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The closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games promises an electrifying show at the Stade de France. Around twenty artists from the French electro scene will transform the stadium into a giant dance floor for an exceptional finale.
The curtain is about to fall on the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, and the City of Light is preparing to offer the world a grand finale. On Sunday evening, the Stade de France will host a closing ceremony that promises to be a true musical and visual fireworks display, celebrating both the Paralympic spirit and the excellence of the French electro scene.
From 8:30 p.m., the approximately 60,000 spectators in the iconic Stade de France, as well as millions of viewers around the world, will witness a show designed “as much as a spectacle as a party,” according to Thomas Jolly, the artistic director of the ceremonies. The event, which will last until 10:45 p.m., will first honor the true stars of these Games: the 5,000 para-athletes who amazed the world with their performances and determination.
The ceremony will begin with the traditional protocol moments, including anthems, official speeches, and the presentation of flags. These sequences will be interspersed with “choreographed passages,” providing a smooth transition to the festive part of the evening. A particularly moving moment will be the handover between Paris and Los Angeles, the next host city of the Games. This segment will feature American athletes and artists, including Ali Stroker, an actress and singer in a wheelchair, who will have the honor of performing the US national anthem.
The extinguishing of the Olympic flame at the Tuileries Gardens will mark the end of the official part and the beginning of the party. The Stade de France will then transform into a gigantic dance floor for an hour of electrifying musical spectacle. Under the evocative theme “Paris is a Party,” a true Who’s Who of the French electro scene will take charge.
No less than 24 DJs, representing different generations and currents of the famous “French touch,” will take turns at the turntables. Among them will be well-known names to fans of the genre: Kavinsky, already present at the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games, Pedro Winter (alias Busy P), former manager of the legendary Daft Punk, as well as hit-makers like Martin Solveig, The Avener, and the duo Cassius.
The new wave of French electro will also be represented, with the duo Ofenbach and the tropical melodies of Polo & Pan. Rising artists such as Irène Drésel, Chloé Caillet, and Tatyana Jane will bring their fresh and innovative touch to this musical melting pot.
The electro festival will be kicked off by none other than Jean-Michel Jarre. At 76, this legendary figure of the genre will offer a medley of his works, thus creating a “bridge between generations” and offering, in his own words, “the last postcard sent from Paris.”
Victor le Masne, musical director of the ceremonies, has conceived this show as a “wave journey” where “all the artists are connected.” This musical journey will unfold in four evocative acts: “French Touch,” “High Energy,” “Forever Rave,” and “Radio Star.” The challenge was significant: to create a coherent narrative while maintaining a precise rhythm and evoking emotion.
To meet this challenge, each DJ had to adhere to a significant constraint: only one track per artist, often their signature hit, not exceeding two minutes. The goal is to achieve “harmony from artist to artist” to create “one and the same music,” as explained by Irène Drésel, who has specially reworked the track she will play with her percussionist for the occasion.
The visual staging has been entrusted to Romain Pissenem, a producer and director well known in the electro world. He promises “a lot of lights” and “very symmetrical designs” to accompany the different musical universes that will follow. His ambition is to create a stage setup that gives the impression, both in the stadium and on screen, of being an integral part of this unique moment.
For Martin Solveig, one of the participating DJs, this ceremony embodies a value particularly dear to him: that of “bringing people together.” He usually compares music to an “individual sport,” but he is delighted that, for this exceptional occasion, the artists will “play as a team.”
This closing ceremony not only marks the end of the Paralympic Games but also the conclusion of the Paris 2024 journey as a whole. As Romain Pissenem reminds us, “the last time we had the Olympics was 100 years ago, we must not forget that.” It is therefore a historic moment that Parisians and the world are about to witness.
During this exceptional show, the para-athletes will not just be spectators. They will be placed in a specially designed dancing area, allowing them to “celebrate” and honor their achievements one last time before the Olympic flame is extinguished.
Avec AFP
