our work was integrated in close collaboration with the artistic and technical teams (FX, pyrotechnics, stage), involving precise synchronization and constant adaptation to live constraints.
We operated the lighting system under demanding event conditions, with a high level of responsiveness, precision, and reliability.

Position: Light design and operator

Inauguration of Les Bastions – Tournai (Belgium)

The Pergola Show – Florence

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As part of this exceptional international private event conceived by Luc Petit, we participated in the design and lighting operation for one of two evenings deployed in iconic locations throughout Florence.
The first evening was held at the Salone dei Cinquecento in Palazzo Vecchio, featuring an immersive dinner designed in collaboration with Charles Kaisin, integrating performances and visual installations within a prestigious heritage environment.
The second night took place at the Teatro della Pergola, with a stage design combining projection mapping, aerial performances, practical effects, and visual interventions, in a multidisciplinary approach delivered by international teams.
We developed a lighting design adapted to highly contrasting contexts, working on architectural enhancement, performance visibility, and coherent integration with media and effects.
Our work was part of a complex technical ecosystem, requiring close coordination and precise synchronization with the various artistic and technical departments.
We provided lighting operation in a high-demand event context, with particular attention to precision, visual coherence, and execution quality.

The Pergola Show – Florence

The Christmas Bell Ringers

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The Great Bell no longer rings.
What a tragedy for the Bell Ringer, whose mission is to announce the arrival of Christmas. He must absolutely find a solution as quickly as possible to save Christmas.
The adventure takes you, alongside the Bell Ringer, to meet unusual and mysterious characters who draw you into a wild journey in search of the sound of the Christmas Bell.
Between music boxes, automatons, and chimes, Luc PETIT and Michel TEHEUX take audiences into a magical audiovisual spiral full of poetry.
Magic, illusions, humour, and dance—everything is staged brilliantly to delight the eyes and ears. An odyssey filled with hope that immerses the audience in the innocence of childhood, guided by the graceful clatter of Christmas’s celestial percussion.

First collaboration for creation and lighting programming

For this first creative adventure alongside Luc Petit, I had the opportunity to shape the luminous world that accompanies The Christmas Bell Ringers. From the very first discussions, the aim was to find the right emotion—the colour that tells a story, the sparkle that highlights a gesture, or the shadow that leaves room for mystery.
My work took shape as an exploration: how can light resonate with the rhythm of the music? How can the artists be wrapped in a warm, festive, or magical aura depending on the scenes? Each moment was conceived as a small story in itself, a fragment of magic to be revealed with delicacy.
The lighting programming was carried out in the same spirit of sensitivity and precision. Cue after cue, I sought to create a visual breathing space—transitions that go unnoticed yet are felt, and lighting accents that support emotions without ever imposing them.
Working with the artistic and technical teams made it possible to weave a true dialogue between the director’s intentions, the performers’ energy, and the poetry that light can offer. This collaboration gave me a space where creativity could be fully expressed, in the service of the sense of wonder that is so characteristic of Luc Petit’s worlds.
For me, this first shared experience marks the beginning of a joint artistic journey, fuelled by inspiration, attentive listening, and a shared desire: to bring magic to life.

The Christmas Bell Ringers

The Christmas Watchmaker – Belgium (Tour)

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As part of the Christmas of Cathedrals tour, we participated in the lighting design and operation of this creation, directed by Luc Petit and based on an original text by Michel Teheux.
Deployed within exceptional heritage sites, the show adopts an immersive approach where light interacts with the architecture, revealing the volumes, materials, and unique perspectives of each cathedral.
We developed a lighting concept focused on creating atmospheres, highlighting the built environment, and sensitively accompanying the narrative, striking a balance between sobriety, precision, and visual impact.
Our involvement required precise adaptation to each location, taking into account technical constraints, monumental scales, and specific architectural features, while ensuring consistency and clarity from one site to another.
We managed the lighting operation throughout the entire tour, maintaining a high level of precision, reproducibility, and respect for the environments.

Position: Light designer and operator
Artistic Director and Staging: Luc PETIT
Texts: Michel TEHEUX
Production: Nocturnales ASBL

The Christmas Watchmaker – Belgium (Tour)

Beethoven’s 9th Symphony (Malley – Lausanne/Switzerland)

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This choreographic transposition of Beethoven’s work has no other idea, no other purpose, no other argument than the music that supports it, nourishes it, and is its sole reason for being.
Dance, here, merely follows the slow journey of the composer from anguish to joy, from darkness to light.
This is not a ballet, in the generally accepted sense of the term, superimposed on a score that is one of the summits of music, but a profound human participation in a work that belongs to all humanity and which is here not only played and sung, but danced, just as Greek tragedy was or all primitive and collective religious manifestations.

Maurice Béjart

A monumental work, driven by extraordinary collective energy.
With Maurice Béjart’s 9th Symphony, the stage becomes a total space where music, dance, and light converge in rare intensity. This iconic piece, powered by Beethoven’s force, demands technical and artistic excellence equal to its ambition.
Bringing together over 200 artists on stage—dancers, choir members, and musicians—the performance operates on a spectacular scale where every element must be perfectly controlled.
On this production, we held the role of lighting technical manager. A key position at the heart of the operation, responsible for implementation, precision, and reliability of the entire system.
Our work involved coordinating teams, ensuring installation and operation, and maintaining perfect execution of the lighting design under all conditions. Anticipation, rigor, and responsiveness were essential to support such a dense work, where every detail matters.
In a production of this magnitude, technique becomes invisible when mastered. This is where success lies: enabling the stage to express itself fully, without constraint, in service of the artists and the audience.

Choreography: Maurice Béjart
Texts: Friedrich Nietzsche, Friedrich von Schiller
Music: Ludwig Van Beethoven, Citypercussion
Original sets, lighting and costumes: Joëlle Roustand, Roger Bernard
Lighting design: Dominique Roman
Costume design: Henri Davila
Technical manager: François Vandermeeren

Beethoven’s 9th Symphony (Malley – Lausanne/Switzerland)