IllumiNations


IllumiNations was a series of nightly fireworks shows at Epcot before IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth was created in 1999 for the Walt Disney World Millennium Celebration.

Le Carnaval de Lumière

The first evening presentation, Le Carnaval de Lumière, premiered on October 23, 1982. It celebrated world festivals with fountains, film, music, and other effects. The show used rear projection screens on barges floating on the World Showcase Lagoon. Between the projection barges were fountain/fireworks barges controlled by Apple computers. The show could be viewed only from points between the Mexican and Canadian pavilions.

A New World Fantasy

A New World Fantasy was the 2nd version of a fireworks show at Epcot and was set to classical music played on synthesizer. It opened in June 1983 and used floating barges that had rear projection screens on them. The barges were the same as the first show at Epcot, Carnival de Lumiere. The show also added 'Pichel lights' that moved automatically.
Most of the soundtrack can be found on Don Dorsey's album "Busted", but the "Great Parades and Pageants" segment was removed. The complete soundtrack can be found on a promotional Don Dorsey album.

Show program

Fanfare

1. "Fanfare" from ''La Péri''

Act I: Celebrations on Land

2. Symphony No. 5, First Movement
3. "Flight Of The Bumblebee" from The Tale of the Tsar Sultan
4. Zampa Overture
5. Piano Concerto No. 1, Third Movement
6. La Vie Parisienne
7. "Dance Of The Comedians" from The Bartered Bride
8. "Bourrée" from the Water Music Suite
9. Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, First Movement
10. Orpheus In Hades, Galop
11. Trisch-Trasch Polka
12. Italian Concerto, Third Movement
13. William Tell Overture

Act II: Great Parades and Pageants

14. "Procession of The Nobles" from Mlada
15. "March" from Love For Three Oranges
16. "Farandole" from L'Arlesienne Suite No. 2
17. March Militaire
18. "March of The Toreadors" from Carmen
19. The Marriage of Figaro, Aria
20. Light Cavalry Overture
21. Radetsky March
22. "Procession of The Nobles" from Mlada
23. March Hongroise
24. "Anvil Chorus" from Il Trovatore
25. Hands Across the Sea

Act III: Revelries in Pyrotechnics

26. Carnival Overture
27. "Overture" from Carmen
28. "Alla Hornpipe" from the Water Music Suite
29. Symphony No. 1 in D, "Titan"; First Movement
30. Symphony No. 9, "Choral"; Fourth Movement
31. "Lohengrin"; Prelude to Act 3
32. Firebird Suite, Finale
33. "Great Gate of Kiev" from Pictures at an Exhibition
34. "Promenade " from Pictures at an Exhibition
35. "1812 Festival Overture"

Laserphonic Fantasy

This show has the same soundtrack as A New World Fantasy. It featured lasers emitted from barges and from around the lagoon. The "Skater" segment featured the first use of non-continuous lines in a laser animation and was the first use of laser graphics on a water-droplet screen.
  • Most of the soundtrack can be found on Don Dorsey's album "Busted", but the "Great Parades and Pageants" segment was removed.
  • The complete soundtrack can be found on a promotional Don Dorsey album.

IllumiNations

This show used most of the arrangements for "A New World Fantasy" and "Laserphonic Fantasy," but instead of being arranged solely with synthesizers, the resulting arrangements were rescored for full orchestra, mostly using the original orchestration by the composers. New music was created for the show's theme by Don Dorsey and Bruce Healey. The "Great Parades and Pageants" section used in the previous installments was omitted and replaced with a celebration of all the individual countries of World Showcase. This installment of IllumiNations began a radical new use for effects in fireworks shows. To add to the Pichel lights, fountains, laser barges, and laser graphics projected behind the fountains, the directors made the lights representing the different interact with the music and the rest of the show. In another strange turn of events, they decided not to use fireworks until the very end of the second act, and then the third act would show the fireworks off at their best.

Show program

Act I

1. Symphony #5 Movement #1
2. "Flight of the Bumblebee" from Tale Of The Tsar Sultan
  • Composer: Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
3. Zampa Overture first theme
4. Italian Concerto Movement # 3, first theme
5. William Tell Overture second theme
  • Composer: Giachhino Rossini

Act II: World Showcase

6. Scheherezade
  • Composer: Nicholas Rimsky-Korsakov
7. Orphée aux Enfers, Galop Infernal
  • Composer: Jacques Offenbach
8. Days of Emancipation
  • Composer: Zhu Jian'er
9. Rule Britannia
10. Tales of the Vienna Woods
  • Composer: Johann Strauss
11. Sakura
  • Composer: Unknown
12. España Cani
  • Composer: Marquina
13. French Canadian Jig Traditional '
  • Composer: Unknown
14. Funiculì, Funiculà '
15. Rhapsody in Blue

Act III: Finale

16. Carnival Overture Opus 92, first theme
  • Composer: Antonín Dvořák
17. "March of the Toreadors" from Carmen, Prelude to Act 1
  • Composer: Georges Bizet
18. Alla Hornpipe from Water Music Suite, Movement #13
  • Composer: George Fredrick Handel
19. Titan Symphony Symphony #1 in D Major, Movement #1
  • Composer: Gustav Mahler
20. "Ode to Joy" Symphony #9 in D Minor, Movement #4
  • Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
21. Prelude to Act III "Lohengrin"
  • Composer: Richard Wagner
22. Firebird Suite Finale
  • Composer: Igor Stravinsky
23. "Great Gate of Kiev" from Pictures at an Exhibition
  • Composer: Modest Mussorgsky
24. "Promenade" from Pictures at an Exhibition
  • Composer: Modest Mussorgsky
25. 1812 Festival Overture second theme
Music produced by Don Dorsey

Post Show

Versions of "It's a Small World" and General Electric's theme were played.

New Year's Eve 1993

For the New Year's Eve finale in 1992–1993, a version of "We've Just Begun To Dream" was played during the countdown, then a version of "Auld Lang Syne" followed by a short reprise of "We've Just Begun To Dream". Finally, a selection from Around the World with Mickey Mouse, that in the future would be played at the Fountain of Nations, was played.

Holiday IllumiNations

Holiday IllumiNations played during the holiday season instead of the regular show. Starting in 2004, the "Let There Be Peace on Earth" segment of Holiday IllumiNations is played after IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth during the holiday season.

Show program

Opening

  1. Opening Medley
  2. * "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"
  3. * "O Come All Ye Faithful"
  4. * "Joy to the World"
  5. * "Deck the Halls With Boughs of Holly"
  6. * "Angels We Have Heard on High"
  7. Nutcracker Medley
  8. * "Marches"
  9. * "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies"
  10. * "Russian Dance (Trepak)"
  11. O Holy Night
  12. Chanukah Medley
  13. * "S'Vivon"
  14. * "The Trees in the Field"
  15. Let There Be Peace on Earth

Post show

Production

Narration
All Instrumentals
  • Czech Symphonic Orchestra
All Chorus Parts
  • The Sarah Moore Singers
O Holy Night
Let There Be Peace on Earth

Show facts

  • Opening date: 1994
  • Closing date: 1998
  • Duration: 12 minutes
  • Sponsor: General Electric

IllumiNations 25 (A)

Created for the 25th anniversary of Walt Disney World.

Show program

Opening

1. "Remember The Magic" – World Showcase Salute
  • Canada
  • Europe
  • France
  • Germany
  • United Kingdom
  • Scandinavia
  • Africa
  • China
  • Japan
  • Mexico
  • United States

Act 1: World Showcase

2. "A Worldwide Celebration"
3. Mascleta
  • Calypso
4. "International Fantasy"
  • Movements:
  • * Asian
  • * African
  • * South American
  • * British
  • * Flamenco
  • * Eastern European
  • * Middle Eastern
  • * Polka
5. Mascleta
  • Calypso

Act 2: Future World

6. "Discovery Suite"

Act 3: Finale

7. "Circle of Life"

Post show

Versions of "A Worldwide Celebration" and General Electric's theme were played.

Production

  1. "Remember The Magic" – World Showcase Salute
  2. * Based on the Walt Disney World 25th Anniversary tune
  3. * Lyricist: Cheryl Berman
  4. * Composer: Ira Antelis
  5. * Arranger & Orchestrator: Gregory Smith
  6. "A Worldwide Celebration"
  7. * Composer & Orchestrator: Gregory Smith
  8. Mascleta
  9. * Composer & Orchestrator: Gregory Smith
  10. "International Fantasy"
  11. * Composer & Orchestrator: Gregory Smith
  12. "Discovery Suite"
  13. * Based on "We've Just Begun to Dream" by Steve Skorija, Gregory Smith, and Jack Eskew
  14. * Composer & Orchestrator: Gregory Smith
  15. "Circle of Life"
  16. * Lyricist: Tim Rice
  17. * Composer: Elton John
  18. * Arrangers: Gregory Smith & Oliver Wells
  19. * Orchestrator: Gregory Smith

Production From CD

  • Music produced by Steve Skorija
  • Music supervision by Dan Savant
  • All songs except "Circle of Life" arranged by Gregory Smith
  • "Circle of Life" arranged by Oliver Wells
  • Vocals recorded by Andy de Ganahl at Starke Lake Studios, Orlando, Florida
  • Mixed by Eric Shilling at Starke Lake Studios, Orlando, Florida
  • Digital editing by Michael Atwell
  • Vocal solo in "Circle of Life" by John Madgett
  • Special thanks to: The Florida Mass Choir under the direction of Arthur Jones, Taz Morosi, and Keith Dyer
  • Chorus:
  • * Sarah Moore
  • * Amy Martin-Cole
  • * Michelle Amato-Hann
  • * Greg Whipple
  • * Randy Nichols
  • * Scott Harell

Show facts

  • Opening date: September 21, 1996
  • Closing date: May 18, 1997
  • Duration: 12 minutes
  • Sponsor: General Electric
  • Soundtrack: Disneyland/Walt Disney World Music Vacation
  • The selections "A Worldwide Celebration", Mascleta, "International Fantasy" & "Discovery Suite" can be found on Disney's Music From The Park.

IllumiNations 25 (B)

Still celebrating the 25th anniversary of Walt Disney World Resort, but the classical music returns.

Show program

1. "Remember The Magic" – World Showcase Salute
  • Lyricist: Cheryl Berman
  • Composer: Ira Antelis
  • Arranger: Gregory Smith
  • Orchestrator: Gregory Smith
  • Singer: Brian McKnight
2. "IllumiNations Fanfare"

Act I: World Showcase

3. Russian Dance – "Trepak" from The Nutcracker Ballet
4. "Die Meistersinger Overture" from Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
  • Composer: Richard Wagner
  • Arranger: John Debney
  • Orchestrator: Brad Dechter
5. "Laideronette, Empress of the Pagodas" from "Ma Mére l'Oye"
  • Composer: Maurice Ravel
  • Arranger: John Debney
  • Orchestrator: Brad Dechter
6. "Barber of Seville Overture" from Il barbiere de Siviglia
  • Composer: Gioacchino Rossini
  • Arranger: John Debney
  • Orchestrator: Brad Dechter
7. "Overture" to Suite No. 2 from Daphnis et Chloé Ballet
  • Composer: Maurice Ravel
  • Arranger: John Debney
  • Orchestrator: Brad Dechter
8. "Seventeen Come Sunday" March from English Folk Song Suite
9. "El Salòn México"
  • Composer: Aaron Copland
  • Arranger: John Debney
  • Orchestrator: Brad Dechter
10. "Hoedown" from Rodeo Ballet
  • Composer: Aaron Copland
  • Arranger: John Debney
  • Orchestrator: Brad Dechter

Act II: Future World

11. "Pini della Villa Borghese" from The Pines of Rome Symphonic Poem
12. "The Aquarium" from Le Carnival des Animaux
13. "Hornpipe" from Water Music Suite
14. "A Night on Bald Mountain"
  • Composer: Modest Mussorgsky
  • Arranger: John Debney
  • Orchestrator: Brad Dechter
15. "Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity" from The Planets Suite
  • Composer: Gustav Holst
  • Arranger: John Debney
  • Orchestrator: Brad Dechter
16. "El Sombrero de Tres Picos" from The Three-Cornered Hat Ballet
  • Composer: Manuel de Falla
  • Arranger: John Debney
  • Orchestrator: Brad Dechter
17. "Ode To Joy" Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Fourth Movement
  • Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
  • Arranger: John Debney
  • Orchestrator: Brad Dechter
  • Conductor: Georg Solti

Post Show

"A Worldwide Celebration"
  • Composer: Gregory Smith
  • Orchestrator: Gregory Smith

Show facts

  • Opening date: May 19, 1997
  • Closing date: January 31, 1998
  • Duration: 13 minutes
  • Sponsor: General Electric
  • Soundtrack: Disneyland/Walt Disney World: The Official Album

IllumiNations '98

Same soundtrack as IllumiNations 25 but without the 25th anniversary announcement.