Anita Rachvelishvili in spotlight as millions watch French National Day concert

Georgian mezzo-soprano Anita Rachvelishvili became one of the highlights of a concert celebrating France's National Day in front of Paris' iconic Eiffel Tower on Friday, with her performances from famed classical operas broadcast live to millions of viewers.

Rachvelishvili went on the lavishly lit stage, set up in the Champ de Mars square of the capital, alongside celebrated classical opera performers to mark July 14, also known as the Bastille Day.

Teaming up with fellow classical performers for a rendition of the French national anthem, the Marseillaise, Rachvelishvili later had the stage all to herself with her solo of the final fragment from the 1851 opera Sappho by Charles-Francois Gounod.

A highlight of her appearance at the concert came when the Georgian singer was joined by award-winning American soprano Nadine Sierra for the well-known Flower Duet from the classical opera Lakme.

Marking 228 years since the Storming of the Bastille fortress, a historic event that served as the flashpoint of the French Revolution, the evening concert was broadcast live for millions of TV viewers by FRANCE 2 public television.

Captured by TV crews and a helicopter footage in front of the Eiffel Tower, it was also streamed live for web users via the France TV Culturebox portal.

The musical performances on the stage were later followed by a fireworks display to mark the annual national date.

#concertdeparis on s'incline devant la beauté @AnitaRachveli et @nadinesierrapic.twitter.com/ulLknklTj2

— Marc Hunter News (@marchunternews) July 14, 2017

Rachvelishvili has received critical acclaim for her performances across Europe and in France in particular.

Earlier this month she was named Best Female Singer following a poll from a leading opera review website Bachtrack. The prize put special emphasis on her performance in last year's Paris Opera show Samson and Delilah.

Able to play a woman who is in turn manipulative, loving and determined, she succeeds brilliantly in the three great arias, and her duet with Samson is a thing of utter beauty", said a review of Rachvelishvili's part in the opera by Bachtrack critic Anne-Laure Faubert.

The mezzo-soprano was also nominated for the 2017 International Opera Awards Female Singer prize and 2016 GBOSCAR — The Excellence in Opera Award.

Rising to international fame with her 2009 title role performance of Carmen at Milan’s Teatro alla Scala, the singer also received critical acclaim from Huffington Post for a 2014 appearance in the same production at New York’s Metropolitan Opera.

Rachvelishvili's performances have also been hosted at other prominent international venues including Staatsoper Berlin and San Francisco Opera.