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On 10 October 2004, Jean Michel Jarre opened the 'Year of France' in China with a large concert in the Forbidden City (Wumen Gate) in Beijing, China.
 See photo gallery --> I was very lucky to participate. I worked for 5 months on that very unique project. It was the occasion to work for the first time with Jean Michel, the electronic music wizzard who also set the world standards for giant shows performed in overwhelming sites and with major Chinese artists. Jean Michel Jarre who was the first western world artist to perform in communist China (1981) already sold 500.000 copies of his latest CD "Aero" (mixed in 5.1). I worked as a musical director, musician and arranger, helping him to achieve his musical goals . 
In order to achieve that, I 've been 3 times to Beijing this summer to contact the best Chinese musicians that JMJ wanted to invite for this concert, record them in Beijing studios and acted as an interface between them and JMJ expectations for the concert. (I also played on a few cuts on stage, great!)A team of 120 top-class french and europeen technicians with the help of hundreds of chinese and a Chinese crew made it possible, under a lot of pressure, of course. At 8:00 pm on Oct 10th we all knew it HAD to work, one billion chinese people would be watching the show on TV! This concert turned out to be a magical show , a great technological success and a unique human experience that the Chinese and the French will never forget. It was definitively a good way to celebrate the meeting of our two peoples and an exemple for future collaboration throughout the world. Year of France The 'Year of France' is a series of cultural manifestations in China, to be held from October 2004 until July 2005 and is the successor to the 'Year of China' in France which was held from October 2003 until July 2004.  The opening of the 'Year of France' on 10 October 2004 has coincided with the visit of French President Jacques Chirac to Beijing and has, amongst others, featured the spectacular Jean Michel Jarre concert . As usual, Jean Michel Jarre cooperated with several Chinese musical and visual artists to make the concert a unique experience. Surround This concert has been completely surrounding the visitors with a 5.1 system (that worked!). Not only had the sound come from all directions, but the projections also were surrounding the spectators in the Forbidden City, as giant projection screens and lasers were erected around the audience! 
Stages & AccessThe concert has used two stages. One located in the Forbidden City, which was accessible only for guests invited and people with VIP tickets. The second stage was located just outside the Forbidden City at Tian An Men square (Zheng Yang Men). This area was more freely accessible. Jean Michel performed the first part of the concert on the Forbidden City stage and the second part of the concert on the Tian An Men stage. The first part of the concert, in the Forbidden City, was about 95 minutes long. The second part, on the Tian An Men stage, was about 20 minutes (4 songs) and featured Chinese pop star Cheng Lin singing a chinese version of "La Foule" a hit by french icon Edith Piaf. 
In addition, giant projection screens were placed with laser shows at Tian An Men square on which images of Jean Michel Jarre performing on stage were projected.TV Broadcast Tens of thousands of people were able to watch Jean Michel's concert in the Forbidden City itself and on several giant video screens throughout Beijing. The concert was also broadcast live on Chinese TV, allowing hundreds of millions of people throughout the country to view the concert as well. French electronics company Thomson has been contracted to relay that in China to Europe in HD format via Eutelsat. Pan European HDTV station 'HD1' broadcast the concert live on October 10, starting 13:00 CET on french France 2 channel. Equipement * 60 tons / 300m3 of equipment flown in from France * 120 persons in the French Production Team (CPM) * 100.000 Watts Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Audio System * 600 Projectors * 3.600KW Electric Power * 20 KM Cable 
Jean Michel Jarre was on stage with :Francis Rimbert (Keyboards) Patrick Rondat (Guitar) Claude Samard (Guitar & Musical direction) Chinese artists and musicians Cheng Lin (Erhu and lead vocal) You Mong Fei (Soprano solist) Wang Feng (Tenor solist) Yang Shi Yi (young girl speak) Liu Yuan (Suona) and the participation of 210 chinese musicians Beijing Sympony Orchestra with 85 Chinese Musicians conducted by Tan Li Hua Chinese national Orchestra with 65 Chinese Musicians conducted by Xu Zhijun National Opera House Choir with 60 Chinese Singers conducted by Li Bing Live broadcasts * CCTV 1, CCTV3, CCTV 4, CCTV 9 * France 2 * HD1 * HDe |
