The wonderful birthday party of Sir David Attenborough
The BBC has organized a special program to celebrate the centenary of Sir David Attenborough, the most extraordinary naturalist and communicator in the history of television. The celebration culminated in a magnificent gala at the Royal Albert Hall in London, with the protagonist present in the royal box, seated between his wife and Prince William of Wales representing the royal family.
A birthday party broadcast live. David Attenborough’s 100 Years on Planet Earth has been one of the best television ceremonies ever made, and has honored the protagonist in life, in good health, and who has received the love and recognition of hundreds of people.
The event was hosted by Kirsty Young, one of the channel's iconic presenters, who is characterized by a sobriety in her manner but great intensity in her message. She condenses important ideas in a few words, with precise language and great warmth. Sir David did not speak at the entire gala. It was time to receive his gift: contemplating his own legacy. It was very touching to see how, in the moments when he was given long applause, his wife gave him instructions in case it was appropriate to stand up and wave as a sign of gratitude.
The gala abandoned conventional theatricality. It did not need a grand stage. Just a small seating area to receive some guests who would not only talk about Attenborough but also about the evolution of television in these hundred years, especially regarding the filming of the natural world and wildlife. The birthday party did not lose a shred of the spirit of communication that has characterized the protagonist. The celebration was structured by the BBC orchestra, a huge screen projecting Attenborough's great television moments and some very austere musical performances linked to the soundscape of the great productions of Planet Earth and Blue Planet. Performances full of epic and emotion, with choral accompaniments that served to illustrate the fascinating images projected on the screen.
In the last ten years, Attenborough has produced and starred in eighteen magnificent series. It was the decade he was supposed to retire and he has been busier than ever, with television and activism. At the gala there were extraordinary moments, such as the congratulation from Buckingham Palace promoted by the BBC: a letter of recognition from King Charles III that was chain-transported by a series of animals until an owl deposited it in his home's mailbox, like in Harry Potter. Finally, Attenborough showed the public that he already had the letter in his hands.
The BBC has organized one of the best tributes in life to a key figure in television, an promoter of technology and color imaging. But above all to a man who has given a voice to nature and has opened our eyes to make us aware of the beauty and fragility of our planet.
