Post by lapayin on Feb 17, 2007 9:05:46 GMT -5
Lara has been in Quebec this past week decorating her new home, taking singing lessons, reflecting on the new Italian album (her words), and perhaps also working on a multilingual album (as stated on lara-fabian.info/, and which may include the 'writing with Matt Herkovitz' that she mentions in her new message). Despite no public appearances, there was no shortage of news.
Most obvious was the new message that Lara put on the official site, as Paula noted on a separate thread. [For those who looked for the English version during the last half of the week, it had disappeared, but it came back this weekend. Oddly, this same thing happened to her previous message - it doesn't appear to be an attempt to improve the translation, for neither time did anything seemed to have changed.]
First Lara announced she had had an important meeting and was going to Nepal in May. Although not stated in the message, it will be a concert for the charity AMTM with which she is closely associated.
The majority of the message though was concerned with the responses she has received from some fans (not just one) to her comments in Quebec comparing the Lara Fabian fans there to those in France. She seemed to indicate that she enjoyed the laid-back Quebecois response more than the highly emotional reception she gets in Europe. This was especially hurtful to the Europeans because they believed she thrived on their enthusiasm. Her message, while attempting not to contradict her previous remarks, was an attempt to smooth the waters, by emphasizing that both sets of fans were important to her.
Lara clearly feels that her fans are part of her 'family', as she indicates in the message, and more than once she's said that her penchant for public appearances and interaction with the media is driven by a desire to remain close to this family - she views these media events as a way to be 'with them', when she can't be physically. So there's no doubt that she was equally hurt by their injury, and was highly motivated to try to soothe it. But her remarks that occasioned this necessity were not the only ones she has offered recently that have been critical of France - remember her very negative comments (made in a Belgian publication) of how she hates to be in Paris (where she will have to be for more than three months while performing in a show later this year). In her desire to 'tell the truth' (which means giving her current opinion), does she not realize that what she says in some other country is, in this day and age, going to get back to the people she's criticizing - and that she will then have to pay the price for her honesty? As we all know, this is nothing new - one just wonders whether she has ever made a conscious decision to do this, or just can't help herself!
The latest issue of Platine had two very interesting interviews with Lara's close companions, and both included discussions of her. In the first, Maurane was asked about a project of her own, singing Jaques Brel songs, and she replied (in translation):
"Yes, that will be done one day. It is funny, moreover, because yesterday I was at a surprise birthday party for Lara Fabian and we passed the evening singing Brel in two voices, all of them duets, in harmony, and it was magical, on the vocal plane. When I sing with Lara it is as if one breathed together, and it is a sensation that I have never had with anyone else. Our voices are very complimentary: she is a soprano and me rather alto/mezzo. I have done many superb duos, but with her it is unique, very strong."
PLATINE: There was also a dispute between you two…
"Yes, it is really passionate between us, for one has two very strong characters, but it never lasts for a long time. In fact, I received poorly the fact that my manager Sophie went to work with Lara, but it is finally arranged, and I don't have one ounce of rancor. I haven't seen Lara for two years on account of this complicated situation. But yesterday, we met again all three of us, Lara, Sophie and me, and it was super. From now on we find ourselves on an amicable plane, without professional envy, and it is better like that…I don't sing "Tu es mon autre" on stage without Lara, it's not worth the trouble… If Lara is in Paris during my concerts at the Trianon, she will sing with me."
In the second, Jean-Felix Lalanne had a surprise announcement (in translation):
"I am getting married, June 30, it is a scoop! Her name is Elodie, she is a future journalist, she is much younger than me, and it is my 7 year old daughter Yoana who is going to 'carry the papers' for us."
When the subject of Lara came up, he replied:
"I have not changed Lara, she has always been herself. I just created an environment around her to help her make these songs and this disc, but one cannot transform an artist. I just helped her explore another register, as she had begun to do it in 'En toute intimité', where I had seen another dimension in her. A dimension neither more nor less good than in her past work, but a different dimension in which me I found myself better. It was necessary that she remain 'her', but I have brought my work of musician-artisan in the arrangements of the album and the stage, while working with her voice, which is a magnificent voice, like one works with an instrument, in a musical environment which was mine. That gave this particular different 'sound', which was born of our meeting."
The subject of the duet that had been announced (last April) of Lara and Roland Karl came up, which was supposed to appear on his upcoming album. JFL indicated that, finally, that didn't happen. But Roland Karl apparently has indicated that he still wants to record the song 'Je serais là' that Lara wrote for his daughter, and put it on the album.
As you may have noticed, the official site now has an Italian alternative, in addition to the French and English versions. What is not as obvious is that there is also a Spanish version available - it can be found by clicking on the open space underneath the fourth chandelier. Since the Italian choice is clearly associated with the coming Italian album, this is the clearest indication that a Spanish or multi-lingual album really is in the works. Presumably this alternative will be publicized when the time is right - and as it is already there, that time may not be that far off.
Two other items that do not really qualify as 'Lara news' are worth mentioning. Hezia is taking a leave of absence for two months from her website (www.larafabian.ch) due to health reasons; here's hoping she comes safely through whatever is going on. And davidM put a wonderful suggestion on Lara's father's section of the official site concerning Lara's team opening up a popular channel on youtube.com where Lara could upload content to reach her worldwide fans (and new fans). He notes that certain videos there have attracted more than a million viewers, and this would be a great way to reach the various language groups that Lara is poised to entertain. Specifically he suggests that Lara consider putting on it "extracts of DVDs, music videos, clips from the studio, acoustic versions of her catalog and covers, and monthly 'videoblogs' where Lara could address herself directly to the community". This makes great sense for Lara in particular, since her talent is so extraordinary, better visibility could produce extraordinary results. However, the history of Lara's people, or of Lara herself, seems to be filled with missed opportunities, so it's hard to be optimistic about them picking up on this.
Lara ends her media isolation this week in Quebec, performing on Friday along with many others in the 'Grand Spectacle Rythme-FM at the André-Mathieu Hall in Laval. The shows are a way to advertise the FM radio station (105.7). Many of the performers (though not Lara) will then go on to tour other areas of Quebec in March. In addition, Lara will be on 'l'Heure de gloire vendredi', hosted by René Simard on the radio Canada TV channel at 8 PM scheduled for the same day (hopefully not for the same time!). Thanks to mimi47 on the official site for the link:
www1.radio-canada.ca/television/l_heure_de_gloire/emission/emission_2007-02-16.shtml
David
Most obvious was the new message that Lara put on the official site, as Paula noted on a separate thread. [For those who looked for the English version during the last half of the week, it had disappeared, but it came back this weekend. Oddly, this same thing happened to her previous message - it doesn't appear to be an attempt to improve the translation, for neither time did anything seemed to have changed.]
First Lara announced she had had an important meeting and was going to Nepal in May. Although not stated in the message, it will be a concert for the charity AMTM with which she is closely associated.
The majority of the message though was concerned with the responses she has received from some fans (not just one) to her comments in Quebec comparing the Lara Fabian fans there to those in France. She seemed to indicate that she enjoyed the laid-back Quebecois response more than the highly emotional reception she gets in Europe. This was especially hurtful to the Europeans because they believed she thrived on their enthusiasm. Her message, while attempting not to contradict her previous remarks, was an attempt to smooth the waters, by emphasizing that both sets of fans were important to her.
Lara clearly feels that her fans are part of her 'family', as she indicates in the message, and more than once she's said that her penchant for public appearances and interaction with the media is driven by a desire to remain close to this family - she views these media events as a way to be 'with them', when she can't be physically. So there's no doubt that she was equally hurt by their injury, and was highly motivated to try to soothe it. But her remarks that occasioned this necessity were not the only ones she has offered recently that have been critical of France - remember her very negative comments (made in a Belgian publication) of how she hates to be in Paris (where she will have to be for more than three months while performing in a show later this year). In her desire to 'tell the truth' (which means giving her current opinion), does she not realize that what she says in some other country is, in this day and age, going to get back to the people she's criticizing - and that she will then have to pay the price for her honesty? As we all know, this is nothing new - one just wonders whether she has ever made a conscious decision to do this, or just can't help herself!
The latest issue of Platine had two very interesting interviews with Lara's close companions, and both included discussions of her. In the first, Maurane was asked about a project of her own, singing Jaques Brel songs, and she replied (in translation):
"Yes, that will be done one day. It is funny, moreover, because yesterday I was at a surprise birthday party for Lara Fabian and we passed the evening singing Brel in two voices, all of them duets, in harmony, and it was magical, on the vocal plane. When I sing with Lara it is as if one breathed together, and it is a sensation that I have never had with anyone else. Our voices are very complimentary: she is a soprano and me rather alto/mezzo. I have done many superb duos, but with her it is unique, very strong."
PLATINE: There was also a dispute between you two…
"Yes, it is really passionate between us, for one has two very strong characters, but it never lasts for a long time. In fact, I received poorly the fact that my manager Sophie went to work with Lara, but it is finally arranged, and I don't have one ounce of rancor. I haven't seen Lara for two years on account of this complicated situation. But yesterday, we met again all three of us, Lara, Sophie and me, and it was super. From now on we find ourselves on an amicable plane, without professional envy, and it is better like that…I don't sing "Tu es mon autre" on stage without Lara, it's not worth the trouble… If Lara is in Paris during my concerts at the Trianon, she will sing with me."
In the second, Jean-Felix Lalanne had a surprise announcement (in translation):
"I am getting married, June 30, it is a scoop! Her name is Elodie, she is a future journalist, she is much younger than me, and it is my 7 year old daughter Yoana who is going to 'carry the papers' for us."
When the subject of Lara came up, he replied:
"I have not changed Lara, she has always been herself. I just created an environment around her to help her make these songs and this disc, but one cannot transform an artist. I just helped her explore another register, as she had begun to do it in 'En toute intimité', where I had seen another dimension in her. A dimension neither more nor less good than in her past work, but a different dimension in which me I found myself better. It was necessary that she remain 'her', but I have brought my work of musician-artisan in the arrangements of the album and the stage, while working with her voice, which is a magnificent voice, like one works with an instrument, in a musical environment which was mine. That gave this particular different 'sound', which was born of our meeting."
The subject of the duet that had been announced (last April) of Lara and Roland Karl came up, which was supposed to appear on his upcoming album. JFL indicated that, finally, that didn't happen. But Roland Karl apparently has indicated that he still wants to record the song 'Je serais là' that Lara wrote for his daughter, and put it on the album.
As you may have noticed, the official site now has an Italian alternative, in addition to the French and English versions. What is not as obvious is that there is also a Spanish version available - it can be found by clicking on the open space underneath the fourth chandelier. Since the Italian choice is clearly associated with the coming Italian album, this is the clearest indication that a Spanish or multi-lingual album really is in the works. Presumably this alternative will be publicized when the time is right - and as it is already there, that time may not be that far off.
Two other items that do not really qualify as 'Lara news' are worth mentioning. Hezia is taking a leave of absence for two months from her website (www.larafabian.ch) due to health reasons; here's hoping she comes safely through whatever is going on. And davidM put a wonderful suggestion on Lara's father's section of the official site concerning Lara's team opening up a popular channel on youtube.com where Lara could upload content to reach her worldwide fans (and new fans). He notes that certain videos there have attracted more than a million viewers, and this would be a great way to reach the various language groups that Lara is poised to entertain. Specifically he suggests that Lara consider putting on it "extracts of DVDs, music videos, clips from the studio, acoustic versions of her catalog and covers, and monthly 'videoblogs' where Lara could address herself directly to the community". This makes great sense for Lara in particular, since her talent is so extraordinary, better visibility could produce extraordinary results. However, the history of Lara's people, or of Lara herself, seems to be filled with missed opportunities, so it's hard to be optimistic about them picking up on this.
Lara ends her media isolation this week in Quebec, performing on Friday along with many others in the 'Grand Spectacle Rythme-FM at the André-Mathieu Hall in Laval. The shows are a way to advertise the FM radio station (105.7). Many of the performers (though not Lara) will then go on to tour other areas of Quebec in March. In addition, Lara will be on 'l'Heure de gloire vendredi', hosted by René Simard on the radio Canada TV channel at 8 PM scheduled for the same day (hopefully not for the same time!). Thanks to mimi47 on the official site for the link:
www1.radio-canada.ca/television/l_heure_de_gloire/emission/emission_2007-02-16.shtml
David
