After the Eiffel Tower and the Champs Elysees, cabarets are the most famous business cards of the French capital. The unique atmosphere of this unforgettable show, saturated with sophistication and elegance, is sung by many famous writers and artists. In France, in Paris, the Lido cabaret is one of the most famous and popular musical attractions. After more than 70 years of work, Lido remains the most elegant place to entertain a diverse audience that appreciates the feminine beauty and original show.
History
The history of the Lido cabaret began shortly after the end of World War II, when the Parisian audience, yearning for entertainment and a festive atmosphere, longed for musical performances. In 1946, the entrepreneurial brothers Clerico, Joseph, and Louis acquired the Lido, which was popular during the Belle Époque, the golden age of the first French cabarets. They completely changed the concept, removed the interiors in the Venetian style, turning it into an institution that has no analogues in the world. Now it was an entertainment venue that combined French cabaret traditions with the noisy fun of the many-sided and restless Broadway.
Why is that called?
Initially, the history of the institution was associated with the famous Venetian beaches of Lido. According to one version, even the Clerico brothers themselves come from those places. According to the main version, the casino and the hydropathic center with a swimming pool were originally located in the cabaret building. Its interior was made based on the Venetian landscapes and motifs inspired by the beaches. The interior of the building was decorated with numerous paintings with images of Lido. Many of these paintings then began to be used for decoration already in the new interior. Gradually, the name of the famous beach became the name of the new musical institution of the Lido cabaret in Paris.
Revue system
The initial incredible success of the Lido cabaret was not only due to the original numbers, the talent of the directors of the show, but to a greater extent thanks to the revue system. This system, which the brothers used in their cabaret, offers a performance in the original format at that time, combining entertainment and dinner. In the post-war country, it was a very successful move, which in France was the first to use the Lido cabaret. Many other entertainment venues later adopted the revue system. The best chefs prepared exquisite masterpieces of French cuisine for visitors, which they enjoyed under the sounds of then fashionable jazz.
Representation
Another component of the success of the new Lido cabaret music institution was the bet on high professionalism in staging performances. The founders of the institution began to collaborate with the famous Margaret Cayley, who was invited as the director of the show. In 1948, Margaret managed to lure a magnificent troupe of spectacular dancers "Bluebell Gels" to work in an institution. Incredibly bewitching staging of the show, beautiful, graceful, plastic dancers managed to quickly win the hearts of cabaret visitors. Reviews about the Lido cabaret among the Parisian public were only the most brilliant. Perhaps thanks to the charm of the girls in the show and Margaret's talent, the central figure of any performance is still a woman.
And until now, the women's troupe of dancers "Lido" is called "Bluebell Gels" and also pleases the audience with sensuality and beauty in each of the 26 grandiose productions. In each outlet, the girls amaze with their grace, which is emphasized by luxurious costumes. One of the last performances was attended by 42 dancers, 16 dancers from the men's troupe Lido Boys, who during the performance changed 600 amazing costumes. Performance was provided by 24 dressers, 12 tailors and 30 technical workers.
Building "Normandy"
In 1977, the Lido cabaret moved to the new Normandy building, also located on the Champs Elysees. Italian architects completely redesigned the building to fit the presentation format. The panoramic hall for 1115 seats, made without the use of columns, allows numerous spectators to enjoy a colorful performance from any place without interference. The height is about six floors from the stage to the ceiling, it is supported by one single beam 45 meters long. A unique lift allows you to lower the amphitheater, where during the show there are 300 guests, 80 centimeters, improving the visibility of the scene. Sophisticated technical equipment can make an ice rink, a pool, a wall of water. Thanks to the reconstruction, the implementation of a wide variety of special effects became possible - the appearance of an ice rink and laser pictures can be replaced by a waterfall and a fountain, accompanied by fireworks and the most fantastic sounds.
