ABU DHABI: Set against the sweeping curves and cultural skyline of Saadiyat Island, the Saadiyat Nights festival stage has quickly established itself as one of the region’s most visually refined concert environments. Described by designer Jack Kelly as “a masterclass in design, seamlessly blending an elegant, curved fascia with the evolving backdrop of the Saadiyat Island Cultural District,” the venue set a high bar for the launch of its 2026 concert season—one that was met with a meticulously crafted lighting design powered by 138 CHAUVET Professional fixtures as Diana Ross and Seal took the stage on January 9th.

Opening a new season in such a setting demanded a lighting approach that was both architecturally sympathetic and artistically flexible. Kelly, working alongside designer Ben M. Rogers, developed a rig intended to support a wide-ranging artist roster while maintaining a coherent visual identity for the venue. “Our primary objective for the festival this season was to develop a lighting scheme that offered maximum versatility for a diverse roster of incoming artists while aesthetically complementing the architectural lines of the stage,” Kelly explained. “The Chauvet fixtures aligned perfectly with this vision, offering a superior balance of high-end performance and consistent reliability.”

With Saadiyat Nights operating as a 10-week outdoor residency, fixture resilience was a critical consideration from the outset. According to Kelly, IP65-rated luminaires were essential rather than optional. “It was non-negotiable,” he said. “When compared to other weather-protected options on the market, we felt the Chauvet fixtures offered the most robust build quality and the best performance metrics available for a production of this scale.” This emphasis on reliability extended beyond fixture choice into system design, with Kelly noting, “We maintained a rigorous focus on detail during both the design and installation phases. To ensure a seamless and robust production, we implemented comprehensive system backups and redundant signal paths to keep the system as stable as possible.”

The resulting rig combined 32 Maverick Storm 2 Profiles, 30 Maverick Storm 2 BeamWashes, 38 Color STRIKE M motorized strobe-washes and 38 Rogue Outcast 1 BeamWashes, working in concert with a 14m-wide by 7m-high main video screen and two 8m-wide by 6m-high IMAG screens. Together, the system delivered the flexibility required to support performances ranging from high-energy moments to more nuanced visual storytelling.

That capability was particularly evident during Diana Ross’s set, where her longtime designer Ben M. Rogers translated the emotional arc of her performance into light and media with precision and restraint. “I deployed my touring setup where the lighting console drives all parameters of the media server layers to ensure I maintained a consistent visual image,” Rogers said. “The visual for Diana Ross were curated with her and set a clear visual palette for each song. With the MediaMaster server, I then refined and adjusted color, and playback on content in the same way I did the lighting rig to maintain the balance of color and contrast throughout. With the backup band in pure white outfit, rich colors framing the performers, and Ms. Ross being as warm and elegant as ever, we rocked the stage, helping this stunning venue begin its 2026 season in beautiful fashion.”

From the opening notes of the evening through to the final moments on stage, the lighting design demonstrated how a carefully specified, weather-resilient rig can elevate a venue’s architectural intent while remaining adaptable enough to serve world-class artists—setting a confident visual tone for Saadiyat Nights’ 2026 season.