Introduction

On the 18th of June 1991 Vangelis gave a performance in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, as part of an event organised by the Dutch Ministry of Economics. This 'Event Of Excellence' celebrated the 5-year anniversary of 'Eureka', a programme started in 1985 to stimulate European technological research projects and improve the cooperation between the European members, so that European technology could be competitive to that of America and Japan.

The location of the concert was the Boompjeskade on the side of the river Maas in the center of Rotterdam. Vangelis' stage was built on a pontoon, a flat boat floating on the river, kept in position by two huge cranes. The stage design reflected The Parthenon temple of Athens, and behind Vangelis' keyboard setup a half-round grandstand located a huge choir conducted by Guy Protheroe. The day of the concert was a cloudy one, unusually cold and windy for the time of year, and as preparations continued around the stage, a unique Eureka T-shirt as well as a special programme booklet were sold in Rotterdam. The concert started late in the evening and lasted a bit short of an hour. While Vangelis played along on his keyboards with was evidently a pre-recorded playlist of some of his best-known music at the time, the event consisted of a light and lasershow, with animations projected on the office buildings behind the stage, as well as the 'performance' of river boats utilising water cannons to create screens of water for the light projections. Even planes, helicopters, floating cranes, hovercrafts and a steam-locomotive participated in the performance, all symbolising the progress of technology in our time. At several moments during the concert fireworks were launched.

Due to the vast area of the location people who had come to watch the event gathered on the Noordereiland, across the river Maas along the opposite of the Boompjeskade, as well as on the Willemsbrug, connecting the island to the riverside, but still a long distance from the stage. Although Vangelis was hardly visible for the public, the television broadcast of the event showed he was playing his keyboards, with the choirs performing in the background. Unfortunately the occasional rain showers did not do much good for Vangelis' performance, as his equipment had to be protected from the water with plastic sheets. For the event Vangelis was equipped with small camera's attached to his hands while playing the keyboards, a technological novelty, and images from these camera's were used for the live television broadcast.

On stage Vangelis was accompanied by two vocalists: Greek mezzo-soprano Markella Hatziano sang 'Glorianna' from the album "Direct" (1988), while Jon Anderson sang Italian Song from their Jon and Vangelis-album "Private Collection" (1983). During 'Hymne', the last song of the concert, performed here in a new arrangement, the ceiling of the 'Parthenon' stage moved from a horizontal to a vertical position, revealing an enormous illuminated sigma sign (like printed on the front of the concert booklet), symbolising 'Eureka'.

Tracklist

1. Introduction
2. Chariots Of Fire
3. Spiral
4. Other Side Of Antarctica
5. Chung Kuo
6. Glorianna¹
7. Pulstar
8. Mask Movement 2
9. Italian Song²
10. Kinematic
11. Mask Movement 5
12. Hymne

¹ vocal by Markella Hatziano.
² vocal by Jon Anderson.

•  All music composed, arranged, produced and performed by Vangelis, except ² written by Vangelis and Jon Anderson.

Media

A recording of the performance was never officially released, but since the event was broadcast live on Dutch television channel 'Veronica' video recordings are available online. 

Links

• Elsew.com
• TV broadcast

Gallery