Wearing construction hard hats and protective clothing, the choir of Notre Dame Cathedral performed a special Christmas Eve concert in the medieval Paris landmark, which was partially destroyed by fire in April 2019.
The concert, which was the first held in the cathedral since the fire, was recorded on Saturday and will be broadcast on French television Thursday. The diocese said the occasion was “highly symbolic … marked with emotion and hope.” He added that the celebration dated back to the Middle Ages.
Rendez-vous Jeudi 24 au soir sur @France2tv pour le concert à @notredameparis présenté par @bernstephane avec @henrichalet @MusiqueSNDP et @juliefuchssop .@HeleneSegre @rebatirNDP pic.twitter.com/gontnVZNdI
— Gautier CAPUÇON (@GautierCapucon) December 22, 2020
The cathedral’s wooden beams caught flame in a devastating April 2019 fire that toppled the spire of the cathedral. Renovation began on the spire in September of this year.
The church’s choir usually performs up to 60 times per year in the historic Parisian cathedral but has been forced to perform at other local churches while the renovation is performed.
No one from the public was permitted to enter the space, and officials working on the renovation of the cathedral say it likely won’t be before 2024 that people can set foot inside again.
