Voltaire

Voltaire is an entirely new concept from entertainment impresario Michael Gruber. It answers the call for a theatrical venue that offers Las Vegas guests a pre-party, headliner concert, and after-party. Capping at 1,000 people, it’s a venue to come out and lean in. The prevailing theme, Belle de Nuit, or Beauty of the Night, is evocative of veils and mystery, of come-to-play and dress-to-express. Within the space, multiple experiences are presented.

First is Voltaire’s Belle de Nuit show, which blends cabaret with disco for an unforgettable evening with a Studio 54-esque party vibe. Guests find their seats amongst a sea of plush art-deco-inspired furnishings designed for lavish cocktail service. Belle de Nuit takes its name from a delicate fluorescent flower that blooms only at night, revealing its beauty as the sun descends. Here guests come out to play, embodying the spirit of the Belle de Nuit as they take in an incredible cast presenting daring aerial acts, enjoy stunning couture, and so much more. Woven into the experience are headline concerts. Voltaire ushered in a new destination nightlife scene with Kylie Minogue at the forefront in an exclusive U.S. residency that comes on the heels of her smash hit “Padam Padam" and her Tension album release. “The spirit of Voltaire is one of pure, authentic fun,” shares Minogue. “It’s one I resonate with as a pop artist. My new album Tension is all about the space where the intimate and universal come together, and Voltaire represents just that. The creative team has designed an environment where people can get up and dance at their tables and revel in the night.”

Also performing regularly is Christina Aguilera, who debuted an exclusive, brand-new Las Vegas show at Voltaire over the 2024 New Year’s Eve weekend, with headlining dates continuing through March. This brand-new show celebrates her vocal prowess in Voltaire's seductively cozy environment, unlike any performance she has presented before. In contrast to traditional concert shows, the intimate venue allows Christina to invite guests into a musically dynamic and immersive piece of art.

Lightswitch was brought onto the project by our friend and collaborator Derek McLane, an award-winning environmental and scenic designer. Our remit was broad and spanned multiple disciplines. We provided architectural lighting design and controls for the core architectural space, designed the house theatrical lighting system and control network that would be the base for all performances and served as lighting designer for the Belle de Nuit show. We also collaborated with the Kylie and Christina teams, led by Rob Sinclair and Bryan Klunder respectively, to ensure they had everything they needed to execute their visions. We worked with Derek and the Voltaire team to curate a one-of-a-kind aesthetic for this unique space. And we achieved all of this while managing an aggressive schedule and focusing on efficient and responsible use of funds – truly embodying the “pragmatic design” ethos that is a core tenet at Lightswitch.

This kind of cross-disciplinary project is an area where Lightswitch is especially valuable to our clients. With a project team spanning several of our studios and drawing on our strengths in architectural lighting design, controls, theatrical system design, and entertainment creation, we were able to offer a nimble and efficient “one-stop shop" solution for Voltaire.

We think the results and the reviews say it all: A new kind of venue, presented within a breathtaking environment. Sold-out headliner shows and a bold and daring Belle de Nuit show. We invite you to experience Voltaire and Belle de Nuit – there is nothing else like it.