Gojira delivered an electrifying performance at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony on 26th July, accompanied by experimental opera singer Marina Viotti.
The heavy metal band performed ‘Ah, Ça Ira!’ (meaning ‘It’ll be fine’), a song from the French Revolution, during a segment titled ‘Liberté’, which referenced France’s iconic motto ‘Liberté, égalité, fraternité’. This segment celebrated a pivotal moment in French history and highlighted the nation’s emphasis on freedom.
Gojira performed beside a castle engulfed in flames and red streamers symbolizing blood, while Viotti later appeared on a moving prop boat. Their act followed a segment dedicated to Les Miserables and succeeded a scene featuring a beheaded Marie Antoinette singing.
Gojira has now made history as the first metal band to perform at an Olympic opening ceremony.
Earlier in the ceremony, Lady Gaga performed the French cabaret classic ‘Mon truc en plumes’.
Gaga delivered Zizi Jeanmaire’s famous cabaret number (translated as ‘My thing with feathers’) on the steps by the river Seine, accompanied by eight dancers with pink feather fans. She then transitioned to the piano for the latter half of the song.
Lady Gaga, whose mother is half-French, has previously mentioned growing more confident in speaking and singing the language with practice.
This opening ceremony is the first in Olympic history to be held outside a stadium, featuring athletes parading down the Seine on 85 boats over a four-mile route.
Also Read: Gojira’s ‘Born For One Thing’: A Powerful Call to Action
Gaga is set to perform again later in the ceremony, where she will duet with Celine Dion on the Édith Piaf classic ‘La Vie en Rose’. This performance marks Dion’s return to the stage after over four years, following her diagnosis with Stiff Person Syndrome, a rare and chronic neurological disorder causing muscle stiffness and severe spasms.
–Silviya.Y