On September 6, 1997, the famous composer and musician Jean Michel Jarre held the unforgettable mega-show “Oxygen in Moscow.” The large-scale performance was dedicated to the celebration of the city’s 850th anniversary since its foundation. During the week, a significant number of events and concerts were held in the capital of Russia as part of this event.
As a production and staging company, JSA took part in many of these projects. The most significant of them are Greater Retro Festival on Manezhnaya Square, Ice Cream Festival on Poklonnaya Gora, Larisa Dolina’s Big Show on Manezhnaya Square, a Promo action and concert on Vasilyevsky Spusk by General Motors, Nestlé Children’s Holiday on Lubyanka Square, Gala Performance on Poklonnaya Gora, Celebrations on Tverskaya Street and much more.
But of course, the most important event in the city was a large-scale mass show on Vorobyovy Gory on a large territory between the main building of Moscow State University and the observation area.
The author and protagonist of this project was Jean-Michel Jarre – one of the brightest and most distinctive figures of modern culture. He is one of the significant founders and world leaders in electronic music. In addition, he is the initiator and creator of grandiose light and music shows in the open air.
The promoter of Jean-Michel Jarre’s performance in Moscow was the company “Jubilee of the Capital” headed by Artyom Borovik (the publishing holding “Top Secret”). The project was supported by the Moscow City Hall and personally by Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, the main sponsor of the 850th-anniversary celebration was Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s Bank Menatep, the active information partner was radio station “Silver Rain” the Karat-Ts company provided security and safety at the site, Anton Chukaev was the executive director of this event, JSA was the head production and technical contractor, and Alexander Strizhak was the technical director of this event.
Jean Michel Jarre and his creative and production team, led by producer Roger Abriol had been preparing the project for over six months. Installation work began at the venue a month before the show day. The area for the installation of equipment for the show was vast from the roof of the main building of Moscow State University, a large stage on the stairs at the entrance, high towers 60 and 100 meters from the front of small towers for sound delay lines along the entire alley to the observation deck. Some equipment had to be installed on the roof of the Moscow State University building using a helicopter. The technical services of the City Hall covered the large depression of the fountain in the square (next to Universitetsky Avenue) with solid wooden flooring, which was very important for the audience’s safety during the event.
All structures and equipment were installed on time, and on the eve of the day of the show there was a big rehearsal, which lasted from morning to evening. Below are exclusive photos of Jean Michel Jarre from the archive of JSA, taken during the afternoon soundcheck.
Below are exclusive photos of Jean Michel Jarre from the JSA collection (archive), taken during the evening rehearsal of the “Oxygen in Moscow” show.
Jean-Michel Jarre performed on the big stage at the front entrance of the building of Moscow State University – known as the MGU image. The performance was dedicated to significant events and the city history, which fragments were projected onto the facade, which is 400m wide and 250 m high (later, it was called a “mapping show”).
The event lasted more than three hours and was called “Oxygen in Moscow” as the idea of the city’s revival after the Soviet period. The musical part included compositions from the new album and hits of past years. At the beginning of the concert, the mayor of the capital Yuri Luzhkov made a welcoming speech. A signal of the concert start was the overflight of the planes of the pilot group STRIZHI over the event site, which delighted the gathered audience.
The concert was attended by the State Symphony Capella of Russia (conductor and director – Valery Polyansky), the School of Contemporary Dance (called later Shishkina and the Children’s Choral Studio “Joy”.
The second great moment of the show was the connection with the Mir Orbital Space Station.
Also, during the concert at the initiative of Jean Michel, all those present honored with a minute of silence the English princess Diana who had died a week earlier in a car accident in Paris.
The filming of the show was conducted by Russian television. Alexander Fayfman and Alexey Zemsky were responsible for the TV production.
Below are exclusive photos of Jean Michel Jarre’s show “Oxygen in Moscow” from the archive of JSA company.
About 500,000 spectators gathered in the university square in front of the stage, and about 3 million watched the show from nearby streets and distant places. The main University building stands on the highest hill in Moscow. So the light, laser, and pyrotechnic parts of the show were visible from many points in the capital of Russia.
Версию на русском языке смотрите здесь:
ЖАН МИШЕЛЬ ЖАРР – КИСЛОРОД В МОСКВЕ
МЕГА ШОУ НА ПРАЗДНИКЕ ЮБИЛЕЯ ГОРОДА
The English version of the first part about the preparation for the Jean Michel Jarre show in Moscow (information and photographs) see here:
MOSCOW’S 850th ANNIVERSARY. GREAT SHOW OF JEAN MICHEL JARRE
Первую часть на русском языке о подготовке шоу Жан Мишель Жарра в Москве (информация и фотоматериалы) смотрите здесь:
ЮБИЛЕЙ СТОЛИЦЫ – 850 ЛЕТ МОСКВЕ!
ЖАН МИШЕЛЬ ЖАРР “ДОРОГА В ХХI ВЕК”
The interview of Alexander Strizhak for the Internet Edition “Afisha Daily” 09/08/2017
“Twenty years mega-show “Oxygen in Moscow” by Jean Michel Jarre”
© All photos and pictures are the exclusive copyright of JSA Stage Company.