Johnny symphonique : l'histoire continue

“The real Johnny Hallyday is on stage.” Yvan Cassar developed this deep conviction over more than 15 years, during which he accompanied Johnny as musical director. It provided the starting point for a unique project entrusted to him: to restore the full power and emotion of Johnny Hallyday’s voice as it resonated in concert, while giving it the sonic setting made possible by studio recordings. This ambition gave rise to two albums: Johnny in 2019, followed by Acte II in 2021. Both are based on an unprecedented principle: preserving Johnny Hallyday’s live vocal recordings and enhancing them with new arrangements, sometimes symphonic, sometimes deliberately stripped back. A faithful tribute to the artist, with the intensity that only the stage could reveal. The audience response exceeded all expectations. An idea then naturally emerged: to return these songs to their place of origin. The stage. In May 2022, Johnny Symphonique set off on its first tour of twenty dates. Under the direction of Yvan Cassar, more than one hundred musicians, a choir and a spectacular visual production accompanied Johnny’s voice, presented on three giant screens. The greatest classics regained their vitality: Diego, libre dans sa tête, L’Envie, Allumer le feu, Que je t’aime, as well as Marie, Sang pour sang and Je te promets. Following the audience’s enthusiasm, a new series of concerts was scheduled for spring 2024, enriched with new songs including Gabrielle, Noir c’est noir and the legendary rhythm-and-blues medley imagined by Johnny in the 1960s. The repertoire grew, while the emotion remained intact. In total, these two tours brought together more than 100,000 spectators. In 2027, as the public prepares to commemorate ten years since Johnny Hallyday’s death, JOHNNY SYMPHONIQUE opens a new chapter. From November 10, 2027, the show will embark on a new tour of 23 dates across France through March 2028. Still under the direction of Yvan Cassar, it will continue to showcase this unique voice, carried by the power of a symphony orchestra and spectacular staging. But this new tour will go even further. True to Johnny’s spirit, it will feature new musical tableaux, an expanded repertoire and several exceptional guests who will join in this celebration.