Beijing - 2004


Jarre was invited to return to China in October 2004 to launch The Year of France, a cultural exchange between both States. Jarre’s history with China over the years, made him the most obvious ambassador to introduce French culture. For the concert setting, Jarre was offered the historic Forbidden City for the main part, and Tian’Anmen Square for the encore, and for those who could not see him within the walls of the Forbidden City which has limited space.

 

The concert's major breakthrough was the fact that the music was played live in 5.1 surround, which allowed for some impressive effects and the audience to be totally immersed in the music. Jarre deployed his entire range of artistic effects, excluding fireworks due to the invaluable wooden architecture of the magnificent ancient City. Jarre thrilled the Chinese audience with Laser Harp, Theremin, HD video and two ensembles comprised of a symphonic orchestra and a traditional Chinese orchestra accompanied Jarre who presented some spectacular arrangements of his compositions to include the particularities of traditional Chinese instruments.

 

Chinese national television’s broadcast went live around the country and across the globe to a record audience of over a billion.

 

The last part of the concert was outside the walls of the Forbidden City at the Tian-Anmen Square in front of the non-VIP audience. The concert was broadcast live on Chinese TV to more than one billion viewers, and the dvd release of the show was the first ever THX-certified concert.


Track List:

Ouverture France-Chine (Gloria, Lonely Boy)

Opus 5.1

Aero

Oxygene 2

Oxygene 4

Geometry of Love

Band in the Rain

Equinoxe 4

Voyage à Pékin

Chronologie 6

Zoolookologie

Aerozone

Aerology

Chronologie 3

Vivaldi “Summer

Fishing Junks at Sunset

Rendez-Vous 4

Souvenir of China

Rendez-Vous 2

 

Tian Anmen Square:

Aerology Neimo Remix

La Foule (Edith Piaf tribute)

Tian’Anmen

Oxygene 13

 

Musicians:

Jean Michel Jarre

You Mong Fei

Wang Feng

Cheng Lin

Francis Rimbert

Patrick Rondat

Claude Samard (also Musical Director)

Yang Shi Yi

Liu Yuan

Beijing Sympony Orchestra (85 Musicians) conducted by Tan Li Hua

Chinese National Orchestra (65 Musicians) conducted by Xu Zhijun

National Opera House Choir (60 Chinese Singers) conducted by Li Bing

 

Estimated Audience:

15.000 (The forbidden city)

 





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