Xena Pyrotechnics: Dutch energy joins Masters de Feu

For its first participation in Masters de Feu, Xena Pyrotechnics will represent the Netherlands on Saturday 19 September 2026 at the Hippodrome de Compiègne. Inspired by the culture of major Dutch festivals, the company aims to offer a spectacular interpretation of the theme “Le Grand Bal”, combining musical precision, creativity and energy.

A house born of a passion for fire

The story of Xena Pyrotechnics began in 1999, in a country where New Year’s fireworks hold a special place in popular culture. Inspired by these major festive gatherings, the company gradually developed to create productions of every scale.

Over the years, its playground has expanded considerably. Traditional fireworks, pyromusical shows, football stadium productions, weddings, private events and major festivals: Xena Pyrotechnics has built its identity by multiplying formats and creative environments.

This versatility is now one of its main hallmarks. Each venue calls for a different writing style, each audience has its own rhythm, and each soundtrack requires a new way of imagining the sky.

When pyrotechnics meet festival culture

In 2022, Xena Pyrotechnics merged with Backstage FX, a company specializing in special effects and pyrotechnics for electronic music festivals, theatre and television productions.

This partnership opens a new chapter. The know-how of traditional pyrotechnics meets that of stagecraft and live performance. Flames, special effects, close-proximity fireworks and aerial pieces can now be conceived as the different elements of a single production.

This approach resonates particularly in the Netherlands, where nearly 1,800 events linked to electronic music are believed to take place each year. Many of them use pyrotechnics to enhance key moments or create their closing ceremonies.

Xena and Backstage FX are therefore involved both in effects integrated into a scenography and in the full design of major finales. This experience has profoundly shaped the way they write a show: seeking immediate impact, mastering rhythm and creating a direct connection between music, space and audience.

Music as the starting point

At Xena Pyrotechnics, creation often begins with listening.

“We like to listen to a piece of music and imagine the pyrotechnic effects that could accompany it,” the team explains. Some compositions call for extremely precise synchronization, while others require a more fluid writing style, leaving more room for breath and emotion.

Precision is therefore not seen as an end in itself. It remains at the service of the music and the artistic intent. A sequence of perfectly timed shots is not enough to build a show: one must also decide when to accelerate, when to hold back movement, and when to let a colour or a shape fully occupy the sky.

This search for balance between power and sensitivity will be at the heart of the proposal imagined for Masters de Feu.

Innovation, right down to the workshops

Innovation also plays an important role in the Dutch house’s work. It concerns both the pyrotechnic products and the technical equipment used to deploy them.

In its workshops, Xena notably uses 3D printing to produce custom supports and tilt devices. These pieces make it possible to turn certain graphic ideas into concrete solutions and to adapt firing angles more precisely to the desired scenography.

Since 2023, the company has also worked closely with Pirotecnica San Pio, a factory in southern Italy whose distribution it handles. This partnership allows both houses to explore new effects and develop original colour combinations.

Technology then becomes an extension of creation: a way to broaden the possibilities of writing without ever losing sight of product quality or the safety of their use.

Popular and international references

Before coming to Compiègne, Xena Pyrotechnics stood out at numerous events in the Netherlands and abroad.

The company notably organised the Scheveningen International Fireworks Competition until 2019. Set against the sea, the event enabled the Dutch house to meet teams from around the world and develop direct knowledge of major international competitions. Its success and the particularly high attendance eventually led to its discontinuation.

Xena also staged several shows for the Zena Trophy in 2017, 2018 and 2019. In addition, it performs each year the closing fireworks display of Rotterdam World Port Days, a popular event held in the heart of the city in a particularly festive atmosphere.

In April 2026, the team took part in the Malta International Fireworks Festival, one of the most iconic events on the European pyrotechnic calendar. Another international experience before taking, a few months later, the helm in Compiègne.

A highly anticipated debut in Compiègne

Xena Pyrotechnics’ selection for Masters de Feu was welcomed with enthusiasm by the entire team.

“This invitation was a very pleasant surprise. As soon as it was announced, we began thinking about the music and the effects we could imagine.”

For its first appearance before a French audience, the Dutch house wants to present a show bringing together different forms of energy. Music, pyrotechnic effects and technical elements will need to respond to one another in order to build a coherent progression, capable of enhancing both the atmosphere and the emotional power of the soundtrack.

The team promises a creation based on precision and creativity, driven by high-quality products and brought to a close with a particularly spectacular finale.

On 19 September, Xena Pyrotechnics will discover the sky of Masters de Feu for the very first time. Facing the Polish house Surex and the Portuguese house Pirotecnia Minhota, it will defend a resolutely Dutch vision of the show: rhythmic, innovative and audience-focused.