Immersive 270° video-projection experience brings art to life

The Sistine Chapel, one of the most incredible locations in the history of the art world, is the focus of the Giudizio Universale. It takes its name from the chapel and results from a blend of many artistic forms.

Produced by Artainment Worldwide Shows and supported with scientific advice from the Vatican Museums, the spectacular presentation shown at the Auditorium Conciliazione in Rome represents a unique opportunity to revel in a fantastic pairing of physical action from a theatrical performance with the intangible music and special effects made possible by the excellent Panasonic video-projection products provided for the show.

A spectacular experience that's "unique for its kind"

A new vault of the Auditorium Conciliazione was constructed to create a uniform surface that provides a perfect geometry for the images projected by 30 Panasonic projectors using Solid Shine laser technology. The Panasonic projectors were chosen to provide uniform brightness, colour fidelity and consistent proportions for the images -worthy of the masterpiece that inspired the show.

During the immersive, 270°video projection, viewers have the opportunity to admire the most important phases, marking the birth of the “Last Judgement” (1535-1541), the famous work by Michelangelo.

The event highlights the perfect integration of art and technology, and Panasonic plays a central role.

“Our Last Judgement is not a musical, ballet or film, nor is it a theatrical performance: It's a unique show designed to help people gain access to a work so dense in meaning as the Sistine Chapel,” states Marco Balich, the show's artistic director and the person who designed the show, adding: “We wanted to create a spectacular experience which involves the viewer – not one that encourages participants to be passive but rather one that stimulates everyone to look around, tilt their head, lift their gaze and their mind upward.”

The technological challenge: immersive, 270°projection using 30 Panasonic video projectors

Thirty Full HD, high-luminosity laser projectors are integrated into the technical theatrical installation in the auditorium to virtually transport spectators into a virtual, immersive setting right in the middle of the Sistine Chapel so they can enjoy an unprecedented, multi-sensory cultural experience. The immersive projection experience produced by 30 Panasonic projectors using Solid Shine technology is divided as follows:

18 x PT-RZ31K with 31,000 lumens, 10 x PT-RZ21K with 20,000 lumens (4 with ultra-short throw EL-D75LE95 lenses) and 2x PT-RZ12K with 12,000 lumens are combined within the setting. Divided into three sectors, the forward projection uses 8 x PT-RZ31K 31,000-lumens projectors. The lateral and overhead sections use a further 10 x PT-RZ31K projectors with 31,000 lumens and 6 x PT-RZ21K projectors with 20,000 lumens, installed in the 'vomitoria'. Finally, 4 x PT-RZ21K projectors with 20,000 lumens and 2 x PT-RZ12K projectors with 12,000 lumens produce fascinating video mapping effects on the stage.

According to Daniele Parazzoli, CEO, Event Management, and the system integrator responsible for the design and installation of the immersive video-projection system, “the choice of the Panasonic projectors was certainly the result of moving to a brand known to be reliable in laser technology applied to DLP in order to achieve the brightness of lux that was required by the artistic director."

"To create the immersive effect, we had to raise the emotional level of the spectators. The Panasonic brand was the best choice since it was not only able to provide cutting-edge technology, but the company grasped the spirit of this project,” Balich says.

“It was absolutely vital to have maximum choice in the technology and thus in the rendering of the images”

In addition, Michele Telaro, COO, Artainment Worldwide Shows, explains that this project is, “a permanent, exceptional showroom where the projectors, with their 20,000 and 30,000 lumens and top-of-the-range technology, are the best solution for the colour quality required for long-term use.”

This “sensory journey”, which involves many international talents such as Sting, Pierfrancesco Favino, Lulu Helbek and Luke Halls, offers a unique experience with the use of Panasonic projectors, which have been developed to ensure the expression of outstanding artistic creativity in live events such as the 'Last Judgement. Michelangelo and the Secrets of the Sistine Chapel'.

As Parazzoli explains, “The live-events market, which requires projectors with increasingly sophisticated features in terms of brightness, versatility, compact size and reliability, finds the Panasonic Solid Shine technology provides the best solution for generating wonder among spectators.”

The show is presented in both Italian and English and constitutes a great opportunity for reviving the magnificence of the historic Sistine Chapel in a modern way using the latest generation of Panasonic projectors.

As Parazzoli explains, “The live-events market, which requires projectors with increasingly sophisticated features in terms of brightness, versatility, compact size and reliability, finds the Panasonic Solid Shine technology provides the best solution for generating wonder among spectators.”

The show is presented in both Italian and English and constitutes a great opportunity for reviving the magnificence of the historic Sistine Chapel in a modern way using the latest generation of Panasonic projectors.