Post by davidhr on Oct 25, 2016 8:01:42 GMT -5
The big news this past week concerned Lara’s two concerts in ‘countries to the east’; in Odessa, Ukraine, and then Chisinau, Moldova. There were only a few videos available, first from Odessa (10-18-16),
Adagio: www.youtube.com/watch?v=19INa5emYIo
and then from Chisinau (10-19-16),
Abba medley: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoMovLt3_ws
There are some pictures available, first a few wonderful ones from Odessa, taken by Maria Sokol,
www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10211083182582632&set=pcb.10211083190702835&type=3&theater
and many, many from Moldova (though more than half of them are of the attending fans),
www.facebook.com/afisha.md/photos/a.657614261073911.1073741863.564731697028835/657618201073517/?type=3&theater
As can be seen/heard from just the two videos, Lara was in very good voice for both concerts, and everyone was happy with the Chisinau event. What was not ‘very good’ were the conditions for the concert in Odessa. Here’s a (translated) summary provide by the ‘LaraFabianWeb’ site, which is not known for being critical of any of Lara’s activities:
------------------------------------------------------------
Last night Lara was on stage in Odessa...
It was a night not very pleasant not for Lara nor for spectators...
Many arrived late to the concert because of a bad organization outside of the room at the level of the parking lots... this caused miles of stoppage in rush hour...
Arriving late people were not able to place themselves at their seats because others were installed...
There was no heating in the room. It was so cold on the inside and outside between 7 and 10 degrees...
As to the concert itself, spectators have enjoyed the benefit that Lara gave even if they were able to see that she was very cold and it was mutual, the audience was very cold...
Because of this cold the concert only lasted an hour. Lara could simply no longer sing (according to the public)
Most of the spectators are unhappy with the state of the Palais des sports, toilet without a door, the cold because no heating, ordinary chairs for tickets expensive enough, the parking lot etc...
All these words come from the public present last night in Odessa...
--------------------------------------------------------
These impressions were repeated in an article discussing the concert,
(http://culturemeter.od.ua/odesskij-pozor-na-koncerte-lary-fabian-24843/), (google) translation provide below:
---------------------------------------------------
Odessa shame at the concert of Lara Fabian
BY CULTUREMETER · 19/10/2016
Odessa yesterday was visited by a world-class star the French singer Lara Fabian. This is not her first visit to our city. Previously, she sang on the stage of Musical Comedy. But after yesterday's performance Lara Fabian hardly ever will advise Odessa to host the Eurovision Song Contest.
Before the concert, the sidewalks near the Palace of Sports were parked in two rows of the concert visitors. It formed kilometer long traffic jam at rush hour. This traffic jam stuck as were the spectators themselves, as since the concert began without much delay and heating, many belatedly entered the room, figuring in the midst of the concert, where their place was. Some were surprised to found at their places already seated spectators, which started a showdown.
In the hall there reigned the same cold as the street - about 7-10 degrees, so Lara Fabian performed in a woolen jacket. For the singer one has no complaints - she sang perfectly, but somehow cold. This cold was mutual, say viewers.The Hall sat with extinct mood and sluggish to react to familiar songs except sentimental Adagio sounded at the end of a very short one-hour concert. Lara Fabian pleased Odessites with a concert of 12 songs. Spectators suggest that she was cold and could not just continue to sing.
Most viewers were dissatisfied with the state of the Palace of Sports. Ragged Soviet interior, toilets without doors, tremors, dog cold inside, ordinary chairs for tickets for the 3000 hryvnia [~$117] and the lack of parking. All state the fact that in Odessa there is a modern indoor concert venue for good concerts. Sports Palace, unfortunately, can not take the star guests. Especially during the cold season.
What is written about the disgruntled spectators Lara Fabian concert can be seen below.
[here are some of the (translated) responses]
Christina Poznyak
We were at the concert, we sat in the front row. Lara peerless - indisputable. But disregard on the part of organizers to make a star of this magnitude in such cold conditions - is rudeness. What reaction can be expected most from Lara? It speaks poorly of our people. The fact remains: during the entire concert, people went back and forth, transplanted, moved by attendants who do not monitor their seats, so they sat where want .... And the sound is not too much, in the end the singer could not even sing at the top of her voice, with an eerie sound of the microphone when she was trying to sing so loud ... also it began to drip from the ceiling onto the stage and on the equipment directly .... In general, tear down the organizers.
Victoria Barrow
Many emotions!
Both good and bad.
Before going to the gym, went to the toilet, it is fear!!!!
People are outraged that their places were taken by other people who do not want to get up ....
But despite all this trouble, I went to a concert of a legendary singer, I do not care what is lacking…
I enjoyed seeing Lara, her singing, art, music.
Not pleasant attitude of our people, many do not even applaud, the audience is not good. Very cold met the legendary singer. It is a pity and a shame!!!!:
Ksenia Babich
How can one invite a world star to the Sports Palace?! This place does not fit her status !!! One of the most junky, it is not appropriate for a concert, at least-Lara .... There are no words ...
Gennadiy Koltsov ·
The fact that at the Palais des Sports has ice poured, which was restored after years of collapse. We cover it with a thin rubber mat, and got what we got - a dog's cold.
Another question - why did we invite Lara Fabian to the Sports Palace?!
Why not to musical comedy, Philharmonic, Opera [houses]?
The answer is obvious - to cut down as much as possible the dough.
Finally we got a disgrace, which will become known far beyond the borders of Ukraine and Odessa.
Olga Shapovalova Bezverhaya
I would like to visit a concert of this star, but .... only heard of the place, the desire has disappeared immediately!!!! I believe that we, the audience, should not support such concerts! Just do not buy tickets, and let the organizers are already thinking why!!!
Svetlana Smirnova
Friends, the singer has an art director who negotiated .... In fact, there was a concert SHOW !!!!! Video series was very primitive, light, do not say anything ... at C grade sound, Lara sang without power, not for the viewer. The interpreter was not!!!!! She spoke in English, but alas, we live in UKRAINE !!!!!
----------------------------------------------------------
A Russian news video poking fun at Ukraine about this whole event can be seen at:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKiXLAdqlb0
[Russia would seem to not miss a chance to criticize the government and conditions in Ukraine, and Lara’s concert provided just such an opportunity!]
You may remember that when the concert in Greece was (properly) cancelled last month due to the storm and power failure, the poor weather disguised the fact that the event had been poorly organized – people left waiting on line in the rain for over an hour to get in with no explanation, nobody to help them or direct them to their seats, people sitting wherever they wanted, etc. When this aspect was noted in the News Update of the time [9/27], Odacity responded that it wasn’t their fault or responsibility. To save them the trouble of repeating that comment again, here is what they wrote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
“In smaller countries, such as Greece, which experience economic difficulties, there is not a large choice of concert organizers able and willing to bring international artists to the country. We, as Lara's management, can only base ourselves on the credentials and references on past event and concerts of concert organizing companies, when deciding to accept their invitation. We can only decide to bring the concert to a country by taking into account the demand from the public, and analyze the proposal and references of the organizing company. The alternative would be to simply limit the tour to the more "developed concert markets" where we have more choices on partners, and skip all together countries in economic difficulties. That, however, would cut off the artist from her audiences, making her impossible to come and meet the audiences in many countries, who suffer under economic difficulties. We chose to rely on the references and credentials. Especially as Lara Fabian was very keen to meet her Greek public after several years. However, we do not have the role, responsibility or simply the means and possibility to inspect on spot the performance of the organizing companies' or venues employees (such as the people employed at the venue to guide / or not the audience seating process etc.) . This is not our role. We can only take consequences, learn from our experience of collaboration, listen to the fans' experiences and decide to continue or not a collaboration in the future, and this in way that does not penalize the public and the fans.” ODACITY
--------------------------------------------------------------
All that sounds quite reasonable, but they cannot be excused from all responsibility because common sense suggests some level of independent oversight must be exercised. As some of the comments indicated, people in Odessa knew in advance that this was a very bad choice of venue; a little independent investigation on the part of Lara’s people was probably all that was required to make them skeptical, especially since Lara had been there before, had performed in the musical comedy hall, which was acoustically sound, warm, and of overall high quality. Given the conditions at the sports arena, Lara was placed in a hazardous environment, and that is simply not acceptable. Lara's people absolutely must do a better job of vetting.
And continuing with the process of giving suggestions to Lara’s people that they don’t want to hear
- a number of websites have picked up on the idea of asking them to film Lara’s concert at Forest National in Brussels on December 17th. In addition to the comments last week from the ‘Lara Fabian est ton autre site’ (and us), the “Lara Fabian & Emmanuel Moire : le duo” site has started a thread asking people to support the DVD capture (https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1200847493315175&id=160613337338601&__mref=message_bubble); here’s their (translated) suggestion:
------------------------------------------------
For capturing a DVD at Forest National Brussels (https://m.facebook.com/events/1078327142276206?acontext=%7B%22ref%22%3A%223%22%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D&aref=3)
Especially don’t forget:
We share and we invite friends!!!
One should send messages to:
Decibels Prod (https://m.facebook.com/decibelsprodDP/)
Label Warner (https://m.facebook.com/labelwarner/)
Warner Music France (https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=204971943037187)
Lara Fabian (in the comments): www.facebook.com/larafabianofficial/
------------------------------------------------------
The ‘Lara Fabian web’ site posted this as well, and several fans wrote in suggesting a petition be organized. And on Lara’s FB site, a number of fans did write in, strongly supporting the idea. However, Lara’s team then responded, “There will be no capture or DVD. It is necessary to come to the concert.” That raised another series of emails from people questioning that decision….
This recording seems like such a good idea, it’s surprising Lara’s people (and Lara herself) had not pursued it themselves (as far as we know). Of course we don’t know what financial restrictions they are under from Warner France (or for that matter what other restrictions from Forest National, though she has filmed there previously)…but other performers have filmed concerts with their own resources, even when their record companies were not helpful. Lara is not a stranger at doing things her own way – this would be a most logical event to continue that tradition, if it would come to that. She could even ask fans to bring their cameras, take videos, have several of her own people taking videos, and combine them with her own recording of the sound (which they can easily do). This, too, has been accomplished before (e.g., for a DVD released by Ear Music of Edel, Germany called 'Luna Park Ride'; to see how it came out, go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kwFbeaFnQE). Otherwise, it is another missed opportunity, both artistically and commercially.
Interesting photo(s) of the week: two of Lara in concert in Moldova, the first from the ‘Lara Fabian est ton autre’ site,
www.facebook.com/166959643357708/photos/a.168982793155393.43222.166959643357708/1133506936702969/?type=3
And from Lara’s own site, also from the concert in Moldova,
www.facebook.com/larafabianofficial/photos/a.215378125170359.50343.201065806601591/1275044302537064/?type=3
with the caption, “thank you Moldova! See you again soon”.
(Significantly, Lara did not post a picture from Odessa, although she did answer a fan who “hoped she was ok after her ‘Arctic adventure’”, by writing “I know beautiful Odessa, I have been there before, this was not my first visit. And I will come back”).
Finally, two wonderful pictures of Lara posted on her FB site, first taken by Mehmet Turgut,
www.facebook.com/larafabianofficial/photos/a.201066899934815.46181.201065806601591/1280043882037106/?type=3&theater
and then of Lara in sunglasses, at
www.facebook.com/larafabianofficial/photos/a.215378125170359.50343.201065806601591/1280018482039646/?type=3&theater
with the caption, “Another fall cuddled in Sarah Pacini...love their new glasses ...”
[and even a reply to that, by Chantal Hillaert, asked for the DVD to be recorded…]
Lara is off now for close to 10 days before six more ‘Ma vie dans la tienne’ concerts in France. Possibly time for work on the English album (and to warm up!)
David
Adagio: www.youtube.com/watch?v=19INa5emYIo
and then from Chisinau (10-19-16),
Abba medley: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoMovLt3_ws
There are some pictures available, first a few wonderful ones from Odessa, taken by Maria Sokol,
www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10211083182582632&set=pcb.10211083190702835&type=3&theater
and many, many from Moldova (though more than half of them are of the attending fans),
www.facebook.com/afisha.md/photos/a.657614261073911.1073741863.564731697028835/657618201073517/?type=3&theater
As can be seen/heard from just the two videos, Lara was in very good voice for both concerts, and everyone was happy with the Chisinau event. What was not ‘very good’ were the conditions for the concert in Odessa. Here’s a (translated) summary provide by the ‘LaraFabianWeb’ site, which is not known for being critical of any of Lara’s activities:
------------------------------------------------------------
Last night Lara was on stage in Odessa...
It was a night not very pleasant not for Lara nor for spectators...
Many arrived late to the concert because of a bad organization outside of the room at the level of the parking lots... this caused miles of stoppage in rush hour...
Arriving late people were not able to place themselves at their seats because others were installed...
There was no heating in the room. It was so cold on the inside and outside between 7 and 10 degrees...
As to the concert itself, spectators have enjoyed the benefit that Lara gave even if they were able to see that she was very cold and it was mutual, the audience was very cold...
Because of this cold the concert only lasted an hour. Lara could simply no longer sing (according to the public)
Most of the spectators are unhappy with the state of the Palais des sports, toilet without a door, the cold because no heating, ordinary chairs for tickets expensive enough, the parking lot etc...
All these words come from the public present last night in Odessa...
--------------------------------------------------------
These impressions were repeated in an article discussing the concert,
(http://culturemeter.od.ua/odesskij-pozor-na-koncerte-lary-fabian-24843/), (google) translation provide below:
---------------------------------------------------
Odessa shame at the concert of Lara Fabian
BY CULTUREMETER · 19/10/2016
Odessa yesterday was visited by a world-class star the French singer Lara Fabian. This is not her first visit to our city. Previously, she sang on the stage of Musical Comedy. But after yesterday's performance Lara Fabian hardly ever will advise Odessa to host the Eurovision Song Contest.
Before the concert, the sidewalks near the Palace of Sports were parked in two rows of the concert visitors. It formed kilometer long traffic jam at rush hour. This traffic jam stuck as were the spectators themselves, as since the concert began without much delay and heating, many belatedly entered the room, figuring in the midst of the concert, where their place was. Some were surprised to found at their places already seated spectators, which started a showdown.
In the hall there reigned the same cold as the street - about 7-10 degrees, so Lara Fabian performed in a woolen jacket. For the singer one has no complaints - she sang perfectly, but somehow cold. This cold was mutual, say viewers.The Hall sat with extinct mood and sluggish to react to familiar songs except sentimental Adagio sounded at the end of a very short one-hour concert. Lara Fabian pleased Odessites with a concert of 12 songs. Spectators suggest that she was cold and could not just continue to sing.
Most viewers were dissatisfied with the state of the Palace of Sports. Ragged Soviet interior, toilets without doors, tremors, dog cold inside, ordinary chairs for tickets for the 3000 hryvnia [~$117] and the lack of parking. All state the fact that in Odessa there is a modern indoor concert venue for good concerts. Sports Palace, unfortunately, can not take the star guests. Especially during the cold season.
What is written about the disgruntled spectators Lara Fabian concert can be seen below.
[here are some of the (translated) responses]
Christina Poznyak
We were at the concert, we sat in the front row. Lara peerless - indisputable. But disregard on the part of organizers to make a star of this magnitude in such cold conditions - is rudeness. What reaction can be expected most from Lara? It speaks poorly of our people. The fact remains: during the entire concert, people went back and forth, transplanted, moved by attendants who do not monitor their seats, so they sat where want .... And the sound is not too much, in the end the singer could not even sing at the top of her voice, with an eerie sound of the microphone when she was trying to sing so loud ... also it began to drip from the ceiling onto the stage and on the equipment directly .... In general, tear down the organizers.
Victoria Barrow
Many emotions!
Both good and bad.
Before going to the gym, went to the toilet, it is fear!!!!
People are outraged that their places were taken by other people who do not want to get up ....
But despite all this trouble, I went to a concert of a legendary singer, I do not care what is lacking…
I enjoyed seeing Lara, her singing, art, music.
Not pleasant attitude of our people, many do not even applaud, the audience is not good. Very cold met the legendary singer. It is a pity and a shame!!!!:
Ksenia Babich
How can one invite a world star to the Sports Palace?! This place does not fit her status !!! One of the most junky, it is not appropriate for a concert, at least-Lara .... There are no words ...
Gennadiy Koltsov ·
The fact that at the Palais des Sports has ice poured, which was restored after years of collapse. We cover it with a thin rubber mat, and got what we got - a dog's cold.
Another question - why did we invite Lara Fabian to the Sports Palace?!
Why not to musical comedy, Philharmonic, Opera [houses]?
The answer is obvious - to cut down as much as possible the dough.
Finally we got a disgrace, which will become known far beyond the borders of Ukraine and Odessa.
Olga Shapovalova Bezverhaya
I would like to visit a concert of this star, but .... only heard of the place, the desire has disappeared immediately!!!! I believe that we, the audience, should not support such concerts! Just do not buy tickets, and let the organizers are already thinking why!!!
Svetlana Smirnova
Friends, the singer has an art director who negotiated .... In fact, there was a concert SHOW !!!!! Video series was very primitive, light, do not say anything ... at C grade sound, Lara sang without power, not for the viewer. The interpreter was not!!!!! She spoke in English, but alas, we live in UKRAINE !!!!!
----------------------------------------------------------
A Russian news video poking fun at Ukraine about this whole event can be seen at:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKiXLAdqlb0
[Russia would seem to not miss a chance to criticize the government and conditions in Ukraine, and Lara’s concert provided just such an opportunity!]
You may remember that when the concert in Greece was (properly) cancelled last month due to the storm and power failure, the poor weather disguised the fact that the event had been poorly organized – people left waiting on line in the rain for over an hour to get in with no explanation, nobody to help them or direct them to their seats, people sitting wherever they wanted, etc. When this aspect was noted in the News Update of the time [9/27], Odacity responded that it wasn’t their fault or responsibility. To save them the trouble of repeating that comment again, here is what they wrote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
“In smaller countries, such as Greece, which experience economic difficulties, there is not a large choice of concert organizers able and willing to bring international artists to the country. We, as Lara's management, can only base ourselves on the credentials and references on past event and concerts of concert organizing companies, when deciding to accept their invitation. We can only decide to bring the concert to a country by taking into account the demand from the public, and analyze the proposal and references of the organizing company. The alternative would be to simply limit the tour to the more "developed concert markets" where we have more choices on partners, and skip all together countries in economic difficulties. That, however, would cut off the artist from her audiences, making her impossible to come and meet the audiences in many countries, who suffer under economic difficulties. We chose to rely on the references and credentials. Especially as Lara Fabian was very keen to meet her Greek public after several years. However, we do not have the role, responsibility or simply the means and possibility to inspect on spot the performance of the organizing companies' or venues employees (such as the people employed at the venue to guide / or not the audience seating process etc.) . This is not our role. We can only take consequences, learn from our experience of collaboration, listen to the fans' experiences and decide to continue or not a collaboration in the future, and this in way that does not penalize the public and the fans.” ODACITY
--------------------------------------------------------------
All that sounds quite reasonable, but they cannot be excused from all responsibility because common sense suggests some level of independent oversight must be exercised. As some of the comments indicated, people in Odessa knew in advance that this was a very bad choice of venue; a little independent investigation on the part of Lara’s people was probably all that was required to make them skeptical, especially since Lara had been there before, had performed in the musical comedy hall, which was acoustically sound, warm, and of overall high quality. Given the conditions at the sports arena, Lara was placed in a hazardous environment, and that is simply not acceptable. Lara's people absolutely must do a better job of vetting.
And continuing with the process of giving suggestions to Lara’s people that they don’t want to hear
- a number of websites have picked up on the idea of asking them to film Lara’s concert at Forest National in Brussels on December 17th. In addition to the comments last week from the ‘Lara Fabian est ton autre site’ (and us), the “Lara Fabian & Emmanuel Moire : le duo” site has started a thread asking people to support the DVD capture (https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1200847493315175&id=160613337338601&__mref=message_bubble); here’s their (translated) suggestion:------------------------------------------------
For capturing a DVD at Forest National Brussels (https://m.facebook.com/events/1078327142276206?acontext=%7B%22ref%22%3A%223%22%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D&aref=3)
Especially don’t forget:
We share and we invite friends!!!
One should send messages to:
Decibels Prod (https://m.facebook.com/decibelsprodDP/)
Label Warner (https://m.facebook.com/labelwarner/)
Warner Music France (https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=204971943037187)
Lara Fabian (in the comments): www.facebook.com/larafabianofficial/
------------------------------------------------------
The ‘Lara Fabian web’ site posted this as well, and several fans wrote in suggesting a petition be organized. And on Lara’s FB site, a number of fans did write in, strongly supporting the idea. However, Lara’s team then responded, “There will be no capture or DVD. It is necessary to come to the concert.” That raised another series of emails from people questioning that decision….
This recording seems like such a good idea, it’s surprising Lara’s people (and Lara herself) had not pursued it themselves (as far as we know). Of course we don’t know what financial restrictions they are under from Warner France (or for that matter what other restrictions from Forest National, though she has filmed there previously)…but other performers have filmed concerts with their own resources, even when their record companies were not helpful. Lara is not a stranger at doing things her own way – this would be a most logical event to continue that tradition, if it would come to that. She could even ask fans to bring their cameras, take videos, have several of her own people taking videos, and combine them with her own recording of the sound (which they can easily do). This, too, has been accomplished before (e.g., for a DVD released by Ear Music of Edel, Germany called 'Luna Park Ride'; to see how it came out, go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kwFbeaFnQE). Otherwise, it is another missed opportunity, both artistically and commercially.
Interesting photo(s) of the week: two of Lara in concert in Moldova, the first from the ‘Lara Fabian est ton autre’ site,
www.facebook.com/166959643357708/photos/a.168982793155393.43222.166959643357708/1133506936702969/?type=3
And from Lara’s own site, also from the concert in Moldova,
www.facebook.com/larafabianofficial/photos/a.215378125170359.50343.201065806601591/1275044302537064/?type=3
with the caption, “thank you Moldova! See you again soon”.
(Significantly, Lara did not post a picture from Odessa, although she did answer a fan who “hoped she was ok after her ‘Arctic adventure’”, by writing “I know beautiful Odessa, I have been there before, this was not my first visit. And I will come back”).
Finally, two wonderful pictures of Lara posted on her FB site, first taken by Mehmet Turgut,
www.facebook.com/larafabianofficial/photos/a.201066899934815.46181.201065806601591/1280043882037106/?type=3&theater
and then of Lara in sunglasses, at
www.facebook.com/larafabianofficial/photos/a.215378125170359.50343.201065806601591/1280018482039646/?type=3&theater
with the caption, “Another fall cuddled in Sarah Pacini...love their new glasses ...”
[and even a reply to that, by Chantal Hillaert, asked for the DVD to be recorded…]
Lara is off now for close to 10 days before six more ‘Ma vie dans la tienne’ concerts in France. Possibly time for work on the English album (and to warm up!)
David
