The Moulin Rouge, a Parisian icon, unveiled new windmill blades on Friday, after the previous ones collapsed in April, in front of hundreds of tourists and locals, and a week before the Olympic flame arrives in the French capital.
“The mill without its blades represents a void for Paris, it is simply sad,” said general manager Jean-Victor Clerico, head of the family business that attracts 600,000 visitors a year.
The idea was to prepare for the Olympics. [que empiezan el 26 de julio]”We did everything we could to get these blades back,” he added.
The four red blades, created with a combination of aluminum and steel, were adorned with their gold and red lights amid thunderous applause, giving the night scene at the foot of the Butte Montmartre the look that tourists love so much.
However, they had not yet begun turning, as mechanical operations could not be completed in time for July 5.
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To celebrate the moment, about twenty dancers dressed in traditional skirts and ruffles performed the famous French cancan in the street, a traditional dance from Offenbach’s early 19th-century operettas.
“I live in the neighborhood and the Moulin Rouge has been a part of my life for 65 years. We came to see the show and drink champagne at Chez Michaud. [otro cabaret vecino, cerrado recientemente por motivos económicos y que busca comprador]“I love dancing, the French cancan, bubbles and humor,” said Nicole Dussin, 86.
Autumn Mansfield, a 25-year-old tourist from California, said she learned about the opening on TikTok. “I’ve always dreamed of coming here, but knowing that it’s expensive, it’s great to be able to see it,” she told AFP.
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The iconic cabaret, one of the French capital’s most visited tourist attractions, will celebrate its 135th anniversary in October.
Its blades collapsed in the early hours of April 25, and the cause of the accident remains unknown. The letters M, O and U from its name on the facade also fell off.
“The Moulin Rouge has been deeply touched by all the messages of support and kindness it has received from all over the world following the event that night,” the memorial’s management wrote in a statement.
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The Moulin Rouge opened its doors in 1889 and was initially a meeting place for artists and bohemians. Its facade and cabaret shows were immortalized by the artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.
It receives 600,000 spectators annually, with two shows every night, 365 days a year, and employs about 450 workers.
Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 musical film Moulin Rouge, starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor, boosted his international attention.
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