Place : Paris - On Tours and Concerts
Date: - Saturday Oct. 26th /2019
For sometime we planned to aim high, and climb this other tall tower, for the stunning panoramic views it promises off its observatory.
Only today the clear blue bright sky and warm weather was conducive to executing our plan, thus we headed to Montparnasse.
Tour Montparnasse - Montparnase Tower
In the heart of Montaparnasse, just off the very busy square - Place 18 June 1940, built on top of the Montparnasse – Bienvenüe Paris Métro station, sticks out above the much lower sky-line, a 210-metre high (689 ft) structure, of simple architecture and large proportions, a monolithic skyscraper Tower, occupying mainly 59 floors of office space. It was constructed from 1969 to 1973, and it was the tallest skyscraper in France until 2011, when it was surpassed by the 231-metre (758 ft) Tour First.
Designed by architects Eugène Beaudouin, Urbain Cassan, and Louis Hoym de Marien and built by Campenon Bernard
A view from the 56th floor
Its 56th floor, 200 meters from the ground, houses this known
restaurant called le Ciel de Paris
And that is where we headed up, to observe the view from, and have some drinks. It is Europe’s highest panoramic café and restaurant, so are its inflated prices, and the food is not that great.
However the view from the 56th floor is undoubtedly one of the best panoramas in the city, and covers a radius of 40 km (25 mi); aircraft can be seen taking off from Orly Airport.
An Unexpected name given to this Montparnasse Square
June 18/1940 -The anniversary of De Gaulle’s London address to ‘Free France’.
This was the day that General de Gaulle broadcast on the BBC from London his appeal to French officers, soldiers, engineers and munition workers to resist the Pétain government’s surrender to the Nazis, and to join him on British soil to fight on for France.
Ora my friend arranged a special treat and got all of us tickets
to a fabulous, free concert to the public, broadcast live at "Radio France" fantastic Concert Hall.
This iconic venue is a unique place of expression for cultural/musical projects including Radio broadcasting, music concerts, shows, tours, workshops, and other creative performances, operating since the 60th
It is a highly famous imposing building, located on the edge of the Seine, with the grate view of ,the close by, Eiffel Tower.
The Maison de la Radio was designed by the architect Henry Bernard in 1963, has 4,000 m² of public spaces and services (full restaurant and a great bar) and more than 3,000 seats in the auditoriums and studios open to all audiences.
New Auditorium
Built as part of a major restoration work of the Paris headquarter of "French national radio broadcasting organization Radio France"
the new auditorium - dedicated to the performance of classical music, is architecturally fabulous, and seats 1,461 people.
It is all wood-work arena shaped like an amphitheater wrapping around the stage and amazing hanging balconies and boxes at a steep downward angle. It has an exceptional acoustics, is fully equipped with audiovisual devices and has an Organ.
This concert hall is also a recording and broadcasting studio and a screening room.
The Auditorium was designed to serve as the residence of the four musical ensembles of the organization : Orchestre National de France, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Chœur de Radio France and Maîtrise de Radio France.
2019 Season of Radio France Special Concerts Info
We were privileged to attend this Free to the Public, 4 hours concert dedicated solely to the composer Scarlatti, which was played by the best several solo performers, as well as various assemblies.
Giuseppe Scarlatti 555 - Night Fever Concert
Scarlatti (1685-1757) a known Italian, classified primarily as a Baroque composer. He spent much of his life in the service of the Portuguese and Spanish royal families.
Scarlatti , who David played a few of his piano sonatas, before the Yom Kippur war, is known for his 555 keyboard harpsichord and piano sonatas compositions. Scarlatti 555 was the title of the 4 hour riveting concert of his best chosen pieces, played in the stunning auditorium. The stage had two harpsichords , a 18th century piano, and a modern Steinway. France’s top performers also brought accordions, violins, marimba, trumpets, and other symphonic instruments to play or sing, each 5-10 minutes pieces .
The concert was recorded live in a completely packed auditorium very few audiences departing before it was over.
On the way back walking in the street from the Radio France concert hall, the lighten up amazing Eiffel tower, which its lights flickers with dazzling lights, on each of the full hour, throughout the night, was in full view in front of us, and was a great finally for a fabulous evening.
To be continued..
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