VERSAILLES 400

VERSAILLES 400

In a historic event that seamlessly blended past grandeur with future innovation, iconic musician and composer Jean-Michel Jarre took centre stage at the Hall of Mirrors within the Château de Versailles for VERSAILLES 400, a spellbinding concert as part of the UNESCO World Heritage site 400th anniversary celebrations. Jarre's performance on Christmas Day December 25, 2023 marked a groundbreaking moment forging the glory of historic France and the future.

"What I had in mind and what I wanted for these visuals The 400th anniversary celebration concert at the Château de Versailles was not merely a retrospective, but a vibrant testament to the spirit of invention that has always pulsed through its halls. It was a celebration of the very first sparks of technological revolution that ignited within its walls, echoing centuries ago in the Hall of Mirrors itself. Here, where the sun once unveiled the groundbreaking solar convectors, forerunners of today's solar panels, and where the hum of early electrical machines first resonated. It is a journey through time, a dialogue between past and present, echoing the very essence of Versailles's history."

Jean-Michel Jarre

The aerial and aquatic lunar creatures on "Oxygène" conjure images of otherworldly, echoing the fantastical creatures just like in the imagination of Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland", infused with a Jean Cocteau style, a whimsical blend of reality and fairytale, where dreams and imagination are the driving forces.

For example on Equinoxe: The owl-headed hot air balloons, soaring gracefully, are not just a tribute to Montgolfier's pioneering flights, but a symbol of the audacity to dream, to push boundaries, to reach for the sky.

Similarly, the robot musicians on Industrial Revolution, playing alongside the frescoed figures of the Hall of Mirrors, are a playful nod to the automata - the first robots that brought movement and life to the static world. They are a testament to the evolving human desire to create, to imbue inanimate objects with life and intelligence.

"The visuals for the concert are an invitation to delve into a dreamlike realm where the boundaries of reality blur. It is a personal journey, an exploration of the infinite possibilities of the human imagination, where each individual can envision their own universe. Dream or reality - the choice, ultimately, is yours."

Jean-Michel Jarre

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