I was completely blown away by the lavish fireworks display at the Eiffel Tower last night….and I was watching it on television!  I deeply regretted not being there in person.  It was a hot summer’s night, the sky was clear, and the 400,000 people in attendance looked like they were having the party of a lifetime.  Next year, if I’m in town, I’ll be there for sure.

The theme was liberté, égalité, fraternité and while music sounded from the speakers and gigantic bursts of colour illuminated the night sky, La Grande Dame, otherwise known as the Eiffel Tower, glittered and pulsated in her cloak of a hundred thousand little lights and graced us all with her stately presence.  It was quite moving.

A voice – I don’t know whose – recited a line from Voltaire: Plus les hommes seront éclairés, et plus ils seront libres. The more enlightened men are, the more they will be free.  I’m telling you, I got quite choked up.

And that’s not all!  Preceding the sound and light show, a classical music concert lasting an hour and a half also took place at the foot of the Eiffel Tower and showcased Sonya Yoncheva, Karine Deshayes, Joseph Calleja, Vittorio Grigolo, Philippe Jaroussky, Ludovic Tézier and Renaud Capuçon.  At one point the Chinese pianist, Lang Lang, came out and performed a gorgeous, jazzy Ravel’s Concerto en sol.  At the end, all the soloists, along with the Radio France choir, gathered on the stage and sang La Marseillaise.  The entire evening was a massive success, not to mention a totally class act.  The French do these things so well.  My suggestion to Paris-lovers: be there next year.  I found some video-clips of the event to share with you. Enjoy!

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x11wcup_14-juillet-la-tour-eiffel-aux-couleurs-du-mariage-gay_news#.UeREpdLwm25

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veoPU7mu8I0    at 19:25 watch the Eiffel Tower burst into glitter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvPXBUYUhPg  Here are the final fireworks, called “le bouquet final”.