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The reopening of Notre-Dame is one of the most exciting things to take place in Paris in 2024—other than the Olympics. To mark the occasion, a star-studded ceremony and concert took place at the recently restored cathedral. Among the performers, one notable voice offered a moment for the ages. South African soprano Pretty Yende performed a breathtaking solo rendition of “Amazing Grace” before being joined by a sweeping orchestral arrangement.
Yende performed the first verse a cappella, as her voice echoed through Notre-Dame thanks to the cavernous cathedral’s acoustics. The soprano was then backed by a soft harp, followed a sweeping accompaniment from the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, which also performed Beethoven’s Symphony No.5, under the baton of Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel.
The soprano, who also performed at the coronation of King Charles III in Westminster Abbey, describes her performance as “a divine moment that still heavily resonates in every fiber of my being singing ‘Amazing Grace’ on this monumental night in the inner-court of Notre Dame.”
Yende’s voice turned “Amazing Grace” into an uplifting hymn—one that shares a sense of overcoming “dangers, toils, and snares” and finding the light at the end. Her performance resonated with a community that saw one their most beloved landmarks burn down five years ago, and long wondered if it could ever be restored to its former glory.
The South African soprano revealed that Dudamel let her change the arrangement a few seconds before their rehearsal, thanking him for his tenderness and support. “Suggesting starting with just the voice, adding the harp to follow up and join right after leading to the bloom of the orchestra’s impeccable sound. The intention was to focus on the each and every heart that would hear the call of the Amazing Grace,” Yende shares. “It is abundant, available for all. Communion, fellowship, peace, joy, a celebratory resurrection and a new leaf of life for our lady Notre Dame in the heart of Paris.”
To stay up to date with the soprano, you can follow Pretty Yende on Instagram and check out her music on Spotify.
Le magnifique « Amazing Grace » de Pretty Yende ❤️ #NotreDameDeParis @PhilharRF @radiofrance pic.twitter.com/3txOa4fEYj
— France tv (@FranceTV) December 7, 2024
Pretty Yende: Instagram | Spotify
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