HKAPA

Over the past 30 years, Patrick Woodroffe has provided the lighting for actors, opera stars, ballet dancers, rock stars and pop singers, hip-hop performers, acrobats, reigning monarchs and desert sheiks. 

In the world of contemporary music alone he has lit shows for artists as diverse as ABBA, AC/DC, Bob Dylan, Sarah Brightman, Depeche Mode, The Bee Gees, Raquel Welch, 10cc, and the Rolling Stones. Mr. Woodroffe has worked with The Rolling Stones since 1982 as their lighting designer and show director, and has been responsible for the direction of many important shows for the group. Other well known artists that Mr. Woodroffe has designed concert lighting for include Queen, Tina Turner, Cher, Simon & Garfunkel, Elton John and Genesis.   

In the classical world he has lit performances by many prominent singers, conductors and orchestras including The Three Tenors, Sir George Solti, and the London Symphony Orchestra. His work also includes lighting for the English National Ballet and major opera productions including a much-acclaimed production of Romeo and Juliet for the Vienna State Opera where the lighting took the place of scenery.   

Mr. Woodroffe has been responsible for the lighting of many international music festivals, fashion shows, industrial presentations and ship launches. He helped produce the famous Vanity Fair Oscar party in Los Angeles for 15 years.   

In film, Mr. Woodroffe worked with Martin Scorsese on the Rolling Stones feature Shine A Light, and his work was most recently featured in Michael Jackson's This is It, the film of the ill-fated tour for which Woodroffe also conceived and designed the lighting.   

In addition to his work in live performance he has been responsible for many important architectural lighting schemes, including the lighting of the gardens at Highgrove House for The Prince of Wales, Prague Castle for President Vaclav Havel, and The Millennium Dome in London. He conceived and lit the Lake of Dreams at The Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas.

He has taught and lectured on the subject of lighting in many countries including Hong Kong, at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, and a book Lighting for "Romeo and Juliet": Patrick Woodroffe at Vienna State Opera by John Offord, was published in 2004.  Mr Woodroffe first became associated with the Academy's School of Theatre and Enertainment Arts in 1990 when he conducted a Master Class workshop for students of lighting and sound. He did the same on his return visit to the Academy this year. 

Currently Mr. Woodroffe is engaged as lighting designer for the Lady Gaga concert tour, including the four concerts in Hong Kong in early May. He is also lighting director for the 2012 London Olympics. 

(Conferment Ceremony held on 4 May 2012)