NEW YORK (AP) — Fifty years after his iconic high-wire walk between the twin towers of New York's World Trade Center, Philippe Petit recreated the death-defying stunt with a performance about 7 miles north of the trade center at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.
The artist, 74, sought to celebrate the “glorious days of the twin towers” rather than focus on their tragic end in a terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001.
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NEW YORK (AP) — Fifty years after his iconic high-wire walk between the twin towers of New York's World Trade Center, Philippe Petit recreated the death-defying stunt with a performance about 7 miles north of the trade center at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.
Philippe Petit lies on a tightrope inside the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine to mark the 50th anniversary of his World Trade Center Twin Towers high-wire walk, on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
Philippe Petit walks a tightrope inside the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine to mark the 50th anniversary of his World Trade Center Twin Towers high-wire walk, on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
Philippe Petit walks a tightrope inside the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine to mark the 50th anniversary of his World Trade Center Twin Towers high-wire walk, on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
Philippe Petit walks a tightrope inside the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine to mark the 50th anniversary of his World Trade Center Twin Towers high-wire walk, on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
“I don’t have to remind people of the doomed day,” Petit told The Associated Press after Wednesday's performance.
Petit said he aimed to honor both his remarkable feat and the legacy of the towers.
“It adds a certain significance when you discuss a legend or a piece of history, even when the object of that history is no longer present. That’s the miracle of memory,” Petit said.
The performance, titled “Towering!!,” recreated Petit’s unauthorized walk between the towers on August 7, 1974. After ascending to his perch inside the cathedral and reflecting on the day’s memories, Petit took to the wire while Grammy-nominated jazz clarinetist Anat Cohen played beneath him.
As Petit continued his daring walk, Sting took the stage to perform “Fragile.” Later, Petit donned a sequined gold tunic while “Fields of Gold” played in the background.
Petit harnessed the stunning visual and acoustic splendor of the world’s largest Gothic cathedral to recreate the grandeur of his historic walk 1,300 feet (400 meters) above the ground. Conceived and directed by Petit himself, the production featured a series of short scenes that brought his 1974 feat to life.
Petit was arrested after crossing the towers and depicts that in the performance, which continues for a second night on Thursday.
At one point in the show, while reflecting on the success of the Oscar-winning documentary “Man on Wire,” which chronicled his famous walk, Petit admitted that he handled success poorly, including distancing himself from his friends.
“I was really bad to my best friend Jean-Louis Blondeau, who has been the mastermind more than me on this adventure,” Petit said.
After the performance, Petit received a proclamation from the office of New York City Mayor Eric Adams designating the day as Philippe Petit Day.
Petit has been an artist in residence at St. John the Divine for over 40 years and has performed 23 times to support the cathedral.
Sting performs in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Philippe Petit's World Trade Center Twin Towers high-wire walk at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
Philippe Petit lies on a tightrope inside the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine to mark the 50th anniversary of his World Trade Center Twin Towers high-wire walk, on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
Philippe Petit walks a tightrope inside the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine to mark the 50th anniversary of his World Trade Center Twin Towers high-wire walk, on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
Philippe Petit walks a tightrope inside the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine to mark the 50th anniversary of his World Trade Center Twin Towers high-wire walk, on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
Philippe Petit walks a tightrope inside the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine to mark the 50th anniversary of his World Trade Center Twin Towers high-wire walk, on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jake Bauers hit an RBI single in the ninth inning and the Milwaukee Brewers, who had clinched the NL Central earlier when the Cubs lost, beat Philadelphia 2-1 on Wednesday night to prevent the Phillies from securing a playoff berth.
Bauers' hit off Phillies closer Carlos Estévez (4-5) scored Jackson Chourio, who had tripled.
“I think the vibe in the clubhouse all day was, that's great that we (clinched), but we need to win this game," Bauers said. “It was intense, man, it was intense. You could feel the pressure."
Milwaukee closer Devin Williams (1-0) struck out Alec Bohm, Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh in order in the ninth.
Milwaukee clinched its second straight division title and made the playoffs for the sixth time in the last seven seasons by virtue of the Chicago Cubs’ 5-3 loss to the Oakland Athletics Wednesday. Chicago is still fighting for a wild card.
Milwaukee’s Freddy Peralta, making his career-high 31st start of the season, allowed one run on two hits in five innings, striking out nine and walking two.
Philadelphia starter Aaron Nola, second in the NL in innings pitched, went seven innings, allowing one run on three hits while striking out nine and walking one. He had given up 10 earned runs in nine innings in his previous two starts.
“My command was pretty good, I was getting early outs,” Nola said.
“They're definitely a grinding team. Just trying to execute my pitches and get first-pitch strikes and get the leadoff guy out.”
The teams struck out 28 times combined.
Phillies batters struck out 16 times Tuesday and 16 times Wednesday.
“Two really good teams, low scoring, tight games," Philadelphia manager Rob Thomson said. "Those are the games you certainly like to win and hate to lose.”
Milwaukee took the series, winning 6-2 on Monday. Philadelphia won 5-1 on Tuesday.
Bohm gave Philadelphia a 1-0 lead in the second inning with his first home run since Aug. 15.
Rhys Hoskins’ 25th homer tied the game in the fifth inning. The former Phillie also doubled.
“Are you surprised? Of course you're not surprised," Hoskins said of the come-from-behind win. "That's what we've been doing all year.”
Milwaukee right-hander Joe Ross allowed a single and a walk upon taking over for Peralta to start the sixth inning. But Ross retired Nick Castellanos and Bohm before being replaced by left-hander Jared Koenig, who got Stott to ground out on the first pitch.
After Chourio's leadoff triple in the ninth, Estévez intentionally walked William Contreras, struck out Garrett Mitchell and walked Willy Adames, loading the bases before Bauers' single.
“Everybody was doubting us at the beginning, that we were going to be able to do this," Adames said. “We proved them wrong. Hopefully we can go all the way and win it all.”
The Phillies’ magic number to qualify for the playoffs is one, and four to clinch the NL East.
The Phillies made the playoffs the past two seasons, losing to Arizona in the 2023 NL Championship Series and to Houston in the 2022 World Series.
UP NEXT
Phillies: Open a four-game series Thursday in New York against the Mets, who are battling for a wild card. Phillies RHP Taijuan Walker (3-6, 6.29 ERA) faces RHP Luis Severino (10-6, 3.77).
Brewers: Open a four-game series Thursday in Milwaukee against Arizona with RHP Tobias Myers (8-5, 3.07 ERA). The wild card-contending Diamondbacks will start RHP Brandon Pfaadt (9-9, 4.81).
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Milwaukee Brewers' Jackson Chourio reacts after hitting a triple during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Philadelphia Phillies' Kyle Schwarber hits a single during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Milwaukee Brewers' Rhys Hoskins hits a home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Milwaukee Brewers' Rhys Hoskins hits a home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola throws during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Devin Williams reacts after striking out Philadelphia Phillies' Brandon Marsh during the ninth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Milwaukee Brewers' Rhys Hoskins is congratulated after hitting a home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
The Milwaukee Brewers celebrate after a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. The Brewers won 2-1 and clinched the National League Central division. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Milwaukee Brewers' Jake Bauers reacts after hitting a walk-off RBI single after a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Milwaukee Brewers' Jake Bauers is congratulated by Devin Williams and Garrett Mitchell after hitting a walk-off RBI single after a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
