On Monday, December 25, 2023, the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles was the scene of an exceptional musical event. The famous French composer and DJ Jean-Michel Jarre gave a concert to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the iconic French monument.
The concert, lasting about fifty minutes, transformed the Hall of Mirrors, 73 meters long and adorned with 357 mirrors, into a magical space. The 800 spectators, of whom 700 had paid between €40 and €300 to attend the event, were amazed by a play of lights and special effects, enhancing the walls of the room plunged into darkness.
Jean-Michel Jarre, wearing a mixed reality mask, played surrounded by his turntables and musical instruments. He explained that the concert took place in several dimensions: one in the real world at Versailles, another in a virtual world with his avatar, and a third dimension combining the two broadcast on television screens.
Spectators were able to experience the concert in two different ways: live on the W9 channel and in virtual reality on the VRrOOm platform. The event began with a remix of March for the Turkish Ceremony by Jean-Baptiste Lully, in tribute to the Baroque composer of the time of Louis XIV.
Although the broadcast on YouTube encountered difficulties, Jean-Michel Jarre assured that the live would soon be available for 24 hours and is already accessible in replay on the 6Play site.
The concert benefited from a contribution of 110,000 euros from the CNC, where Jean-Michel Jarre chairs the Immersive Creation commission.