At 74, Philippe Petit once again defied the odds on Wednesday and Thursday when he celebrated the 50th anniversary of his tightrope walk between the World
Trade Center by recreating the famous feat inside the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine and elevating it to art.
Through 19 scenes, Petit told the story of his remarkable journey from Europe to handcuffs in a New York City jail and the death-defying balancing act in between. However, Petit told amNewYork Metro that he didn’t want the show to just be a recreation, he looked to make the performance a living, breathing piece of art.“I was surrounded by all kinds of arts, and, of course, it made me a man who rides in the sky,” Petit said.
“This is who I am. I am a strange kind of wirewalker because I learned by myself, and I am not from the tradition of the circus,” Petit said.The spectacle was also brought to life by a slew of other performers, including dancers and musicians, including famed singer Sting. The Police frontman belted out several classics as Petit showed off that he literally had not missed a step by crossing back and forth across the wire before even laying back across it in a staggering stunt.
When looking back at both the original walk and his 50th-anniversary commemoration, Petit shared that the image of him standing in the air between the two towers is seared into his mind. He does, however, regret his choice of clothing on that day.Photo by Dean Moses
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