While 20 high-quality surround sound speakers sweep the Tower of David citadel with harmonious melodies, 18 high-definition laser projectors paint alluring moving artwork across the ancient walls more than 180 degrees around you. A beautiful conglomerate of vibrantly colored living images, contoured to the architecture of the age-old citadel, takes up your entire periphery, pulling you so deeply into the scene that you don’t even know where to look. Every moment is filled with intricate movements, like joyous dancers illuminating every corner, each distinctive and exuberant, all flowing together aesthetically to form a breathtaking whole.
© Naftali Hilger
After running Night Spectacular, the museum’s original night experience portraying the history of Jerusalem, for about 10 years and attracting over two million people, the Tower of David museum has introduced a new night show: King David. For this newest addition, artists, musicians, and creative engineers tackled a new epic topic with even more sophisticated technology. Illuminating the citadel with 35 million pixels, you can experience the compelling legends of Jerusalem’s King, from shepherd-hood to royalty.
At the very site that has been symbolically connected to him for 2000 years, the show explores King David and all that he stands for across different peoples, time periods, cultures, and religions. As a 2000-year-old artistic inspiration, he is one of the most renowned biblical figures in art history. From millennium-old religious frescoes, to Ethiopian representations, to Chagall, Matisse, and Michelangelo, we experience our multifaceted hero’s tales through an incredible array of stylistic imagery.
© Naftali Hilger
There’s a poetic symbolism in the vibrant variety of artistic techniques projected on top of the ancient stones. We get to experience David and his ancient tales through a host of marvelous lenses, engaging with all of the inspiration he has projected through varied cultures and movements across time and place.
While the scenes display King David’s various stories, the production is less about story lines and more about the majesty the stories evoke. It’s about connecting with the symbol of King David – with all the heroism, beauty, power, and greatness that he represents, right in the ancient citadel of his name, under the Jerusalem night sky.
© Shoshana Rice
The mayor of Jerusalem, Nir Barkat, exclaims, “The new night experience at the Tower of David museum showcases the current cultural renaissance happening in our city […] It combines past, present, and future with advanced technology for an engaging display of Jerusalem’s unique role in the world.” Investing over NIS 7.5 million, the museum spared no expense mesmerizing audiences and bringing to life the imaginative and inspirational world of our iconic King David.
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For some further insight, we asked the director and curator a couple of questions:
What was your inspiration behind telling the story of David through this lens?
Eilat Lieber (Director of the Tower of David): The inspiration was art and images from all around the world. The citadel lies on rich archaeology of the past, but the story of our generation is the art. To show the biblical story, we used different historical sources, illustrations, ancient maps, etc., but this isn’t just a museum, it’s a show. The story is perfect because it’s a universal story. Our visitors are coming from all over – Jews, Christians, and Muslims. For example, we have school trips coming from all over the country, some speaking Arabic and for whom David is a prophet. We used the history of art to give them a good educational experience without portraying specific information by using the right images.
And of course the music is integral because he was a musician and we wanted people to be inspired by his artistry. This is spiritual Jerusalem, it’s not about the facts, it’s about joy. It’s about absorbing a piece of spiritual Jerusalem and taking it with you. During the day, you can visit museums and historical sites, but here it’s about enjoyment. During the night, the beauty of the architecture with the music and the story guides us to be imaginative. We feel that King David left something not just for our knowledge, but for the sake of art, with his music and poetry, and the artistic symbol he has become. And it all came from here, Jerusalem, to the world. This is the most important thing.
Do you have a favorite part of the show?
Lieber: I love the part with Samuel, because this was the same song my father used to sing on Shabbat when I was a little girl. So when I can hear it here, at the Tower of David, I can cry. Because the words from King David will stay here forever, through all generations.
What was it like to put together such an intricate show?
Renee Sivan (Concept Creator and Curator): It wasn’t easy. In fact, it was a lot of work. We had a huge staff. It was very fun though, we had a good time researching – going into such works of art is a pleasure and a privilege.
What are you hoping audiences will walk away with?
Sivan: First of all, emotion. Secondly, that they will be astonished by the fact that there are so many artworks depicting King David. I think that the presence of such a thing in a fortress makes it something mythic. It’s not real. On the other hand, it’s so tangible in the imagination, you can even touch it. Look at the columns and the fire [she points to the uncanny flames dancing across the ancient walls, lighting David’s path]. It’s sudden you see, it looks real. I think emotion will be the major thing people will take away.
© Naftali Hilger
Get swept away into the compelling legends of Jerusalem’s king at the Tower of David Museum opening April 1st. Tickets are NIS 65 per adult and NIS 75 for the show plus museum admission. For showtimes, more information or reserving tickets, visit https://www.tod.org.il/en/the-king-david-show/