In 1800, France was enthusiastic about Haydn's music. The Paris Opera decided to perform a French version of his oratorio La Création du Monde (The Creation of the World) in Paris, which had been completed two years earlier and had premiered in Vienna. The first French performance of the work took place on December 24, 1800, a date that became historic because Bonaparte, First Consul and later Napoleon, decided to attend and narrowly escaped an explosion that killed 40 people and destroyed 15 houses. This French version has now been given new life thanks to Julien Chauvin, who almost by chance stumbled upon the first edition (piano-vocal) of the French version of "The Creation" and now presents its very first recording with Le Concert de la Loge, the Chœur de Chambre de Namur, and leading vocal soloists (Julie Roset, Stanislas de Barbeyrac, and Nahuel Di Pierro): "Haydn succeeds in developing an incredible palette of sounds; the orchestra is truly there to personify and color the verses," said the conductor.