“Napoleon as seen by Abel Gance”, finally on screens after a 16-year restoration project!
After 16 years of hard work, Abel Gance’s epic production “Napoleon vu par Abel Gance” [Napoléon as seen by Abel Gance] was unveiled in its complete and definitive 7-hour version (the so-called “Apollo” version, i.e. the version of Napoléon shown at the Apollo Theatre in Paris in 1927), in two parts, on 4 and 5 July 2024 at La Seine Musicale in Paris. For this world premiere, the Orchestre National de France, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and the Chœur de Radio France, conducted by Frank Strobel, provided musical accompaniment to this film-opera, on 4 July for the first part (3h40) and 5 July for the second (3h25), and performed a new musical score for the film, specially composed from the classical repertoire. This exceptional symphonic cine-concert payed tribute to this 1927 cinematic masterpiece.
The Cinémathèque française, with the support of the CNC (French Ministry of Culture), has undertaken a monumental reconstruction of the film under the direction of Georges Mourier and with the Éclair Classics/L’Image Retrouvée laboratory. Set to music by Simon Cloquet-Lafollye, performed by Benjamin Bernheim, tenor, the Orchestre National de France, the Orchestre Philharmonique and the Chœur de Radio France, conducted by Fabien Gabel.
Major sponsors: Netflix, Michel Merkt, Golden Globe Foundation.
Music patron: Aline Foriel-Destezet.
Patrons: Fondation Napoléon, Transperfect, Michèle Ray-Gavras, Champagne Brimoncourt.
Partners: Centre National de la Musique, Sacem, Radio France, France Télévisions.
The first part of the film was selected by the Cannes Festival as a pre-opening film for the Cannes 2024 Festival and as the opening film for Cannes Classics.
