“It was part of my wildest dreams”: Michael Canitrot, DJ who sublimates heritage with imposing musical and visual shows, will close the Notre-Dame reopening concert on Saturday, “an honor” approached with “a lot of concentration “, he told AFP.
The Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey, the Eiffel Tower and the basilica of Zaragoza in Spain are among the playgrounds of Michael Canitrot, a DJ passionate about heritage, who celebrates it through music and digital art. Since 2019, his “Monumental Tour” has traveled to around twenty locations in France and Europe. Next stop: Notre-Dame, “the most emblematic” of cathedrals.
QUESTION: A big moment is approaching, how do you feel?
ANSWER: “A lot of concentration because it is indeed a moment that only happens once in a lifetime. You have to be well prepared and at the same time, I try to detach myself from the pressure as much as possible to enjoy of the moment and the honor of being able to participate in such a ceremony.”
Q: Was Notre-Dame among the monuments in front of which you dreamed of one day playing?
A: “As a heritage enthusiast, it is the most emblematic cathedral. It is a monument which has always fascinated me through its history and then there is a whole universe in terms of literature, so obviously that was one of my wildest dreams, but being able to be there, on the day of the reopening, is something I never imagined!
Q: How did you design your performance?
A: “Each monument calls for a new artistic writing and gives new inspiration. For Notre-Dame, I will perform for ten minutes so I will rearrange some of my titles for the occasion. I have created special versions where it there is a strong electronic music connotation, but in relation to the size of the project and the other artists who will perform before me, I also integrated a lot of more orchestral notes, a little more symphonic, to really mix the universes.”
Q: Then, we had to build an animation…
A: “I draw a scenario then we implement it with accomplished artists in their field. It's a real team effort. This is where all the new technologies come in: light of course, but also video mapping. I try to form a complete work between light, music and video, and that everything is synchronized. Finally we give a new revelation of this monument that we all know, but through a new perspective. more contemporary.”
Q: Where exactly will you be positioned?
A: “On the square, at the foot of the cathedral, in front of the main door. The idea is that my scene is the cathedral and its facade, so I will be closest to it.”
Q: On the hardware side, what does such an installation represent?
A: “There are around thirty video projectors to cover just the facade of the cathedral, it's quite enormous. Usually when we do our + Monumental Tour + dates, it's not as many, but for an exceptional event, means exceptional. It suggests a much denser visual impact in terms of contrast and image punch, I don't have the exact count but we can talk about several hundred projectors.
Q: Does performing in front of such a symbolic cultural and religious moment make you experience this adventure more intensely?
A: “It inspires me enormously and what's more, there is an extremely powerful dimension. With Notre-Dame, we are in something very strong in terms of spirituality, whether we are believers or not. C “It's a pressure for me, but a positive pressure, which helps me to transcend myself and to be the best possible for this event.”
