The 11th edition of UNTOLD Festival took place from August 6–9, 2026, at the Cluj Arena in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Considered one of Europe's largest festivals, it ranks third worldwide, behind Tomorrowland Belgium and EDC Las Vegas.
Nearly 100 international artists performed on a stage of colossal proportions, including major EDM and electronic music stars such as Martin Garrix, Marshmello, Sebastian Ingrosso and Steve Aoki, as well as artists and songwriters including Sting, Lewis Capaldo, Zara Larsson and The Chainsmokers.
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The silhouette of the stage resembled a griffin with its wings spread wide, while the spectacular lighting gave it an almost extraterrestrial appearance, creating a striking stadium-scale production, explains lighting designer Andrei Predut.
Designed by Predut for Apart Productions, this year's main stage system incorporated an equally colossal lighting package, featuring major large-scale applications of the latest-generation lighting technology. These included 140 MagicBlade Neo and 46 Ayrton EagleStrike fixtures, making their Romanian debut, alongside 72 Cobra and 26 Kyalami laser-source fixtures.
"The goal was to deliver a top-tier design for a world-class festival", he says. "We needed high light output, elegance and reliability. As a lighting designer, I keep up to date with what is available and the latest tools, as my aim was to surpass all previous productions".
The design was guided first and foremost by the artistic considerations established by the festival's art director, Florina Dascal, as the lighting equipment had to harmonise with the scenic elements to create an instantly recognisable installation with a strong identity, while at the same time leaving enough room for guest lighting designers to implement their own shows.
The working rig was built around the Cobra fixtures, which outlined the griffin's upper and lower wings and extended into the audience area, where their beams were used to create aerial compositions. The beams from the new Kyalami fixtures formed the crown of the stage's central circular element. The EagleStrike fixtures, also making their Romanian debut, were rigged overhead as hard lights on stage and along the sides of the central fin-shaped structure. Finally, an extensive array of Ayrton's new MagicBlade Neo fixtures stretched across the stage from side to side, creating a continuous wave, and vertically from the central fin through the catwalk and out into the audience in a twin array of vertical lines.
Each fixture was selected to fulfil a specific role within the design. The enormous dimensions of the stage, measuring 132 metres wide by 36 metres high, made the use of high-power equipment essential. The Cobra fixtures stood out for their power and versatility, while the Kyalami fixtures were selected for their light weight and high output. The EagleStrike fixtures were used both inside and on the central structure of the stage, providing power and greater beam control. The MagicBlade Neo fixtures, meanwhile, were one of the most striking elements of the design. The close proximity of their beams made it possible to create continuous, fluid waves of light, generating an immersive and hypnotic visual effect for the audience, notes Predut.
Predut states that all the fixtures in his design represent the current technological pinnacle of the industry and was very pleased with the performance of the Ayrton equipment.
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"The EagleStrike and MagicBlade Neo fixtures were making their debut in Romania and I can definitely say they kicked the door off its hinges. The EagleStrike dominated in every aspect related to power and presence, commanding attention through their force and size. At the other extreme, the MagicBlade Neo fixtures impressed with their elegance and hypnotic waves of light".
"Seeing Ayrton's latest-generation fixtures performing on this scale at UNTOLD represents an important milestone for the brand in Romania", says Costi Bulzan, Manager of FACE Danube, Ayrton's exclusive distributor in Romania. "It demonstrates the potential of Ayrton technology for the most demanding live productions".
Predut and Apart Productions were supported by the production management team, with Radu Rus and Marius Balan facilitating the procurement of the equipment required to bring the project to life.
Image credits: © Courtesy of Untold Festival/Alive Coverage/Julien Duval
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