Starmus
ONCE UPON A TIME ON THE MOON
“Do we want to retreat into nationalism, focusing on making our countries great & keeping them great? Or do we want to focus our science & our knowledge as a human race to reach whatever our next moon shot will be? ”
Michael Balgavy created the stage, light, and video design for the 2019 Starmus Festival in Zurich, which celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Moon landing under the theme “A Giant Leap”. This landmark event united world-leading figures in space exploration, astronomy, cosmology and planetary science, alongside music legends with live performances.
The opening concert, “Once Upon a Time on the Moon”, featured Hans Zimmer, Brian May (Queen), Rick Wakeman (Yes), Steve Vai, and astronaut Chris Hadfield, performing with orchestra & choir. Zimmer’s iconic scores from Inception and Interstellar, combined with visuals by Interstellar VFX creator Paul Franklin and Nobel laureate Kip Thorne, created a truly galactic experience. Highlights included Space Oddity performed by Wakeman & Hadfield, and a Queen hit–filled all-star finale.
Special guests included Buzz Aldrin, Peter Gabriel, Carlos Moedas, Michael Hintze, and Armen Sarkissian. The Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication was awarded to Elon Musk, Brian Eno, and filmmaker Todd Douglas Miller, continuing Hawking’s legacy of promoting public engagement with science.
The Stephen Hawking Medal, which was personally inaugurated by Hawking in 2016 to honour those who are particularly committed to promoting public awareness of science, were awarded to Elon Musk, Brian Eno and Todd Douglas Miller.
Production design: Michael balgavy
PRODUCED WITH TOMEK PRODUCTIONS
