Marco Balich, a director of more than 20 opening and closing ceremonies for the Olympic, Paralympic and Winter Olympic Games, has turned his creative mind towards the world of attractions, creating a stunning immersive experience allowing visitors to step inside the works of Michelangelo.
Debuted in Rome, Italy, earlier this year, Giudizio Universale: Michelangelo and the Secrets of the Sistine Chapel features an all star line up, with voice acting headlined by Hollywood actress Susan Sarandon and Italian movie star Pierfrancesco Favino.
The musical score for the dramatic piece was composed by British rock star Sting.
Starting in the 16th century with Michelangelo’s famous sculpture David, viewers are taken back in time to the quarries of Carrara on the hunt for the perfect piece of marble, which was used to carve the Renaissance masterpiece.
Continuing through his professional life and work, the experience explores the story behind Michelangelo’s famous Sistine Chapel ceiling, which forms inside the theatre in front of visitor’s eyes.
“With Giudizio Universale, we wanted to create a completely new kind of show, in which the genesis of a masterpiece of universal art is narrated, by mixing all the languages that the world of live entertainment has today,” says Balich. “And we do all this in the most rigorous respect of the work of Michelangelo.”
Balich has a rich portfolio, with his expertise in producing large-scale events applauded worldwide. In addition to his work on the Olympics, he was artistic director of the Italian Pavilion at the 2015 Milan Expo. He was recognised with an Emmy Award for his work on the Olympics and has received special acknowledgement from the president of Italy, so with such pedigree, it’s no surprise that the Vatican agreed to support the project.
The city-state surrounded by Rome, which is the home of the Pope and the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church, donated high resolution imagery of the Sistine Chapel at a reduced rate to Balich, also offering scientific and historical advice to ensure Giudizio Universale’s accuracy.
“This project was born and has grown thanks to the support and trust of the Vatican Museums,” says Balich.
“To fulfil this trust we wanted the world’s greatest talents in the entertainment industry that we were able to involve thanks to the experience accumulated in years of great ceremonies. Those events taught us to inject into our creations the two most important ingredients for a successful show – emotion and authenticity.”
Giudizio Universale has been made possible by a private investment of €9m (US$10.4m). The immersive show takes place inside Rome’s former symphony hall – the Auditorium Conciliazione – which sees Michelangelo’s work projected across its walls, ceilings and stage, with dancers and actors also featured to tell the story. The show lasts an hour.
“Using the work of a lifetime to tell the story of a world heritage site as significant as the Sistine Chapel was a privilege and a huge responsibility,” says Balich.
“We like to think that the spectators who will come to see Giudizio Universale – especially the younger ones – can leave the Auditorium Conciliazione inspired by a renewed awareness: there is nothing more exciting than the beauty of art.”
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2018 issue 4
Rides: Themed dreams
We take a look at some of the major
openings at visitor attractions worldwide
Theme Parks: Fan power
Jordan Middleton explains how operators
can best work with their audiences
Tourism: The Tourist Trap
What role could attractions play to keep
tourism beneficial for residents and
visitors alike? Kath Hudson reports
Conference: Creativity Cocktail
This year’s SATE conference came to the global epicentre for themed entertainment – Orlando – as the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) searched for the secrets to “The Experience Recipe”.
Promotional feature: Whitewater
WhiteWater is branching out of the waterpark business as it
introduces two new attractions products and its brand new
Vantage guest engagement and management software
Show report: Enabling fun
Tom Anstey was on-hand to see what was
on offer at this year’s Euro Attractions Show
Promotional feature: Simtec - forward thinking
Simtec is a flying theatre and simulator ride supplier
for the attractions industry, as well as a manufacturer
of driving and flight simulation applications
Marco Balich, a director of more than 20 opening and closing ceremonies for the Olympic, Paralympic and Winter Olympic Games, has turned his creative mind towards the world of attractions, creating a stunning immersive experience allowing visitors to step inside the works of Michelangelo.
Debuted in Rome, Italy, earlier this year, Giudizio Universale: Michelangelo and the Secrets of the Sistine Chapel features an all star line up, with voice acting headlined by Hollywood actress Susan Sarandon and Italian movie star Pierfrancesco Favino.
The musical score for the dramatic piece was composed by British rock star Sting.
Starting in the 16th century with Michelangelo’s famous sculpture David, viewers are taken back in time to the quarries of Carrara on the hunt for the perfect piece of marble, which was used to carve the Renaissance masterpiece.
Continuing through his professional life and work, the experience explores the story behind Michelangelo’s famous Sistine Chapel ceiling, which forms inside the theatre in front of visitor’s eyes.
“With Giudizio Universale, we wanted to create a completely new kind of show, in which the genesis of a masterpiece of universal art is narrated, by mixing all the languages that the world of live entertainment has today,” says Balich. “And we do all this in the most rigorous respect of the work of Michelangelo.”
Balich has a rich portfolio, with his expertise in producing large-scale events applauded worldwide. In addition to his work on the Olympics, he was artistic director of the Italian Pavilion at the 2015 Milan Expo. He was recognised with an Emmy Award for his work on the Olympics and has received special acknowledgement from the president of Italy, so with such pedigree, it’s no surprise that the Vatican agreed to support the project.
The city-state surrounded by Rome, which is the home of the Pope and the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church, donated high resolution imagery of the Sistine Chapel at a reduced rate to Balich, also offering scientific and historical advice to ensure Giudizio Universale’s accuracy.
“This project was born and has grown thanks to the support and trust of the Vatican Museums,” says Balich.
“To fulfil this trust we wanted the world’s greatest talents in the entertainment industry that we were able to involve thanks to the experience accumulated in years of great ceremonies. Those events taught us to inject into our creations the two most important ingredients for a successful show – emotion and authenticity.”
Giudizio Universale has been made possible by a private investment of €9m (US$10.4m). The immersive show takes place inside Rome’s former symphony hall – the Auditorium Conciliazione – which sees Michelangelo’s work projected across its walls, ceilings and stage, with dancers and actors also featured to tell the story. The show lasts an hour.
“Using the work of a lifetime to tell the story of a world heritage site as significant as the Sistine Chapel was a privilege and a huge responsibility,” says Balich.
“We like to think that the spectators who will come to see Giudizio Universale – especially the younger ones – can leave the Auditorium Conciliazione inspired by a renewed awareness: there is nothing more exciting than the beauty of art.”
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2018 issue 4
Rides: Themed dreams
We take a look at some of the major
openings at visitor attractions worldwide
Theme Parks: Fan power
Jordan Middleton explains how operators
can best work with their audiences
Tourism: The Tourist Trap
What role could attractions play to keep
tourism beneficial for residents and
visitors alike? Kath Hudson reports
Conference: Creativity Cocktail
This year’s SATE conference came to the global epicentre for themed entertainment – Orlando – as the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) searched for the secrets to “The Experience Recipe”.
Promotional feature: Whitewater
WhiteWater is branching out of the waterpark business as it
introduces two new attractions products and its brand new
Vantage guest engagement and management software
Show report: Enabling fun
Tom Anstey was on-hand to see what was
on offer at this year’s Euro Attractions Show
Promotional feature: Simtec - forward thinking
Simtec is a flying theatre and simulator ride supplier
for the attractions industry, as well as a manufacturer
of driving and flight simulation applications
The Montana Historical Society has officially celebrated the opening of its new Montana
Heritage
Center, a US$107 million (£79 million, €92 million) destination that combines immersive
storytelling with cutting-edge audiovisual technology to bring the sta
San Antonio Zoo has reported a US$283 million economic impact for 2025, following a decade-
long transformation programme that has seen almost US$200 million invested into the Texas
attraction.
Plans for the AU$180 million redevelopment of Reef HQ Aquarium in Townsville, Australia, are
progressing, with the project set to transform the attraction into a global centre for reef
education and conservation.
Abu Dhabi-based investment firm Mubadala Capital has made a binding, fully financed
€1 billion
offer to acquire Pierre and Vacances SA, the European holiday resort operator behind the
continental European Center Parcs business.
Disney has reaffirmed its commitment to investing US$30 billion in its US parks and cruise
business by 2033, using new America250 celebrations to underline the role its attractions play
in supporting jobs, tourism and economic growth.
Expo 2030 Riyadh is being planned as a permanent visitor destination, with organisers
confirming the six-million-square-metre site will become a Global Village after the event closes.
The owner of one of Australia's best-known waterparks has acquired a major competitor,
creating a new attractions business spanning two of the country's largest visitor destinations.
The Toverland theme park in the Netherlands has announced a €98m expansion programme
that will add a resort, new attractions and staff facilities as it pursues plans to become a multi-
day destination.
Hotel de France, located on the British Isle of Jersey, has created a wellness retreat package
that includes a hot yoga session that will take place in Jersey Zoo’s butterfly sanctuary.
A new immersive attraction designed to transport visitors into the final hours of ancient Pompeii
is preparing to open near the world-famous archaeological site in southern Italy.
+ More news
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