Parente Fireworks at the Züri Fäscht – Interview with Antonio Parente

The power of fireworks is indescribable. Some displays can leave lasting memories in our life. The spectacular special effects over a lake, the colourful comets and waterfalls balanced with the perfect music make unforgettable moments for people of all ages.

 

A decade after an event such as the 14th of July celebration in Paris, the Redentore festival in Venice or the closing ceremony of some Olympic Games, you may still be talking about it!

Parente Fireworks, an Italian company based in Melara and in the business for over a century will take care of the first fireworks during this week’s Zueri Faescht. They are here this year for the fourth time. They have been everywhere in the world from France (Paris, Annecy), Brazil, the United States, Hungary, Turkmenistan and to of course Italy. They organize corporate events (Citroen, Financial Times, Estée Lauder), weddings shows but also special events such as presidential inaugurations, opening and closing ceremonies of Olympic Games, New Year’s Eves and Independence Days.

 

Recently you may seen their fireworks at the welcoming celebration of the new MSC flagship in Genoa or at the Guinness world record in Kuwait for the 50th anniversary of the Kuwait constitution!

Antonio Parente, creative director of the company, answers some questions before the beginning of the folk’s festival. Don’t miss the fireworks on Friday July 5th at 22:30 p.m. at the lake of Zurich.

Antonio Parente: We studied some new choreographies adapted to the special natural amphitheatre of the lake, the pace (the rhythm) will be a main character especially towards the end of the show, the idea is to take the public its breath away.

Vivamost: What will be the highlight?

Antonio Parente: Surely the opening and the final.

Vivamost: How do you select your music accompanying the firework display?

Antonio Parente: This time I wanted to use a soundtrack exciting, original music (non-trivial), mostly instrumental, from composers, who became famous for scoring great soundtracks –  a continuous change of rhythms and melodies from the first track in order not to bore but instead involve the audience.

Vivamost: How many people and how many hours of work are needed for such event?

Antonio Parente: On site we are 9 technicians for one week, but to prepare this kind of show requires dozens of people for a couple of weeks, without counting the time for the design, which is difficult to quantify.

Vivamost: Are the fireworks all the same for a year or so or are they pretty much customized, so if I go to Venice for the Redentore’s festival it won’t look the same?

Antonio Parente: In any location we create a show suitable and tailor the artistic needs, which are always different and the context helps to change the emotion of the show.

 

 

Vivamost: Do you always travel with your team?

Antonio Parente: We make many shows a year, more than 600 and I will personally follow the biggest…and so I travel a lot.

Vivamost: Parente has been in the firework business for over a century, how do you explain your success?

Antonio Parente: It’s a family tradition which has now reached the 5th generation, I think it’s part of our DNA. The success is linked to the passion for this particular art.

Vivamost: You have been all around the world, what has been you most memorable moment so far?

Antonio Parente: Last year in November we had the chance to enter in the Guinness World Record with the largest fireworks display, thanks to a special event that we organized in Kuwait in occasion of their Constitution Anniversary. A really special occasion which from the pyrotechnic point of views had never happened.

Vivamost: What big events are you preparing or would like to work on?

Antonio Parente: We are working on some special occasions, but for the moment still top secret.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Antonio Parente
• fireworks
• Guiness world record
• Parente Fireworks
• Zueri Faescht
• Züri Fäscht