LIGHT FANTASTIC

4th revised, updated and expanded Auflage
ISBN: 978-3-69143-001-1
Verlag: Live & Everlasting GmbH

Buch, Englisch, 480 Seiten, Format (B × H): 248 mm x 318 mm, Gewicht: 2 g

Max Keller is a master of stage lighting whose visionary work in theatre and live entertainment has set new standards. His unique ability to combine scientific precision with artistic imagination has made him one of the most influential figures in his field.

In this richly illustrated and extensively updated volume, Keller reveals the secrets of exceptional lighting design. He explores both the technical foundations and the creative power of his art, presenting complex subjects in a clear and engaging style that appeals equally to professionals, students and theatre enthusiasts.

For lighting designers, LIGHT FANTASTIC is an indispensable reference work and a lasting source of inspiration. For theatre lovers, it offers a fascinating insight into the power of light to shape perception, atmosphere and emotion on stage.

The 2026 edition has been completely revised and substantially expanded, featuring numerous new chapters across 480 pages and more than 940 photographs, illustrations and technical drawings. New contributions covering theatre, opera, concert, event and architectural lighting, light art, open-air productions, television shows, and the latest creative and technological developments in international lighting design make this by far the most comprehensive and significant edition in the history of LIGHT FANTASTIC.

The volume also features contributions from 20 renowned experts from the international lighting and live entertainment industries, bringing together their experience, specialist knowledge and diverse perspectives.

Across 112 chapters, LIGHT FANTASTIC explores the full spectrum of professional lighting design, combining authoritative expertise with extraordinary visual insights into the fascinating world of light.

Zielgruppe

Professional lighting designers, lighting planners, master electricians, lighting technicians and lighting operators, as well as specialists in theatre technology, stage production, event technology and live entertainment. Scenographers, set designers, theatre directors, production designers, architects and architectural lighting designers. Photographers, cinematographers and filmmakers seeking an in-depth understanding of lighting techniques, light shaping, colour design and lighting dramaturgy. Educators, lecturers, students and trainees in lighting design, theatre and event technology, scenography, architecture, photography and media design. The book also appeals to artists, designers, researchers and anyone with a professional or personal interest in light, colour and their creative possibilities.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Keller, Max

Larmann, Ralph

Weitere Mitwirkende

Weiss, Johannes

Klotz, Cilly

Woodroffe, Patrick

Baldock, Lee

Bauder, Christopher

Bernstädt, Herbert

Braun, Dan

Brandi, Ulrike

Cunniffe, Mark

Gerstner, Karl

Halliday, Rob

Kapplmüller, Herbert

Koenig, Rob

Kuhn, Martin

Kunttu, Mikki

Matejka, Gunther

Routhier, Sooner

Routledge, Tim

Sloterdijk, Peter

Tillmann, JoJo

Wagner, Manfred

Barwich, Axel

Krömer, Marcus

Bannwarth, Tanja

Larmann, Ralph

Über Autor(innen)

Keller, Max
MAX KELLER is one of the world's most distinguished lighting designers and a pioneer of modern stage lighting. Since the 1970s, he has played a pivotal role in establishing light as an art form in its own right within the theatre. Through his distinctive artistic vision, stage sets became spaces shaped by light, and lighting evolved into an indispensable element of theatrical dramaturgy.

His remarkable career combines artistic creativity, technical innovation and decades of experience in teaching and education. In collaboration with companies such as OSRAM and ARRI, he developed groundbreaking daylight luminaires for theatrical applications. His work has influenced numerous theatre and international opera productions. From 1978 to 2010, he was particularly closely associated with the Munich Kammerspiele, where he served as Head of Lighting.

As a lecturer and visiting professor, including at the Mozarteum University Salzburg, and through international lectures and presentations from São Paulo to Shanghai, Max Keller has passed on his knowledge to generations of lighting designers.

With his Handbuch der Bühnenbeleuchtung (Handbook of Stage Lighting), published by DuMont in 1985, and Faszination Licht, first published by Prestel in 1999, he established new benchmarks in professional lighting literature. Between 1999 and 2010, Faszination Licht appeared in several German and English editions and was translated into additional languages. It remains an internationally recognised standard reference work on professional lighting design. A defining characteristic of Keller's approach is the integration of technical principles, artistic expression and insights from colour psychology.

In recognition of his lifetime achievements, Max Keller has received numerous prestigious honours, including the Munich Theatre Prize (1993), the Golden Pen Award and the Distinguished Achievement Award in Lighting Design (both in 2001), and the Opus – German Stage Award for Lifetime Achievement (2005). In 2015, he was awarded the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.

His publications have also received international recognition. Faszination Licht was honoured by the Stiftung Buchkunst (German Foundation for Book Art) in 1999, while the English-language edition Light Fantastic was selected as one of the Outstanding Academic Titles in 2000.