Pretty Yende Captivates Audience at Notre-Dame Reopening Concert
South African soprano Pretty Yende delivered a captivating performance at the reopening of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, five years after a catastrophic fire nearly destroyed the revered monument.
The concert on Saturday marked the culmination of a five-year renovation project as France celebrated the return of its cultural treasure.
The fire, which broke out in April 2019, left much of Notre-Dame in ruins, with only the main stone structure, including the bell towers, organ and rose window, surviving.
The restoration has brought the cathedral back to life with a new roof, spire and revitalised interior.
During the reopening ceremony, the 8,000 pipes of the Notre-Dame organ resonated again for the first time in public since the fire, filling the cathedral with a sound that had been absent for too long.
The Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel directing the South African soprano Pretty Yende and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, in this pitch-perfect rendition of Amazing Grace at Notre Dame today.pic.twitter.com/n6wpy8Zfk6
— Stephen Gibbs (@STHGibbs) December 7, 2024
Among the standout performances of the evening, Yende’s rendition of the spiritual Amazing Grace stood out as an emotional and moving moment. Yende, who also performed at the coronation of King Charles III at Westminster Abbey in May 2023, began the first verse of the hymn a cappella, her voice reverberating through the cathedral.
The audience, visibly moved, could feel the gravity of the moment, as Yende’s voice soared, accompanied by the sweeping power of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France under the direction of Venezuelan maestro Gustavo Dudamel.
The concert programme was a celebration of Notre-Dame’s resilience and the enduring power of music. Dudamel also conducted the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France in Beethoven’s Symphony No 5, followed by Swedish violinist Daniel Lozakovich’s stunning performance of Bach’s Air on the G String.
Each piece added to the sense of renewal and grandeur, marking a triumphant return for the cathedral and the cultural heart of France.
