Post by davidhr on Dec 13, 2011 11:57:04 GMT -5
A busy week for Lara, appearing before audiences in both France (recorded) and Russia (live)…
As expected, the previously recorded TV show “Laurent Gerra ne s'interdit rien” was broadcast on France TF1 this past week, and, as advertised, Lara appeared in two separate ‘acts’. In the first, she ‘sang’ a duet ‘Paroles Paroles’ with the host, using the term ‘sang’ advisedly. It was more like a skit, with Lara imitating Dalida in the first part of the medley, and Sylvia Vartan in the second. She dressed and acted the part of a sexy siren, and Laurent Gerra acted the part of a ‘singer’. In the second, dressed more demurely and now really singing, Lara joined the ‘Voca people’ for a medley of her past hits.
Videos of both were readily available on youtube but TF1 has since made a concerted effort to remove them (the links that Ocelot so kindly gave in last week’s news update thread no longer work). Nevertheless, at the time of this writing, one can still find the second one at:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIfXWrv_NkI&
and both (again, as of this moment) are available on NABBOX. Note you have to register on that site – a painless process – and then leave a comment on the appropriate thread before you can download them. However, they are very high quality recordings. If this becomes a general approach for French TV – something they’ve never done before – then it emphasizes that we should look quickly on youtube immediately after a TV program occurs. [Note again the irony of a program entitled “Nothing is forbidden” whose videos are now forbidden to be shown on youtube by the TV station…]
Lara looked sensational and when she had to sing, showed her usual beautiful and powerful voice. It was good to see her in action once again. The only unfortunate aspect was that again the French public was presented with Lara’s songs of 10-15 years ago, not the best way to generate a new audience. Fans 'explained' that she has nothing to ‘sell’ at this moment – but the Mlle. Zhivago album should have been what she was offering, except as we know, she has convinced herself that it is not meant for the French (perhaps scared of the French critics who do not like to hear her really sing). And it was a big audience; polling showed it had some 5 ½ million viewers, roughly 25% of the viewing public, and won its time slot handily.
In addition, much to everyone’s surprise, Lara did appear in Moscow for both a charity gala, as had been briefly advertised some months ago, and also to record a New Year’s Eve program. One of the Russian fans indicated that she ‘hit herself on the side of the head’ to make sure she wasn’t dreaming when she saw the reports of Lara’s presence there (given the unpleasantness surrounding the Mlle. Zhivago film, and Lara’s cancelling her Russian tour). But there she was, and furthermore, she was joined by Igor Krutoi. A short video of Lara with fans at the charity festival, ‘Song of the Year’ (which benefits youngsters) is available on youtube at:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=apyF7qi-dTE
and photos of her appearance can be seen, for example, at:
www.photos-pure-lara.fr/displayimage.php?album=58&pid=2786#top_display_media
For the second event, Lara and Igor performed together at the recording of the Russian New Year’s show “Blue Light”, which is the big New Year’s Eve program on Russia TV1, coming right after the president’s speech. Again photos exist, for example at:
www.mosfilm.ru/Page.aspx?id=5ab108e8-1a90-4d12-81a0-786d394a4e20&lang=ru
There is no indication of what songs were presented on either occasion, but once again, Lara looks stunning. A number of these are classic photos to keep! (Especially note the one that is repeated at: www.usoevphoto.ru/pesenka_goda_2011/slides/uso_9557.jpg).
Russian fans were somewhat hopeful that Lara’s continued interest in the Russian market, and apparently friendly association with Igor Krutoi, might mean that some compromise is possible concerning the Mlle. Zhivago film. We shall see…
What is apparent is that Lara is determined to keep her two worlds, the francophile and the ‘countries to the east’ completely separate. In contrast to the French TV show, which was heavily promoted on Lara’s FB site, the Russian appearances were not mentioned there at all, either beforehand or afterward. And as suggested above, it means that the French audience is deprived of anything new from this very productive sphere of her activity, instead getting medleys of old songs, however well done.
Despite Lara’s latest Russian adventure, there may already be some fallout from the film controversy, although it is hard to know for certain. It had been reported some time ago that Lara was being considered as a judge on the Ukrainian TV channel “1 + 1” for a program that appears to be like a Ukrainian version of ‘American Idol’. However, it was announced this past week that, “Lengthy negotiations have failed. According to music producer Konstantin Meladze, Fabian had already agreed to participate in the show but the Dutch supervisors banned her from taking part”. Their explanation was that since she doesn’t speak either Russian or Ukrainian, they thought it unreasonable to have such a person be a judge.
There are many oddities to this story, if it is in fact true (and quoting the person actually involved with the show lends some credence to it). Why did it take ‘lengthy negotiations’ to reveal the fact that Lara did not speak either language? Why had the Ukrainians made her an offer only to have the Dutch override this decision based on their linguistic concerns?
It may not be too much of a stretch to suggest that the media in the Ukraine is not very happy with Lara at the moment. Not only is Alan Badoev a very popular director in that country, whose efforts seem to have been denigrated, but Max Barskih is one of their best known entertainers. Both of them were widely quoted in the Ukrainian news media just one month ago as “greatly looking forward” to the film’s appearance. In addition, there was an article in the Ukrainian press that indicated the movie would show that “films of high quality” could be shot in the Ukraine, with local film crews. If Lara’s suppression of it has become known to the industry, then her being ‘banned’ from the program (this is the actual word that was used in the report) may not be unconnected. Negotiations presumably began and an offer may well have been tendered before Lara's negative reaction to the film became widely known, at which point the Ukrainians reconsidered. At the very least, she might well be a controversial figure detracting from the show. The Dutch could then have been used as convenient fall-guys to cover up the real reason. On the other hand, it could simply be that the Ukrainians invited her because they are aware of Lara’s overall linguistic capabilities and personal magnetism, while ‘outsiders’ note only a linguistic mismatch. It will be interesting to see if Lara reconstitutes her tour of the Ukraine (and Russia) this spring. [Badoev is currently working with Barskih on new videos; you can see the one for his new single at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Kh9BVg5O4w&].
Nothing is on the agenda for Lara publicly until her private concert in Paris in mid-January. We still don’t know what the set list will be, and may not find out until the event. In any case, she would seem to have plenty of time for family holiday preparations, a blessing in itself (true for all of us as well).
David
As expected, the previously recorded TV show “Laurent Gerra ne s'interdit rien” was broadcast on France TF1 this past week, and, as advertised, Lara appeared in two separate ‘acts’. In the first, she ‘sang’ a duet ‘Paroles Paroles’ with the host, using the term ‘sang’ advisedly. It was more like a skit, with Lara imitating Dalida in the first part of the medley, and Sylvia Vartan in the second. She dressed and acted the part of a sexy siren, and Laurent Gerra acted the part of a ‘singer’. In the second, dressed more demurely and now really singing, Lara joined the ‘Voca people’ for a medley of her past hits.
Videos of both were readily available on youtube but TF1 has since made a concerted effort to remove them (the links that Ocelot so kindly gave in last week’s news update thread no longer work). Nevertheless, at the time of this writing, one can still find the second one at:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIfXWrv_NkI&
and both (again, as of this moment) are available on NABBOX. Note you have to register on that site – a painless process – and then leave a comment on the appropriate thread before you can download them. However, they are very high quality recordings. If this becomes a general approach for French TV – something they’ve never done before – then it emphasizes that we should look quickly on youtube immediately after a TV program occurs. [Note again the irony of a program entitled “Nothing is forbidden” whose videos are now forbidden to be shown on youtube by the TV station…]
Lara looked sensational and when she had to sing, showed her usual beautiful and powerful voice. It was good to see her in action once again. The only unfortunate aspect was that again the French public was presented with Lara’s songs of 10-15 years ago, not the best way to generate a new audience. Fans 'explained' that she has nothing to ‘sell’ at this moment – but the Mlle. Zhivago album should have been what she was offering, except as we know, she has convinced herself that it is not meant for the French (perhaps scared of the French critics who do not like to hear her really sing). And it was a big audience; polling showed it had some 5 ½ million viewers, roughly 25% of the viewing public, and won its time slot handily.
In addition, much to everyone’s surprise, Lara did appear in Moscow for both a charity gala, as had been briefly advertised some months ago, and also to record a New Year’s Eve program. One of the Russian fans indicated that she ‘hit herself on the side of the head’ to make sure she wasn’t dreaming when she saw the reports of Lara’s presence there (given the unpleasantness surrounding the Mlle. Zhivago film, and Lara’s cancelling her Russian tour). But there she was, and furthermore, she was joined by Igor Krutoi. A short video of Lara with fans at the charity festival, ‘Song of the Year’ (which benefits youngsters) is available on youtube at:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=apyF7qi-dTE
and photos of her appearance can be seen, for example, at:
www.photos-pure-lara.fr/displayimage.php?album=58&pid=2786#top_display_media
For the second event, Lara and Igor performed together at the recording of the Russian New Year’s show “Blue Light”, which is the big New Year’s Eve program on Russia TV1, coming right after the president’s speech. Again photos exist, for example at:
www.mosfilm.ru/Page.aspx?id=5ab108e8-1a90-4d12-81a0-786d394a4e20&lang=ru
There is no indication of what songs were presented on either occasion, but once again, Lara looks stunning. A number of these are classic photos to keep! (Especially note the one that is repeated at: www.usoevphoto.ru/pesenka_goda_2011/slides/uso_9557.jpg).
Russian fans were somewhat hopeful that Lara’s continued interest in the Russian market, and apparently friendly association with Igor Krutoi, might mean that some compromise is possible concerning the Mlle. Zhivago film. We shall see…
What is apparent is that Lara is determined to keep her two worlds, the francophile and the ‘countries to the east’ completely separate. In contrast to the French TV show, which was heavily promoted on Lara’s FB site, the Russian appearances were not mentioned there at all, either beforehand or afterward. And as suggested above, it means that the French audience is deprived of anything new from this very productive sphere of her activity, instead getting medleys of old songs, however well done.
Despite Lara’s latest Russian adventure, there may already be some fallout from the film controversy, although it is hard to know for certain. It had been reported some time ago that Lara was being considered as a judge on the Ukrainian TV channel “1 + 1” for a program that appears to be like a Ukrainian version of ‘American Idol’. However, it was announced this past week that, “Lengthy negotiations have failed. According to music producer Konstantin Meladze, Fabian had already agreed to participate in the show but the Dutch supervisors banned her from taking part”. Their explanation was that since she doesn’t speak either Russian or Ukrainian, they thought it unreasonable to have such a person be a judge.
There are many oddities to this story, if it is in fact true (and quoting the person actually involved with the show lends some credence to it). Why did it take ‘lengthy negotiations’ to reveal the fact that Lara did not speak either language? Why had the Ukrainians made her an offer only to have the Dutch override this decision based on their linguistic concerns?
It may not be too much of a stretch to suggest that the media in the Ukraine is not very happy with Lara at the moment. Not only is Alan Badoev a very popular director in that country, whose efforts seem to have been denigrated, but Max Barskih is one of their best known entertainers. Both of them were widely quoted in the Ukrainian news media just one month ago as “greatly looking forward” to the film’s appearance. In addition, there was an article in the Ukrainian press that indicated the movie would show that “films of high quality” could be shot in the Ukraine, with local film crews. If Lara’s suppression of it has become known to the industry, then her being ‘banned’ from the program (this is the actual word that was used in the report) may not be unconnected. Negotiations presumably began and an offer may well have been tendered before Lara's negative reaction to the film became widely known, at which point the Ukrainians reconsidered. At the very least, she might well be a controversial figure detracting from the show. The Dutch could then have been used as convenient fall-guys to cover up the real reason. On the other hand, it could simply be that the Ukrainians invited her because they are aware of Lara’s overall linguistic capabilities and personal magnetism, while ‘outsiders’ note only a linguistic mismatch. It will be interesting to see if Lara reconstitutes her tour of the Ukraine (and Russia) this spring. [Badoev is currently working with Barskih on new videos; you can see the one for his new single at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Kh9BVg5O4w&].
Nothing is on the agenda for Lara publicly until her private concert in Paris in mid-January. We still don’t know what the set list will be, and may not find out until the event. In any case, she would seem to have plenty of time for family holiday preparations, a blessing in itself (true for all of us as well).
David