PORTUGAL: THIS TIME YES
Yesterday, on the fourth night of the competition, we could see the performance of the Portuguese company MACEDO'S Pirotecnia. They are well-known by experts among other things because they have the Guinness World Record for the world biggest fireworks display, which was fired on New Year’s Eve in Funchal (the capital of the Portuguese province of Madeira).
This is the second time a Portuguese company has fired in Tarragona since the beginning of the competitions, although we don’t have a good memory of the first time because then, that company was disqualified due to the really bad performance they offered.
Macedo’s started work on a stifling hot day and with some mishap to start with: when they were going to start the setting up, the lorry that had to carry the material from the security area lorry park to the firing area refused to start, so everything was delayed about two hours and a half. This delay made them modify slightly the setting up system but finally they managed to be on time with the audience at 22:30, the starting time for the event.
After the third warning thunder,
Macedo’s started and unusual countdown, which they had prepared with light and colour and elaborated the numbers with small white flashes. The short duration of those flashes avoided the problem of smoke accumulation. This work with lights was not the only example they showed of old pyrotechnics or stick fireworks, as it’s also known, but they also produced wheels combined with fountains that were very much appreciated by experts.
Among others, some of the most outstanding effects were some beautiful yellow daisies that opened magnificently. Splendid as well was the kamuros section, accompanied by violet comets on the first level. This section was designed in such a way that, as it grew up, the kamuro turned to violet tips matching what had been produced in the lower level.
Although the audience was a bit cold at the beginning, they got more and more involved as the display progressed, so at the end the company was thanked with applause in recognition.
At the end, Macedo’s brought the finale with a multi-coloured second hanging in time and space, which finished with three or four big kamuro shells and ended with a great firing of thunders of rising intensity.
All in all, this Portuguese company did really well and this time they were able to rise to the occasion and even exceeded our expectations.
After last night’s display we are nearer the end of the competition, looking forward to tonight’s show by the Italian Parente and tomorrow’s by the Basque Astondoa.