Comments on Carnegie Hall concert

[davidhr]

For those of you who are attending this performance, here is a thread for you to leave whatever comment you like - a review, your impression of the concert hall, etc. Please feel free to express yourself!

Thanks,
David

[acespedesf]

I'm going!! I'm on way to NYC right now! So excited

[davidhr]

Setlist for Carnegie Hall:
1. Je t’aime
2. Danse
3. J’ai zappé
4. 4. Que j’etais belle
5. J’y crois encore
6. La vie est la
7. I Guess I Loved You
8. Broken Vow
9. Drum solo
10. Humana
11. Je rêve d’une étoile
12. Caruso
13. Immortelle
14. I Am A-Wa
15. Adagio
16. Je suis malade
17. I Will Love Again

[lapayin]

OMG WOW

I have been to three of Lara’s concerts, two in Montreal and now one in New York (WAHOO still can’t believe it after two previous cancellations). As impressive and magical the first one was with the Montreal Symphony behind Lara, just adding to her incredible voice, for me New York was the best of the three.

It could have been that Lara sang five songs in English or that in between songs she spoke to us in English and I actually understood what she was saying. That was part of it. But in my opinion Lara performed the perfect concert for her first time in the US.

Although she still advertised the concert as the “Le Secret” tour, it was more the greatest hits concert as you can tell by the set list David provided. Here are a few of my surprises:

I was surprised that Lara started the concert with “Je T’aime” instead of “Le Secret” since it is still the Le Secret tour. Maybe she was thinking she needed a big start. I think it worked somewhat. It certainly got the audience involved immediately with a standing ovation on the very first song. It was a good rendition but not a powerful one. It really did set the tone of what was to come. I was thinking though if it came a little later there might have been an audience reaction of participation, singing it back to her.

As well as not singing “Le Secret”, I was surprised she didn’t sing “Deux Ils, Deux Elles”. I was surprised she sang “J’ai Zappe”. I would have preferred her to sing “Mlle Hyde” rather than “J’ai Zappe”.

After “Je T’aime” Lara asked how many Americans were in the audience. It was great to hear a very big applause to represent the US, Canada and South America. Then came the people from Belgium, France and Italy. Each had a decent response. When Lara asked how many Russians were in the audience the hall exploded. I think the Russian representation was just a little more than the American. LOL

Lara was in great voice. As the concert continued she seemed very relaxed and happy. She was gracious, energetic, funny, playful and seemed honestly appreciative. The audience responded. Many people shouted out Je t’aime or just I love you during the concert. Many people gave her flowers, bags and stuffed animals. And some people reached for her with their hands and she touched them as she walked by.

For me, many of Lara’s concerts start slowly, really build in the middle and then ease up at the end. This was not the case Friday night. I would say Lara started slowly with a toned down “Je T’aime” and even “J’ai Zappe” was toned down a bit. The middle was great, highlighted with a wonderfully huge “Broken Vow” and one of the best performances of “Caruso”. It took us a few extra minutes to catch onto the rhythmic clapping to the drum solo. I was not surprised the audience participation to “Humana” was minimal. Personally I wanted to join in but did not know the words so I just sang the word “Humana”. There was a slight pause to let the audience start singing again at the end of the song but again as no surprise we did not.

The ending was simply amazing. It started with a very dramatic “I Am A-Wa” and ended with a powerful “Adagio”. Then, as if that was not enough, Lara did an encore with a very passionate “Je Suis Malade” and a very energetic “I Will Love Again”. All perfect. I believe we were on our feet from the end of “I Am A-Wa” until we left Carnegie Hall. The best audience participation was “I Will Love Again”. We sang along with the whole song.

To sum up Lara was excellent. The set list was a wonderful choice with a few surprises to me. Lara was vocally spot on. Her wonderful persona showed thorough especially for people seeing Lara for the first time. Two of the people I came to the concert with were not very familiar with Lara and they left impressed with not only her singing but her as a personality and are new fans. Needless to say her interaction with the audience and the audience’s interaction with her were great. The ending was simply explosive and amazing.

Lara must be very pleased with the results of her first concert in the US. I can’t imagine her not coming back to New York and expanding into more US cities. I’m hoping for Boston.

Although Carnegie Hall did not permit cameras only cell phones a huge thanks to Mercia Silva. Here's the concert:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbLrdJCGnI0&feature=c4-overview&list=UUBcNmjyYGktdrMIgptQHc_g

www.youtube.com/watch?v=56lx8NDYt1c&feature=c4-overview&list=UUBcNmjyYGktdrMIgptQHc_g

www.youtube.com/watch?v=56lx8NDYt1c&feature=c4-overview&list=UUBcNmjyYGktdrMIgptQHc_g

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGM21scbqi4&feature=c4-overview&list=UUBcNmjyYGktdrMIgptQHc_g

www.youtube.com/watch?v=mySDryj_1vU&feature=c4-overview&list=UUBcNmjyYGktdrMIgptQHc_g

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bhy1-jiCAOw&feature=c4-overview&list=UUBcNmjyYGktdrMIgptQHc_g

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wwx9BEvLiE&feature=c4-overview&list=UUBcNmjyYGktdrMIgptQHc_g

Adagio - Part 7
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mP7VITwUqlw

[bward]

Thanks Paula for the update and video!!! I came on last night and didn't see any postings re the NYC concert and was shocked that not more fans had written about it!

I did read a review in a NYC paper and it was glowing for Lara!! Like you, I hope she comes back to North America more because the audience is HERE!!

I'll definitely report back after her concert in Toronto on Jan 13th. It is more than 3/4 sold out.

[lapayin]

Bev,

You are in for a real treat on the 13th. It will be interesting to see if there are any changes to the set list for Canada. The only song not in the video is Adagio. I hope it pops up on you tube somewhere because it was awesome.

Maybe people are still in New York and will post when they get back. I didn't get home until late last night.

Could you post the review? I could only find this one.
southampton.patch.com/groups/arts-and-entertainment/p/lara-fabian-at-carnegie-hall

One thing I forgot to mention. Janey Clewer was in the audience and Lara introduced her.

[bward]

Hey Paula,

The review you attached is the same one I read! I was hoping for more. Was great to read Richard's review and comments to the article! I was there with him and many other fans when she taped her PBS special in Montreal! What a thrill.

I'm looking so forward to the Toronto concert and will definitely let you know the set list and my review!

Thanks again!

[smoothlara]

I was there that magical night and it really was. she looked nervous at the beginning but then she started to relax and have fun, she even did a little Irish jig at one point, so cute! :-)

I was able to take some pictures which I posted in facebook.

www.facebook.com/libertine.lim/media_set?set=a.10151881537403907.1073741833.525438906&type=1

I also took some videos, including when Lara was talking about Janey Clewer who was in the audience, she said that Janey is the author of The Secret, then she went to hug and kiss her before going into "Je reve d'une etoile". I don't know how to post it here without going thru youtube.

Everything she sang was flawless. I specially loved Broken Vow, I am A-WA, Je reve d'une etoile, Adagio and of course Je suis malade. I also loved her vocalisation at the end of Immortelle, simply sublime. I was mesmerized the whole time, I just with it didn't end so soon.

I can't wait to see her in Toronto! maybe she'll sing Deux ils Deux elles here, hopefully she'll keep Broken Vow :-)

[acespedesf]

It's been a week since that magical night that I spent at the carnegie hall. The concert was amazing. As soon as lara walked into the stage, everybody at the audience stood up to honor Lara. She sounded amazing, and looked amazing. She had a lot of energy, always smiling and thanking people for attending. I was so glad that she spoke in English even thought there was a couple of French people in the audience; about 65% were Russians. I was also glad that she sang many her hit and not only songs from le secret since I'm not very familiar of that album quite yet.
When the concert ended, I asked one of the people from venue what I had to do to get a backstage, he told me to stand on a certain door, because she was gonna come out that way. First it was only 5-6 standing, and then we got many more waiting for Lara, we waited for about an hour until we finally saw her. We had fun while waiting, we were driving crazy the security people and we also got to meet each other. Lara came out with Yanick and some other people, she gave her autograph to almost everybody and kept walking the opposite way from where her car was. People started following her and so did I, we walked 1 1/2 block until we got to the trattoria Dell'arte (Italian restaurant) lara got stock with some of the people between the doors of the restaurant ( you can see the video of the year review) and took pictures with some fans and then went in. I couldn't get in, so I was sad and left to my next destination. After that I met my cousin one block away to have something to eat. I told her the whole story and also told her that lara was only one block away from us. She had the brilliant idea to go eat, so of course I accepted. We when back to the restaurant and asked for a table, I couldn't see lara anywhere, I only saw Yanick, Anna (Russian assistant) and some other people sitting 2 tables away. We waited for an about while eating. We noticed Yanick paid for the food and were just talking among each other. We waiting a little more until we gave up and decided to go. When I walked out the door I saw 2 girls from the concert waiting for lara, they noticed as they were walking back home that Lara's car was now at the entrance of the restaurant, so they wanted to wait to see her one more time. I waited with them. After t minutes we saw Yanick coming out to smoke a cigarette and as soon as he saw us he started laughing. I told him that I had just spent a fortune for a crappy salad and wine in that restaurant just to see lara. He couldn't stop laughing at me. I told him that all I wanted was a picture with lara (everything sounded funny because I was sick and my voice was complete gone and because I had too much wine and was a little too excited) he told me that lara was coming out and that he was going to tell her. Lara finally came out, yannick pointed me and lara came up to me padding me in the back saying I'm sorry. She hugged me and took a picture with me. The whole night was magical with a happy ending! I will never ever forget that night. Lara was and is an amazing singer as well as a human being. Now more than ever I admire her! She is my number 1.
Here is pics in case you want to see pictures.
m.facebook.com/ani.cspds/albums/10153617129800408/?__user=595795407

[smoothlara]

you are so lucky! i waited at the stage entrance too, i was the one near her car coughing a lot :-D
i also followed Lara up until she went into the restaurant, i watched through the window until she went inside, then i left. i'm glad you got to see her after all that time you waited. what memories!