This is without doubt sequence the more poignant with the centenary of the Armistice. After the end of the speech of Emmanuel Macron as the arc de Triomphe in Paris, ended with the words «long live peace, long live the free nations, vive la France», the youth orchestra of the european Union, led by Russian conductor Vasily Petrenko has played a Bolero Ravel composed in 1928. The French composer had served as an ambulance driver near Verdun in 1916.
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The interlude has lasted for more than a quarter of an hour. At the end, Emmanuel Macron, Angela Merkel, Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and every other head of the foreign State present at the ceremony have welcomed this interpretation with a long standing ovation. The emotion was palpable. «Wonderful», «sublime», «moving», could be heard on France 2 who broadcast the event. Same comments on the social networks. The French president was then rekindled the flame of the unknown Soldier, which has never been extinguished since its installation in 1923.
The ceremony to celebrate the end of the First world war was punctuated by other parentheses music that reinforced the gravity of the moment. After the cellist Yo-yo Ma, the Beninese Angelique Kidjo sang a rousing «Blewu», a song in the language mima tribute to the colonial troops who fought in France.