There is very little that is “typical” about Il Divo, the multi-national quartet that was created and promoted by Simon Cowell of American Idol fame.  First there’s the music! Although the three tenors and a baritone perform many familiar pop and rock songs, they do so in a soaring classical-crossover style that sets them apart. Then there is their attire. Smartly decked out in elegant tuxedos, the four gents would seem, well… out of place on most touring stages.

Il Divo does have at least three things in common with their contemporaries on the international touring circuit: they’re passionate about their music, they’re wildly successful (over 160 gold and platinum hits), and they want a lighting and production design that creates the most engaging experience for fans.

Well-known designer Ignacio (“Iggy”) Rosenberg of Lightswitch has been supporting Il Divo’s music with precisely such looks, and doing so with a sense of timing that’s as smart and stylish as the sound and stage persona of his clients. Like Il Divo themselves, who have more or less pioneered a new category of popular music, Rosenberg isn’t afraid to push creative boundaries in his designs. How else to explain his willingness to try out lasers for the band’s classical sound?

Taking time from his busy schedule, Rosenberg talked to us about the challenges, rewards, and pure fun of working with this distinctively different client.

The four members of Il Divo are always very dapperly dressed, and their shows exude classical elegance. This is quite different from many of the other more flamboyant artists you’ve toured with. How does this influence your approach to design?
“Oh, it’s so different.  In the end, my job when designing a show is to project what the artist is all about.  The fun part of Il Divo is finding a way to change the look of the show through the years while also keeping it in that elegant and dapper world.  When they asked me if we could have lasers…I mean that’s a challenge for a band that sings Pop/Opera ballads!”

The audience at Il Divo’s shows is also not a typical touring crowd. Does that influence your design?
“Absolutely.  In Lightswitch we talk about balancing the artistic, logistical, and financial circles to achieve a great design. Well, each circle also has other circles in it; and we have to balance what the show is perceived like — how the artist is viewed, and how the artist feels on stage.  I wanted this show to be so modern in its appearance, but I also knew I couldn’t wash the audience out the whole show, so I leaned heavily into gobos to have these beautiful aerial looks that weren’t absolutely punishing. When we get into stronger looks, they’re done very carefully so it has the impact that they need to have is there — and that’s it.  I don’t linger on them too much.”

What is the mood like when touring with this quartet?
“It’s so great. On the most recent tour, we all sat down and really got to flex everyone’s personalities.  It was a huge thing: 20 years in the music industry is important, and it was Steven’s first tour as an official member of the band, so we really had to deliver.  David (Miller) is really keen on filmmaking, so he lent a hand editing the opening video. Seb (Sébastien Izambard) is all about the music and visuals, Urs Bühler is all about it being super precise and tidy (he is Swiss after all!), and Steven (Le Brie) is super influential in trying new things. Having all of them bring their input when it’s so well balanced is fantastic.”

How involved do the members of Il Divo get in your lighting designs?
“It comes in waves.  I present the initial design and we have a lot of talks about that, then I go off and do my own thing for a while, and during rehearsals they’ll have more to say about things they care about or not.  I try and share what it is that I am doing while I’m programming, especially on this tour because it was such a departure from their usual style in that there was no orchestra on stage, and we had video, lasers, etc.  In light of this,  I wanted them to feel secure in their show and understand how all these elements would come together.  It was super important as they embark on an anniversary tour that they feel comfortable in their environment.”

With Il Divo you have four stars on stage, plus some backup musicians. Does this present any challenges with key lighting?
“Not really, I start any design always by designing the spot positions first.  The most important thing is always their light, the backing band is another layer of visual presentation.  We did some studies of angles to make sure that we weren’t overlapping too much and that my trim heights would get the angles I wanted.  On site it’s all about carefully dialing in zoom and shaping blades.”

How has working with Il Divo influenced you as a lighting designer?
“I always love when we get a left-field challenge.  Something like “we want lasers” for this band…wow.  In the end it’s that availability of solutions and ideas that makes this such a rewarding world.  Being able to deploy tools and ideas that you’ve been collecting away and having that light bulb moment — no pun intended– because you’ve been challenged creatively is fun.  Having 20 years of catalogue to work from, and being able to design a full show, from the set to the content, so it all works together is always a great experience.”

If you had to sum up your experience working with Il Divo in four words, what would they be?
“Big voices, big lights!”