Classic Open Air Nuremberg
The Embassy of the Republic of Singapore commissioned us to photographically capture the Classic Open Air at the Nuremberg Luitpold Grove and to almost exclusively focus on the new Chief Conductor Kahchun Wong. An assignment of a special kind… as it turned out!
We often hear questions such as what we we’d loved photographing most and what assignments were most fun, and the answer is always difficult. There is no area we prefer to the other. However, we always attach great importance not to always shoot the same but to have a lot of variety. We avoid routine to make sure our job never becomes boring and monotonous.
But sometimes we get assignments such as this one, which are really, really special (even though it was not obvious to us in the beginning) and – in this case – stand out.
We got the assignment to shoot the Classic Open Air at Luidpold Grove – the world’s probably largest Open Air Festival of this type – as concert photographers (or event photographers). But it was not the organisers or a sponsor to engage us, which would have been obvious, but the Embassy of the Republic of Singapore in Berlin.
That may sound exceptional in the first place (which it absolutely is) but it’s also comprehensible as the new Chief Conductor of the Nuremberg Symphonic Orchestra, Kahchun Wong, comes from Singapore and has carved out an impressive career for his young age (he just turned 32 years).
In addition to the actual concert on Saturday, the general rehearsal the day before was also to be photographed. However, everything started out with a meeting beforehand at the Hotel Kahchun Wong was staying. First details and ideas were discussed and we reconvened for the full rehearsal at the concert location on Friday – again, it was hot and muggy and a storm was brewing already.
It was admirable how many visitors had come already on that day and followed the show rehearsal on stage. Shortly after the beginning, we got caught in the violent storm. And, yet, it didn’t scare off the spectators from the grounds. They bravely endured until the end and gained strong recognition from the musicians and Kahchun Wong.
On Saturday, when the actual Classic Open Air was on the agenda, we had already been on the premises long before its start. We had another meeting – this time with the Chief Conductor only at the hotel less than an hour before he had to go on stage in front of 80,000 visitors as the person responsible for the concert. We had a brief look at the shoots from the previous day and clarified the focus during the concert.
We had already determined from where and how the photographs were to be taken in the run-up. Well, we didn’t break new ground in terms of concert or stage photography – but a classical concert was a real premiere for us. Generally, photographers are frowned upon in such settings as the audience might be disturbed by even the slightest noise. Nevertheless, it was clear that we also had to take photographs literally in the middle of the orchestra during the concert to be in a position to focus on Kahchun Wong – of course, this was discussed with the orchestra and the musicians and we selected three spots together, where we were “least” disturbing and where we could get (and get away from) relatively unnoticed. Still…, certainly everyone will understand what an incredible moment it is, to be standing in the middle of a symphonic orchestra before 80,000 spectators in the audience and doing your job (regardless of the cables, i.e. wonderful traps, and innumerable microphones positioned all around us).
Putting it in a nutshell: Everything worked out beautifully – thanks to the great work in the run-up and the support of everyone involved, above all the organisers (we will never forget your help, Magda and Barbara).
Our client and Kahchun Wong were also very happy about the pictures, which already surpassed their original goal. One of the photographs was published on the front cover of “The Straits Times” Singapore already on the Monday after the event and meanwhile major billboards have been planned for Nuremberg.
Certainly an assignment we will never forget. Sitting in the middle of an orchestra in front of so many people and being given the opportunity to directly work with such a wonderful and kind person… (unfortunately) it doesn’t happen very often and we are extremely grateful for the trust placed in us from the very beginning.
