We have seen Vikings

It was before a packed Théâtre des Nouveautés that the Vikings of Collège Voltaire presented three performances of the 2024 version of the musical they have been preparing throughout the year on Tuesday and Wednesday. Music, theater, dance, songs, and also filmed sequences at the Escaladieu Abbey and near Lake Payolle—they pulled out all the stops to sweep the audience away on a grand Nordic historical epic. The two-hour adventure, driven at a breakneck pace by some sixty young actors and singers, was a whirlwind of Viking imagery, from the costumes to the longship that was part of the journey! And women were given a prominent role, with the mythical Valkyries clad in shining armor to carry the souls of heroes to Odin's Valhalla. A truly beautiful show conceived and written by Chantal Pradalié. With music composed or reimagined by Anne Marchand, such as Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries, which becomes the anthem sung in chorus by everyone on stage. The music is performed live in the pit by five musicians conducted by Christelle Kinal. All of this is enhanced by Aurélie Mercier's choreography, which sets everyone in motion. Teachers from Voltaire Middle School have once again recreated the magic of this grand spectacle, drawing students into this not-quite-sensible project. The result is dazzling, as evidenced by the enthusiastic applause after a flamboyant finale.