On 12 May 2024, Jean-Michel Jarre and special guest Sir Brian May electrified the
Bratislava skies with ‘Bridge from the Future, ’the opening concert of the seventh
edition of the Startmus Festival. The live performance of 22 tracks took place against
the breathtaking backdrop of the SNP Bridge (UFO Bridge).
During the afternoon, as the audience were congregating around the Danube from
throughout the city, they were welcomed by a brand new composition titled 'Bridge
from the future- Live in Bratislava'. The music was specially created by Jarre
specifically for this event, where real sounds of the stars were weaved into the
soundscape, inviting the audience to consider our position on Earth within the
cosmos, and the future of our home planet, reflecting the theme of this year’s edition
of STARMUS Festival. The track is exclusively available on the blue 10" vinyl as part
of the deluxe box set.
The staggering production featured exquisitely choreographed architectural light and
laser displays which were visible from three different countries including Austria and
Hungary. A mesmerising 400-drone ballet painted the night sky with a supernova-like
display, while fireworks punctuated the musical score. The stage included two
towering turrets at over 30 metres tall, perfectly framing the UFO bridge behind it,
which itself was adorned with lights and lasers. Jarre designed the entire visual
element himself, conceiving it as a score to the music.
The concert in Bratislava represented the culmination of Jarre’s artistic vision, honed
meticulously since he pioneered the concept of large-scale open-air events spanning
entire cities, from Houston to Moscow and beyond. With this show in Bratislava, he
continues to surpass himself, showcasing how he adeptly harnesses the latest
technology to push the boundaries of live performance and entertainment.
Among the concert’s repertoire of 22 musical works spanning Jean-Michel Jarre’s
career was a remarkable new arrangement of Antonín Dvořák’s ‘New World
Symphony’. Rearranged by Jean-Michel Jarre and Brian May, this rendition marked
an historic first-time collaboration between the iconic musicians. Each brought their
individual musical backgrounds and histories to the table, converging to create a
singularly distinctive performance, firmly focused on the future. Brian May also
performed with Jarre on newly adapted works ‘Bratislava Time’ and ‘Rendez-vous
Bratislava’. Jarre was also accompanied on stage by his backing band featuring
longstanding accomplice Claude Samard and newcomer British musician Adiescar
Chase who played among other instruments the violin, bass guitar and didgeridoo.
They were also joined by members of the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra and a 19-
piece chorus from the Slovak Philharmonic Choir.
The mammoth set, designed by Jarre, was constructed over a period of a month by
a team of over 100 people working day and night, including hundreds of kilometres
of cables, 21 screens, 150 lighting projectors and over 170 tonnes of staging equipment. It was the largest stage ever constructed in Slovakia. In an environmentally responsible approach and to offset its carbon impact, the production has also committed to the preservation and sustainable management of over 150 years of pan-European forests, notably in Slovakia.
The concert was televised on Slovakian National TV network RTVS. The broadcast
audio was then remastered for release on BluRay and CD.
