Hello Europe

Belgium brings show about life in Herrenhausen's sky

“Hello Europe”—under this motto, we welcome our neighboring countries to this year’s International Fireworks Competition in the Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen.

At the fourth event on September 2, the Belgian team H.C. Pyrotechnics will light up the sky over Herrenhausen for the penultimate time this year.

Colorful, a bit whimsical, yet majestic—that’s how guests are welcomed to the Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen: The playful Brussels Atomium, in a slightly smaller form, kicks things off, before circus characters, squares, and circles in green and yellow, along with Belgian treats on stilts, stroll through the garden. Matthias Lück captivates the younger guests with his musical children’s theater on the Kinderwiese. The Busquitos from the Netherlands bring their show—featuring a mix of jazz, swing, and pop—to the Garden Theater, while on the cabaret stage, Madame Lulu (Duo einfach riesig) tells a story of love filled with magic and artistry in a street theater performance, and Chalance takes over the rehearsal stage with hits spanning four decades.

The Team: H.C. Pyrotechnics

The young Belgian team led by Managing Director Cliff Hooge, who first entered the industry at the age of 15, is no stranger to the scene: Founded in 1997, the company has not only won international awards but also organizes the Knokke-Heist, one of Belgium’s most prestigious competitions. Cliff Hooge has been raving about the special charm of the Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen since 2003: “I was here for the first time when I was 21. I still remember how overwhelmed I was by the beauty and tranquility of the Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen in the middle of a big city. And how vast the distances were between the individual positions, all of which had to be connected by miles of cable back then.”

H.C. Pyrotechnics 2023 at the Rohr Feuerwerke site — H.C. Pyrotechnics 2023 at Rohr Feuerwerke

Her Show – The Ups and Downs of Life

H.C. Pyrotechnics focuses on emotions in its show, using a medley of classic animated film scores to tell the story of life’s ups and downs. The interplay between the soulful songs and the spectacle in the sky evokes a wide range of emotions and creates moments that lift the spirit. True to the motto: See, hear, feel—and lose yourself in memories.

An overview of the evening's music:

The fireworks display consists of a compulsory piece—this year, an excerpt from Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,” the European anthem—and a free program lasting about 20 minutes:

True Love's First Kiss - John Powell

Reel Around the Sun - Bill Whelan

Mini Sloth Sing-Along - John Powell

Mercy in the Darkness - Two Steps from Hell

The Quidditch World Cup - Patrick Doyle

Level Complete - Brian Tyler

Forgive Us Our Trespasses - Audiomachine

Makeba - Jain

The Lions Heart - Audiomachine

Radio21 will be streaming all events live in partnership with the Neue Presse: