Post by davidhr on Mar 29, 2016 8:33:58 GMT -5
A number of major events in the news for Lara this past week. Her tour continued in the wake of the attacks in Brussels, which had an immediate effect on her concert that night in Marseille, France. The new edition of her latest album was released. And she was on a major TV program on France 2. We’ll start with the tour, and that first show.
1) Marseille (3/22)
Videos
Voir un ami pleurer: www.facebook.com/larafabianofficial/videos/1091555667552596/
Voir un ami pleurer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7rKQV6MRT0
Voir un ami pleurer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0l8DLF0VCM
Voir un ami pleurer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4ADtAEjzec
Abba Medley: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Sy2o9VaXLI
Abba Medley: www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7C-eOBlIKY
Envie d’en rire: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Vr6QpKK8PY
Immortelle: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hcjmyizmRE
Immortelle (inc): www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7vpoRgK5-g
Je t’aime: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cdCrbFbgPY
Je t’aime: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cdCrbFbgPY
L’oubli: www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHrpdPxEabM
La difference: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixiIOYd6V_k
Le Coeur qui tremble: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Etks37Dzgs
Le Desamour: www.youtube.com/watch?v=WE9CtkTyK8E
Ma vie dans la tienne: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAUoMCzOzF4
Quand je ne chante pas: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcCQiuaV5WY
Sil ne reste qu’un ami: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ22lrNCkbY
Ton desir: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qWyYfQK_8k
Ton desir: www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6yEf9QJWEM
As can be seen from the set list, Lara altered her standard content, as she said at the beginning, in light of the extraordinary and sad events of earlier in the day. She felt that the ‘Great Jacques’ provided the most appropriate response, and so sang what she has called her ‘favorite song’, “Voir un ami pleurer” (which is why we’ve placed it first in the video list). Lara placed the video on her FB site, and it was referred to in the media. As can be seen in the video, it was an iconic ‘Lara’ moment, in which she was overcome by the emotion of the events and song. This will remain in people’s memories, along with other such on-stage experiences for her (crying in response to the audience singing ‘Je t’aime’ on the Nue tour, when singing ‘Je me souviens’, etc.).
The event was covered in the media, e.g., www.rtl.be/people/potins/bouleversee-lara-fabian-rend-hommage-a-bruxelles-video--804428.aspx. Here’s the translation:
------------------------------------------------------------------
I decided to do something a little different tonight, "said the singer before singing "Voir un ami pleurer" of Jacques Brel. Lara Fabian, born in Etterbeek, could not contain her tears while the audience applauded for support.
------------------------------------------------------------------
and in a longer article,
www.flair.be/fr/stars/375150/video-lara-fabian-en-larmes-apres-les-attentats-a-bruxelles
-------------------------------------------------------
VIDEO: Lara Fabian in tears after the attacks in Brussels
In concert in Marseille in the evening after the attacks in Brussels, the singer, originally from Etterbeek, expressed all her emotion by taking "Voir un ami pleurer" of Jacques Brel, with tears in her eyes.
Lara Fabian has acquired Canadian citizenship at age 26, but she was born in Belgium. So one can easily imagine her emotion and grief when she learned of the terrible acts of barbarity that touched the heart of Brussels yesterday, March 22, 2016.
A moment of great emotion
In concert the same evening in France, she started her performance by explaining about not finding the words to express her dismay and preferring to sing "the words of the Great Jacques". The star began to sing with sobbing voice, kneeling, ‘Voir un ami pleurer’ of Jacques Brel, a song heavy on the senses, before ending in tears, supported by applause of the audience. Hard, poignant and terribly honest..
Her message of support
Some hours before, she expressed her shock and her sadness on her FB page.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
And ‘potins.net’ placed on youtube a special video concerning Lara’s moving homage: www.youtube.com/watch?v=leUJQvp6G9Q&feature=youtu.be, with the following statement, “Terrible. What more to say after the attacks that hit our Belgian friends yesterday, Wednesday March 22. Only a few months after the attacks in Paris, it was Belgium who is in turn affected by the terrorists. And if there is a good person one that could not hold back tears, it's Lara Fabian ...”
The fact that Lara was so honestly affected short-circuited any speculation that she was in any way using this for calculated promotion. Nevertheless, as the response of the audience (e.g., in Tours, below) shows, it would be appropriate for Lara to release ‘Releve-toi’ as the next single.
As to the concert itself, Olivier Ciappa put a review on his site (https://www.facebook.com/ciappa.olivier/photos/a.672881372724629.1073741835.124526830893422/1226099334069494/?type=3&theater); thanks to the 'Lara Fabian web' site for the link. Here’s the translation:
------------------------------------------------------
Very very beautiful concert of Lara Fabian in Marseille yesterday evening.
I was super moved and proud to see all my photos of Imaginary Couples and of Couples of the Republic displayed on the giant screen behind her during the song [La difference]. I already knew before, but every time we see each other again and we can spend a little time together, I am always struck by her humanity. I think she is one of the most beautiful people I know. Really.
------------------------------------------------
Then there were various personal fan reviews of the concert, such as one (translated) from Stéphane Arres on Lara’s FB site:
----------------------------------------------------------
“I had the chance to attend this concert. Your saying that I've had a good time would be an understatement. All was at the rendez-vous: the emotion, the voice, humor, generosity and sharing. Thank you to Lara for accepting FINALLY what you are: Volcanic, passionate, sincere. It was a pure happiness of finding her, so close, so attentive to her audience. The beginning of the show held an emotion difficult to contain when she took a few minutes to address the attacks in Brussels and when she had interpreted this track. I can't wait to again see this concert, perhaps at the end of the year, in Marseille.”
---------------------------------------------------------
And another from Laura Lamberti, on the MZ FB site:
----------------------------------------------------------
Back from the concert of Marseille and frankly one found the real Lara. A true bomb. Vocally she stopped whispering whew !!! Well-chosen titles even if for me it lacks some of the old ones but it is normal it is necessary to make a choice.
The Abba medley brilliant idea she lit the fire.
The duo with her husband without any interest but ++++ for ‘Tu es mon autre’.
‘L’oubli’ .... I cried but I take some things personally.
The lights, the screens, top.
Very complicit with her audience for two small girls approached to bring her flowers she lowered herself to their level and gave them a kiss.
And an entry in emotion ‘Voir un ami pleurer’ in brief I find her again and it is done very well.
‘I will love again’ which also put me on fire.
She forgot a song that she has done after she told the audience "I have such an upside down brain that I have forgotten one".
But despite this, very pro despite circumstances
Her sneakers which sparkled she joked about them.
In short, brilliantly. November 7 for the 2nd day in Marseille
----------------------------------------------------------
Lara put the following (translated) message on her website: “Thank you Marseille, for having been there with me.. I'll never forget this evening.. We'll meet again on November 7th. She included a small portion of a video of the audience singing ‘Je t’aime’ with her (https://www.facebook.com/larafabianofficial/videos/1093167127391450/).
Before leaving this venue, and this issue, it may be useful for people to see an English translation of the Jacques Brel song, presented below:
----------------------------------------------------------
To See A Friend Cry
(Jacques Brel)
Of course there are the wars in Ireland
And the small tribes without music
Of course all this lack of tenderness
It's no more than American
Of course the money doesn't smell
But the lack of odor rises to the nose
Of course one walks on the flowers
But to see a friend cry!
Of course there are our defeats
And then the death that is the end of all
Our body already inclines its head
Astonished to be still standing
Of course the unfaithful women
And the murdered birds
Of course our hearts lose their wings
But but to see a friend cry!
Of course these cities are exhausted
By these children of fifty years
Our powerlessness to help them
And our loves that have a tooth ache
Of course the time that goes too quickly
These subways full of the drowned
The truth that avoids us
But to see a friend cry!
Of course our mirrors are upright
Neither the courage of being Jewish
Nor the elegance of being black
One believes oneself the wick one is only tallow
And all these men that our brothers
So much that we are no longer astonished
That for love they lacerate us
But to see a friend to cry!
-------------------------------------------------
2) Then it was on to Nantes (3/24)
Videos:
Abbe medley: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Bk5A_J6Z30
J’y crois encore: www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5sBJw9dC5o
Je t’aime: www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbTQGzo0CZ4
Multiple: www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2IKKo07VLQ
Quand je ne chante pas and Le Coeur qui tremble (inc): www.youtube.com/watch?v=Njt4UyyzIAc
And
3) Tours (3/25)
Videos:
Le Coeur qui tremble: www.facebook.com/larafabianofficial/videos/1094921843882645/
Releve-toi: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bTwBlRUAn0
Releve-toi www.facebook.com/larafabianofficial/videos/1094928250548671/
And from Emilie Emi, at drive.google.com/folderview?id=0BzuD-dhFPwKsaUhSV3h6T2JqRTg, extracts of nine different songs, some of them full (Elle danse; La difference; Le desamour; Ma vie dans la tienne; Ton desir; L’oubli; Abba Medley; Releve toi; Immortelle vocalization).
One wonders whether Lara’s team choosing Releve-toi as the video to highlight from this last concert is a recognition of the importance of its sentiment in the wake of repeated wounds suffered by the French and Belgians in recent weeks. .After her concert in Tours, Lara went to the ‘Brasserie L'Univers’ for dinner, where she was photographed; the caption read, “Lara Fabian was passing through the Universe last night for dinner! The Tower of David to immortalize the moment! Who's next?!”
scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/1917525_1057253400983489_4127949668933784900_n.jpg?oh=05fac23fa82eb6c10d770fbbf1e66066&oe=5799342D
Concerning videos of recent past concerts: the philosophy to be followed here, in the ‘one stop shopping’ aspect of this site, is that notable videos (in length and quality) will be listed when they come available the week of the concert, and the following week. After that – you’re on your on your own
. With this in mind, here are the videos that were posted this week concerning last week’s concerts:
Roubaix (3-16)
L’oubli: www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWXJo5tmL0o
Brussels (3-18)
Abba Medley: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc_Fqd17Ou4
Elle danse and Ton desir: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uj6nN0j5RVI
Envie d’en rire: www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDrrk4lWW_E
I Will Love Again: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrD_7lfJf9Y
I Will Love Again + ABBA medley: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWRghhvXqvc
Immortelle: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndghWN609g0
J’y crois encore: www.youtube.com/watch?v=yI5A0lkSj-s
Je t’aime: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWwXVrWYB-k
Je t’aime: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNXHUHQcNLU
L’oubli: www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKec8i_wXGI
L’oubli: www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VNS-g0WiC8
La difference: www.youtube.com/watch?v=B32tg_m3PAQ
Le Coeur qui tremble: www.youtube.com/watch?v=CziB4poqsas
Le Coeur qui tremble: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gob1wr8zGw0
Ma vie dans la tienne and Le Desamour: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxBwkakq44Q
Non coupable: www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaz5uxNXjqg
Quand je ne chante pas: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HN7ylbQFOI
Quand je ne chante pas: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqY081aY974
Relieve toi: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrMC7Leyeh4
Relieve toi: www.youtube.com/watch?v=EshPROhJ6EM
Sil ne reste qu’un ami: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAZu5mN8Z2M
S’il ne reste qu’un ami: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bMbGw-d4OU
S’il ne reste qu’un ami: www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-QCtiJAc9g
Tue s mon autre: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nnlM_MvIdY
[And the 'Lara Fabian is Here' site now has even more wonderful photos from this concert, at: www.facebook.com/382393522416/photos/a.10154020725212417.1073741882.382393522416/10154020726252417/?type=3&theater].
Liege (3-19)
Opening: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0g-YU0QyqNU
Opening + Ma vie dans la tienne: www.youtube.com/watch?v=khmd9eixdU0
Abba medley: www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQGnvhUGAM8
Elle dance (inc): www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtxQEAkPOMo
I Will love Again (inc): www.youtube.com/watch?v=5df6Gbz0BqQ
J’y crois encore: www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmuAYDtH4wg
Le desamour: www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjzxPTjCuBE
Le desamour (inc): www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGpxbAMPfUU
Ma vie dans la tienne (inc): www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2eXmMxy43k
Non coupable: www.youtube.com/watch?v=pposTHDGFLQ
Antwerp (3-20)
Abba Medley: www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYnzhXrzdNI
Elle dance : www.youtube.com/watch?v=g27YdP3S8-8
Envie d’en rire: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wuh-4-u8Gjg
J’y crois encore (inc): www.youtube.com/watch?v=op44s7WeoV0
Je t’aime: www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdMQLUPxrNk
L’oubli: www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPz6ztVPlfk
Le Coeur qui tremble: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kI5gtn6DQpE
Le desamour (inc): www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_h4M4cPFoI
Non coupable (inc): www.youtube.com/watch?v=632KlE5k89A
Non coupable: www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ5TepYER98
S’il ne reste qu’un ami: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8m1kSwYRswo
Tue s mon autre: www.youtube.com/watch?v=c566ei12aUA
Together with the numerous videos available last week from these concerts, we have an excellent representation of Lara’s performances in Belgium. You may have noticed how many of these videos are of high quality – wonders of modern technology! In particular, one should point out all the wonderful videos of Irina Popova for Brussels – as in the past, she has given us high quality, relatively steady close-up presentations. Another aspect of note - Paula pointed out that “L’illusionniste” is the only song from the new album’s ‘main 11’ that is not being performed, with Lara’s feelings for Gabriel now represented by their duet of ‘Tu es mon autre’. The hypothesis is that either it was because it gave him a chance to sing, or was just something they decided on for some other reason.
There was actually a very perceptive review of the concert in Antwerp (http://www.concertnews.be/recensietonen.php?id=3084&kop=Lara+Fabian&waar=Stadsschouwburg+Antwerpen) [thanks to Lara Fabian – PHQ for the link]. Here’s the (approximate) translation:
---------------------------------------------
Review Lara Fabian
Multiple standing ovations. A bell of a voice. But above all a very good show. That brought Lara Fabian for the first time in her career to Antwerp. By far she is the best-selling Belgian artist, but her songs are hardly played on the Flemish radio stations. Fabian is well known for her songs "J'y crois encore", "Je t'aime" and "I will love again" which includes her breakthrough in the States. Recently she released a new album, "Ma vie dans la tienne" which was introduced to her Flemish fans. For Disney, she sang "Que Dieu aide les exclus" and took the voice of Esmeralda in the French version of the Disney Classic "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" in the 90s. In Antwerp, she had a message to the effect of: "We are all Belgians. Long live the unity”.
Two guitarists, a keyboardist and a drummer accompany Lara Fabian live. Just after quarter past eight follows the intro and then the artist takes her place on the raised stage. Already all the fans have seen her silhouette in the semidarkness which is reason enough for them to shout or scream. The LED screens, some elongated left and right, a few squares at the bottom and a large rectangular central screen showing butterflies in the visuals flutter from one screen to another. The underwater images in "Relève toi" and the game with sunlight are impressive. It must be said: this show is well cared-for to the last detail, both musically and visually.
In blue backlit the blond singer comes on and immediately she thanks her audience to the song "Ma vie dans la tienne" which is visually supported by hundreds of fan photos from various meet and greets. Even after the show in Antwerp, Lara Fabian takes her time to greet some fans backstage to do a cordial chat with them and to sign something. Sure, that opening track, to a skeptic, there is something cheesy about it. But it works. From the first, people are immediately involved right after the opening song. For "Le désamour" we see windows through which the big city with its skyscrapers are visible while "Immortelle" is accompanied by lightning flashes. "It's a very special night for me. I am very happy to be here. To all my Flemish friends: Thanks for having come to listen to my French music ".
Many artists within the genre of Fabian we believe 'no meter' when they are on a stage, because everything feels so rehearsed, following the script. With Fabian it is different. When she says that "Maniac" from Flashdance is a source of inspiration to her, it just radiates out, ordinary. It is amazing therefore to see her during "Elle danse" just to see her play the familiar scene: running on the spot, just as happens in the movie. That is undoubtedly her strength: the natural, combined with a very good voice. Though as for "Elle danse" an uptempo song there is something slightly too repetitive for us.
Fabian doesn’t just sing her numbers. She brings them, often with a lot of feeling and empathy, which is an absolute value. As in "Ton désir" cabaret where she just swings her legs in the air to add some zest, or the accordion in "Envie d'en rire" which makes a melancholy sound, while for both numbers at the end of the piece there is late singing along by the audience. For "S'il ne reste qu'un ami" she lets them alone to accompany the keys.
Lara Fabian raises the bar of the action just slightly higher with "La différence" which is immediately greeted with cheers. A song of the equality between men pursuing their sexual preference. An anti-homophobia number that will be very much appreciated. In black and white photographs we see how loving gay couples can cherish each other.
With "I Will Love Again" the Belgian singer draws after an hour the first absolute highlight of the evening, but not the last. The whole room springs right to dance along with this up-tempo song. Fabian herself is jumping up and down. The acceleration halfway through the song does its work so that spectators clap too. By far this is the number that has the largest international appeal. Certainly, Fabian is slow in placing it. But she knows how to combine dynamics with show resistance.
She exchanges vests and goes for a glitter specimen to realize her dream. Again she gets the audience effortlessly in her hand with an excellent ABBA medley although it must be be said that she is not as strong in her low notes and dares to get bogged down sometimes. The transition between Dancing Queen and Money Money Money does not have sufficient smoothness. But that is a detailed criticism while the audience in the theater has what it wants: celebrations for the fans.
"Tapez un ou Tapez moi" [thumbs up or thumbs down] she asks the audience when she takes a risk: bringing an unpublished up-tempo song. The fans seem to find "Non coupable" to taste and Thumbs then go up after the song. For our taste she is not up to "J'y crois encore", where a very strange arrangement was given and it was taken slightly lower than normal. But above all, the band seemed to play a little faster then the pace the singer wanted. For the whole number we also feel that band and singer were engaged in another key. That gave us a very bizarre feeling.
Lara Fabian was greeted with audience delight after each song, though it was not always clear whether the "Je t'aime" which fans breathed, was an expression of love and admiration for their idol, or simply a request number. "Je t'aime" the French singer saved for the first encore which earned her a second standing ovation, just as had been given at the end of "L'oubli". With a wonderful piano riff and drums of "Quand je ne chante pas" she took a little over an hour and a half, after which she said goodbye to Antwerp.
Conclusion: Lara Fabian put down a strong show in Antwerp with little to complain about.
Bert Hertogs
Setlist: Ma vie dans la tienne; Le désamour; Immortelle; Elle danse; Ton désir; Envie d’en rire; Tu es mon autre; La difference; S’il ne reste qu’un ami; I will love again; ABBA medley (The winner takes it all // Dancing queen // Money money money // Gimme gimme gimme); Le coeur qui tremble; Relève toi; Mon coupable; J’y crois encore; L’oubli; [Encores:] Je t’aime; Quand je ne chante pas
------------------------------------------------
Lara is continuing to add venues to her tour for the album, and the latest is back to Brussels at the Forest National on December 17th. It is advertised on her site as “a special concert celebrating the end of the tour across France and Belgium”. Pre-sales are already available. There still may be other dates added in France before that one, however, and one such has been announced for December 16th in Audomarois in northern France (for the very first time)(http://m.lavoixdunord.fr/region/lara-fabian-a-sceneo-longuenesse-en-decembre-2016-ia37b0n3392482). The international dates will then, it was said occur afterwards. Of course, there are many international dates before that, for example in eastern Europe in April and May, and in Russia and the Ukraine for late November and early December. [Note that the concerts in Kiev for December 2 and 3, for which one can already buy tickets (http://m.parter.ua/en/event/kontserty/pop_i_estrada/lara_fabian.html), for some reason are not listed on Lara’s ‘events’ page]. BTW, 'Nicolas Boucaud' on the MZ FB site reports that some of these international tickets are selling very well - Budapest (4000 seats) is already sold out, and only 800 seats of 7000 are remaining for Romania.
Now on to the re-release of ‘Ma vie dans la tienne’. Minimal changes were done to the actual CD case and booklet, with the exception of the last booklet page listing the included DVD (‘Un soir autour du monde’) and the two new songs. They are ‘Non coupable’ and ‘Voce’ as the bonus selections, and they slip onto the CD in the place of the previous two bonus songs (from the elite edition). We’ve heard both of these before, ‘Voce’ when Lara was in Italy last year, and ‘Non coupable’ on the current tour. Nevertheless, it’s good to get the studio versions, which reemphasize their quality and Lara’s singing.
Here are the lyrics for the two songs, neither of which is actually included on the CD booklet (probably to save money, but it is a slight to them – the previous two bonus songs did have their lyrics shown). For ‘Non coupable’, the French lyrics are from ‘Rich Art’ on the Lara Fabian est ton autre site (https://www.facebook.com/166959643357708/photos/a.168982793155393.43222.166959643357708/988534751200189/?type=3&theater), and here is an English translation:
---------------------------------
Not guilty (Non coupable)
No, I never take the side roads
No barriers skimmed, eyelids, which lower
I look straight ahead, incensed, shattered
But it is not only the truth that hurts
There's also the rumor that goes round and attaches itself
In red on the resume that’s like a job
Even if it is invented, that which one vomits and spits
It remains for me to sing
Not guilty
I would not excusing myself for living and existing
Not guilty
I would not blame, that’s not my ‘kettle of fish’
We reap what we sow, and if I'm guilty
It is of having been only Myself... Only myself!
No, I would not seek the highest cliff
No I'm not a woman to disclose my faults
Of being the angel or the beast, to share with others
I would say no more than a word, but I would sing it
I say Yes to life, to love which lifts
To all those outstretched arms that have carried my dream
And which are always there, so that nothing ends
Let me sing to you
Not guilty
I would not excuse myself for living and existing
Not guilty
I would not blame, that is not my kettle of fish
We reap what we sow, of “Tout” I am guilty
Even of screaming ‘Je t’aime”
Not guilty
I would not excuse myself for having seized my chance
Not guilty
I will never bend before this violence
And I do what I love and if I'm guilty
It is of having been only Myself…
Only Myself!
----------------------------------
Considering these lyrics, perhaps it was a good idea that Lara did not include this on the initial release of the album. It would have garnered a lot of the attention, and perhaps derailed Lara’s goal of getting the media on her side. Perhaps it was always planned that it be released with the re-edition (and maybe it was also always planned that the movie, ‘Un soir autour du monde’ would then be included). That way Lara could get her points ‘out there’, without a more direct confrontation.
As for ‘Voce’, the Italian lyrics are readily available on line (e.g., www.lyricsmania.com/lara_fabian_-_voce_lyrics_sanremo.html), and a translation is given below:
----------------------------------
Voice (Voce)
(Cristiano Cremonini)
Voice for who has no voice
To give a meaning to this time…
Voice that is noise of the city
Enters me like the wind…
I sing all the silence that
Is screaming around me, around me
Tell me who you are, voice in the air
I want to mix myself up inside of you
Sing for you from the bottom of the soul
With the strength to win…That remains in me…
To live again, to dream again
Until joining you…
This voice that never stops
Giving a meaning to this time…
I sing, the profound power that
The serenity contains in itself, contains in itself…
Tell me who you are, voice that goes in the wind
The clear song of mine I dedicate to you… to you
Wherever you are…the intense breath of yours
To win again, to discover again
The happiness locked inside us
------------------------------------
As for the included DVD, ‘Un soir autour du monde’, here are some personal impressions.
**Extremely beautifully filmed, wonderful color, camera angles, direction – could not have been better.
**Lara looked very beautiful – as good as she has looked in any of her DVDs (considering also that she is in her mid 40s).
**This is a ‘no drama’ DVD – Lara looked completely relaxed and happy, without any discernible tension.
**That made this an ‘ordinary’ concert – perfectly representative of the concerts she gave on her ‘round the world’ tour. It didn’t really seem ‘special’ in any way; on the positive side, that implies the various cameras didn’t get in the way or were on the performers’ minds.
**Lara’s voice was perfectly controlled, she hit all the notes, however high or low, without much effort, and was powerful where it needed to be. Granted, her voice is not quite as full or as powerful as, say, in the Molson Centre concert from 20 years ago; neither is there the underlying emotional tension that propelled her singing back then. But one guesses that both the original audience and anyone watching this DVD would be perfectly satisfied with what they hear.
**The sound offering for the DVD is either 5.1 or stereo; the sound recording is excellent and using the 5.1 choice makes everything sound much fuller, including Lara’s voice.
**There is a choice of French subtitles, which are used when Lara speaks to the audience in English. This almost never happens on the DVD, so the subtitles rarely show up. There is very little talking to the audience shown here.
**Actually we know Lara did speak much more to the audience, because we have fan videos from the original concert, in June of 2015, that display it. While she spoke in both languages on that occasion, there is extensive dialogue in English.
**Since this was meant primarily (at least initially) for her French audience (and advertised to the French public as a way of spreading the French language), the concert dialogue was not included. Instead we get, every couple of songs, Lara being interviewed in French by Frederic Lopez. That takes place on a boat in Paris going down a river (probably the Seine). The discussion covers the usual topics – Lara’s multi-language history, Love, etc., sometimes appropriate to the up-coming song (i.e., gay rights before La Difference).
**One of the topics of conversation is the new album ‘Ma vie dans la tienne’ – so, assuming this segment was shown in the theatre as well, there was a tie-in after all, however brief. The movie then segued to the video of ‘Ma vie dans la tienne’, which makes one think this DVD was finished shortly before it was shown in the theatres.
**All of the songs are done sufficiently well that there would be no complaint, but a few stand out. Surprisingly, ‘Yelliel’ is one of them, and gets a standing ovation from the crowd. ‘Angel’ and ‘Je suis malade’ are two others; different viewers might well choose additional/different songs.
**All in all, this is quite a well-done DVD, though perhaps due to its lack of intense emotional content it won’t engender the type of fanatic following that some of her earlier ones have. Nevertheless, Lara should consider eventually offering it for sale on its own, as it is a worthy entry into her pantheon of live concerts. Given that some 7 of the songs are in English, it could even be sold in countries speaking that language. However, note that this DVD is ‘Pal’, so is meant for European audiences.
It’s probably too early to know how this re-release will affect total sales, but in France, for physical CDs, it has jumped up 30 places and is now #58; in Belgium, the album is still at #22.
In the third notable item of the week, Lara was on the show “Les Annees Bonheur” with Patrick Sebastien. She performed a medley of the songs ‘Humana”, "J’y crois encore” and, in homage to the new album, “Ton desir” (which made some people think that for some 'upbeat' public appearances, that is really the third single). Lara put a link to the video on her FB site, and it can be seen at:
www.facebook.com/larafabian.artist/videos/828113003999330/
Also included was a clip from the show “C’est votre vie Patrick Sebastien” from last December 15th, in which Lara performed a very well regarded spoof of an old Patrick Sebastien hit, “Si tu pouvais fermer ta gueule”. This was also then reproduced separately on youtube,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=633tI3rSpU0
From the hosts’ reception of her, to Lara’s ease, it is clear she is now once again one of the ‘inner circle’ of entertainment celebrities in the French music world. Mission certainly accomplished! Some photos of the show were captured by Lara Fabian Greece (https://www.facebook.com/443548625770236/photos/a.443804005744698.1073741828.443548625770236/483850448406720/?type=3&theater) and also Irina Popova (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=964730570271838&set=pcb.964730783605150&type=3&theater).
And speaking of past events, there is a nice video of Lara singing at MFM last month, performing an acoustic version of “Ma vie dans la tienne”, available at
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChuPUP6qreE
As for future events, Lara is now off for a few weeks, to both rest and spend time with her family. However, the show "LE JOURNAL INTIME DE LARA FABIAN", the ‘intimate’ interview with Thomas Van Hamme will be shown on RTL TVI this coming Sunday.
In other news, Lara attended the show ‘Cats’ at the Théatre Mogador in Paris and posted some pictures of herself with cast members on her website, available at:
www.facebook.com/larafabianofficial/photos/pcb.1095961977111965/1095961807111982/?type=3&theater
She included the caption, “What a beautiful show! "Cats" at the Theatre Mogador! Thanks to Pierre-Yves and the whole cast of cats! Purr..."
Interesting photo(s) of the week: Lara with Olivier Ciappa after the concert in Marseilles
scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xft1/v/t1.0-9/10264435_1226099334069494_8080991721767116405_n.jpg?oh=822d967ca4818744d8ea39992777d559&oe=577B44A5
From 'Lara Fabian Web.com', photo of Derbey Pscale
www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10209257688185164&set=a.1590240081826.189232.1410574277&type=3&theater
And – something different – a visual illustration of the song “Je reve d’un etoile”, put together by Tarcisio Junior (thanks to the Lara Fabian Voice of Passion site for the link):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcIpSvNGrmo&feature=youtu.be
As Lara is off the concert stage until April 20th (in Romania), this coming week the event to look forward to will be the show with Thomas Van Hamme on April 3rd. Even though many of these French TV shows are blocked to international audiences, Lara’s Team has recently been putting them on her site; hopefully that will happen with this one as well (a sentiment shared by many who have written in to Lara’s site about it). Otherwise, with the French/Belgian portion of her tour over until June, Lara will probably need to find some other way to stay relevant, so we should all ‘stay tuned’.
David
1) Marseille (3/22)
Videos
Voir un ami pleurer: www.facebook.com/larafabianofficial/videos/1091555667552596/
Voir un ami pleurer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7rKQV6MRT0
Voir un ami pleurer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0l8DLF0VCM
Voir un ami pleurer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4ADtAEjzec
Abba Medley: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Sy2o9VaXLI
Abba Medley: www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7C-eOBlIKY
Envie d’en rire: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Vr6QpKK8PY
Immortelle: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hcjmyizmRE
Immortelle (inc): www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7vpoRgK5-g
Je t’aime: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cdCrbFbgPY
Je t’aime: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cdCrbFbgPY
L’oubli: www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHrpdPxEabM
La difference: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixiIOYd6V_k
Le Coeur qui tremble: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Etks37Dzgs
Le Desamour: www.youtube.com/watch?v=WE9CtkTyK8E
Ma vie dans la tienne: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAUoMCzOzF4
Quand je ne chante pas: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcCQiuaV5WY
Sil ne reste qu’un ami: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ22lrNCkbY
Ton desir: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qWyYfQK_8k
Ton desir: www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6yEf9QJWEM
As can be seen from the set list, Lara altered her standard content, as she said at the beginning, in light of the extraordinary and sad events of earlier in the day. She felt that the ‘Great Jacques’ provided the most appropriate response, and so sang what she has called her ‘favorite song’, “Voir un ami pleurer” (which is why we’ve placed it first in the video list). Lara placed the video on her FB site, and it was referred to in the media. As can be seen in the video, it was an iconic ‘Lara’ moment, in which she was overcome by the emotion of the events and song. This will remain in people’s memories, along with other such on-stage experiences for her (crying in response to the audience singing ‘Je t’aime’ on the Nue tour, when singing ‘Je me souviens’, etc.).
The event was covered in the media, e.g., www.rtl.be/people/potins/bouleversee-lara-fabian-rend-hommage-a-bruxelles-video--804428.aspx. Here’s the translation:
------------------------------------------------------------------
I decided to do something a little different tonight, "said the singer before singing "Voir un ami pleurer" of Jacques Brel. Lara Fabian, born in Etterbeek, could not contain her tears while the audience applauded for support.
------------------------------------------------------------------
and in a longer article,
www.flair.be/fr/stars/375150/video-lara-fabian-en-larmes-apres-les-attentats-a-bruxelles
-------------------------------------------------------
VIDEO: Lara Fabian in tears after the attacks in Brussels
In concert in Marseille in the evening after the attacks in Brussels, the singer, originally from Etterbeek, expressed all her emotion by taking "Voir un ami pleurer" of Jacques Brel, with tears in her eyes.
Lara Fabian has acquired Canadian citizenship at age 26, but she was born in Belgium. So one can easily imagine her emotion and grief when she learned of the terrible acts of barbarity that touched the heart of Brussels yesterday, March 22, 2016.
A moment of great emotion
In concert the same evening in France, she started her performance by explaining about not finding the words to express her dismay and preferring to sing "the words of the Great Jacques". The star began to sing with sobbing voice, kneeling, ‘Voir un ami pleurer’ of Jacques Brel, a song heavy on the senses, before ending in tears, supported by applause of the audience. Hard, poignant and terribly honest..
Her message of support
Some hours before, she expressed her shock and her sadness on her FB page.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
And ‘potins.net’ placed on youtube a special video concerning Lara’s moving homage: www.youtube.com/watch?v=leUJQvp6G9Q&feature=youtu.be, with the following statement, “Terrible. What more to say after the attacks that hit our Belgian friends yesterday, Wednesday March 22. Only a few months after the attacks in Paris, it was Belgium who is in turn affected by the terrorists. And if there is a good person one that could not hold back tears, it's Lara Fabian ...”
The fact that Lara was so honestly affected short-circuited any speculation that she was in any way using this for calculated promotion. Nevertheless, as the response of the audience (e.g., in Tours, below) shows, it would be appropriate for Lara to release ‘Releve-toi’ as the next single.
As to the concert itself, Olivier Ciappa put a review on his site (https://www.facebook.com/ciappa.olivier/photos/a.672881372724629.1073741835.124526830893422/1226099334069494/?type=3&theater); thanks to the 'Lara Fabian web' site for the link. Here’s the translation:
------------------------------------------------------
Very very beautiful concert of Lara Fabian in Marseille yesterday evening.
I was super moved and proud to see all my photos of Imaginary Couples and of Couples of the Republic displayed on the giant screen behind her during the song [La difference]. I already knew before, but every time we see each other again and we can spend a little time together, I am always struck by her humanity. I think she is one of the most beautiful people I know. Really.
------------------------------------------------
Then there were various personal fan reviews of the concert, such as one (translated) from Stéphane Arres on Lara’s FB site:
----------------------------------------------------------
“I had the chance to attend this concert. Your saying that I've had a good time would be an understatement. All was at the rendez-vous: the emotion, the voice, humor, generosity and sharing. Thank you to Lara for accepting FINALLY what you are: Volcanic, passionate, sincere. It was a pure happiness of finding her, so close, so attentive to her audience. The beginning of the show held an emotion difficult to contain when she took a few minutes to address the attacks in Brussels and when she had interpreted this track. I can't wait to again see this concert, perhaps at the end of the year, in Marseille.”
---------------------------------------------------------
And another from Laura Lamberti, on the MZ FB site:
----------------------------------------------------------
Back from the concert of Marseille and frankly one found the real Lara. A true bomb. Vocally she stopped whispering whew !!! Well-chosen titles even if for me it lacks some of the old ones but it is normal it is necessary to make a choice.
The Abba medley brilliant idea she lit the fire.
The duo with her husband without any interest but ++++ for ‘Tu es mon autre’.
‘L’oubli’ .... I cried but I take some things personally.
The lights, the screens, top.
Very complicit with her audience for two small girls approached to bring her flowers she lowered herself to their level and gave them a kiss.
And an entry in emotion ‘Voir un ami pleurer’ in brief I find her again and it is done very well.
‘I will love again’ which also put me on fire.
She forgot a song that she has done after she told the audience "I have such an upside down brain that I have forgotten one".
But despite this, very pro despite circumstances
Her sneakers which sparkled she joked about them.
In short, brilliantly. November 7 for the 2nd day in Marseille
----------------------------------------------------------
Lara put the following (translated) message on her website: “Thank you Marseille, for having been there with me.. I'll never forget this evening.. We'll meet again on November 7th. She included a small portion of a video of the audience singing ‘Je t’aime’ with her (https://www.facebook.com/larafabianofficial/videos/1093167127391450/).
Before leaving this venue, and this issue, it may be useful for people to see an English translation of the Jacques Brel song, presented below:
----------------------------------------------------------
To See A Friend Cry
(Jacques Brel)
Of course there are the wars in Ireland
And the small tribes without music
Of course all this lack of tenderness
It's no more than American
Of course the money doesn't smell
But the lack of odor rises to the nose
Of course one walks on the flowers
But to see a friend cry!
Of course there are our defeats
And then the death that is the end of all
Our body already inclines its head
Astonished to be still standing
Of course the unfaithful women
And the murdered birds
Of course our hearts lose their wings
But but to see a friend cry!
Of course these cities are exhausted
By these children of fifty years
Our powerlessness to help them
And our loves that have a tooth ache
Of course the time that goes too quickly
These subways full of the drowned
The truth that avoids us
But to see a friend cry!
Of course our mirrors are upright
Neither the courage of being Jewish
Nor the elegance of being black
One believes oneself the wick one is only tallow
And all these men that our brothers
So much that we are no longer astonished
That for love they lacerate us
But to see a friend to cry!
-------------------------------------------------
2) Then it was on to Nantes (3/24)
Videos:
Abbe medley: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Bk5A_J6Z30
J’y crois encore: www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5sBJw9dC5o
Je t’aime: www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbTQGzo0CZ4
Multiple: www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2IKKo07VLQ
Quand je ne chante pas and Le Coeur qui tremble (inc): www.youtube.com/watch?v=Njt4UyyzIAc
And
3) Tours (3/25)
Videos:
Le Coeur qui tremble: www.facebook.com/larafabianofficial/videos/1094921843882645/
Releve-toi: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bTwBlRUAn0
Releve-toi www.facebook.com/larafabianofficial/videos/1094928250548671/
And from Emilie Emi, at drive.google.com/folderview?id=0BzuD-dhFPwKsaUhSV3h6T2JqRTg, extracts of nine different songs, some of them full (Elle danse; La difference; Le desamour; Ma vie dans la tienne; Ton desir; L’oubli; Abba Medley; Releve toi; Immortelle vocalization).
One wonders whether Lara’s team choosing Releve-toi as the video to highlight from this last concert is a recognition of the importance of its sentiment in the wake of repeated wounds suffered by the French and Belgians in recent weeks. .After her concert in Tours, Lara went to the ‘Brasserie L'Univers’ for dinner, where she was photographed; the caption read, “Lara Fabian was passing through the Universe last night for dinner! The Tower of David to immortalize the moment! Who's next?!”
scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/1917525_1057253400983489_4127949668933784900_n.jpg?oh=05fac23fa82eb6c10d770fbbf1e66066&oe=5799342D
Concerning videos of recent past concerts: the philosophy to be followed here, in the ‘one stop shopping’ aspect of this site, is that notable videos (in length and quality) will be listed when they come available the week of the concert, and the following week. After that – you’re on your on your own
. With this in mind, here are the videos that were posted this week concerning last week’s concerts:Roubaix (3-16)
L’oubli: www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWXJo5tmL0o
Brussels (3-18)
Abba Medley: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc_Fqd17Ou4
Elle danse and Ton desir: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uj6nN0j5RVI
Envie d’en rire: www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDrrk4lWW_E
I Will Love Again: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrD_7lfJf9Y
I Will Love Again + ABBA medley: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWRghhvXqvc
Immortelle: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndghWN609g0
J’y crois encore: www.youtube.com/watch?v=yI5A0lkSj-s
Je t’aime: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWwXVrWYB-k
Je t’aime: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNXHUHQcNLU
L’oubli: www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKec8i_wXGI
L’oubli: www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VNS-g0WiC8
La difference: www.youtube.com/watch?v=B32tg_m3PAQ
Le Coeur qui tremble: www.youtube.com/watch?v=CziB4poqsas
Le Coeur qui tremble: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gob1wr8zGw0
Ma vie dans la tienne and Le Desamour: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxBwkakq44Q
Non coupable: www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaz5uxNXjqg
Quand je ne chante pas: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HN7ylbQFOI
Quand je ne chante pas: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqY081aY974
Relieve toi: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrMC7Leyeh4
Relieve toi: www.youtube.com/watch?v=EshPROhJ6EM
Sil ne reste qu’un ami: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAZu5mN8Z2M
S’il ne reste qu’un ami: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bMbGw-d4OU
S’il ne reste qu’un ami: www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-QCtiJAc9g
Tue s mon autre: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nnlM_MvIdY
[And the 'Lara Fabian is Here' site now has even more wonderful photos from this concert, at: www.facebook.com/382393522416/photos/a.10154020725212417.1073741882.382393522416/10154020726252417/?type=3&theater].
Liege (3-19)
Opening: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0g-YU0QyqNU
Opening + Ma vie dans la tienne: www.youtube.com/watch?v=khmd9eixdU0
Abba medley: www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQGnvhUGAM8
Elle dance (inc): www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtxQEAkPOMo
I Will love Again (inc): www.youtube.com/watch?v=5df6Gbz0BqQ
J’y crois encore: www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmuAYDtH4wg
Le desamour: www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjzxPTjCuBE
Le desamour (inc): www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGpxbAMPfUU
Ma vie dans la tienne (inc): www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2eXmMxy43k
Non coupable: www.youtube.com/watch?v=pposTHDGFLQ
Antwerp (3-20)
Abba Medley: www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYnzhXrzdNI
Elle dance : www.youtube.com/watch?v=g27YdP3S8-8
Envie d’en rire: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wuh-4-u8Gjg
J’y crois encore (inc): www.youtube.com/watch?v=op44s7WeoV0
Je t’aime: www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdMQLUPxrNk
L’oubli: www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPz6ztVPlfk
Le Coeur qui tremble: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kI5gtn6DQpE
Le desamour (inc): www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_h4M4cPFoI
Non coupable (inc): www.youtube.com/watch?v=632KlE5k89A
Non coupable: www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ5TepYER98
S’il ne reste qu’un ami: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8m1kSwYRswo
Tue s mon autre: www.youtube.com/watch?v=c566ei12aUA
Together with the numerous videos available last week from these concerts, we have an excellent representation of Lara’s performances in Belgium. You may have noticed how many of these videos are of high quality – wonders of modern technology! In particular, one should point out all the wonderful videos of Irina Popova for Brussels – as in the past, she has given us high quality, relatively steady close-up presentations. Another aspect of note - Paula pointed out that “L’illusionniste” is the only song from the new album’s ‘main 11’ that is not being performed, with Lara’s feelings for Gabriel now represented by their duet of ‘Tu es mon autre’. The hypothesis is that either it was because it gave him a chance to sing, or was just something they decided on for some other reason.
There was actually a very perceptive review of the concert in Antwerp (http://www.concertnews.be/recensietonen.php?id=3084&kop=Lara+Fabian&waar=Stadsschouwburg+Antwerpen) [thanks to Lara Fabian – PHQ for the link]. Here’s the (approximate) translation:
---------------------------------------------
Review Lara Fabian
Multiple standing ovations. A bell of a voice. But above all a very good show. That brought Lara Fabian for the first time in her career to Antwerp. By far she is the best-selling Belgian artist, but her songs are hardly played on the Flemish radio stations. Fabian is well known for her songs "J'y crois encore", "Je t'aime" and "I will love again" which includes her breakthrough in the States. Recently she released a new album, "Ma vie dans la tienne" which was introduced to her Flemish fans. For Disney, she sang "Que Dieu aide les exclus" and took the voice of Esmeralda in the French version of the Disney Classic "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" in the 90s. In Antwerp, she had a message to the effect of: "We are all Belgians. Long live the unity”.
Two guitarists, a keyboardist and a drummer accompany Lara Fabian live. Just after quarter past eight follows the intro and then the artist takes her place on the raised stage. Already all the fans have seen her silhouette in the semidarkness which is reason enough for them to shout or scream. The LED screens, some elongated left and right, a few squares at the bottom and a large rectangular central screen showing butterflies in the visuals flutter from one screen to another. The underwater images in "Relève toi" and the game with sunlight are impressive. It must be said: this show is well cared-for to the last detail, both musically and visually.
In blue backlit the blond singer comes on and immediately she thanks her audience to the song "Ma vie dans la tienne" which is visually supported by hundreds of fan photos from various meet and greets. Even after the show in Antwerp, Lara Fabian takes her time to greet some fans backstage to do a cordial chat with them and to sign something. Sure, that opening track, to a skeptic, there is something cheesy about it. But it works. From the first, people are immediately involved right after the opening song. For "Le désamour" we see windows through which the big city with its skyscrapers are visible while "Immortelle" is accompanied by lightning flashes. "It's a very special night for me. I am very happy to be here. To all my Flemish friends: Thanks for having come to listen to my French music ".
Many artists within the genre of Fabian we believe 'no meter' when they are on a stage, because everything feels so rehearsed, following the script. With Fabian it is different. When she says that "Maniac" from Flashdance is a source of inspiration to her, it just radiates out, ordinary. It is amazing therefore to see her during "Elle danse" just to see her play the familiar scene: running on the spot, just as happens in the movie. That is undoubtedly her strength: the natural, combined with a very good voice. Though as for "Elle danse" an uptempo song there is something slightly too repetitive for us.
Fabian doesn’t just sing her numbers. She brings them, often with a lot of feeling and empathy, which is an absolute value. As in "Ton désir" cabaret where she just swings her legs in the air to add some zest, or the accordion in "Envie d'en rire" which makes a melancholy sound, while for both numbers at the end of the piece there is late singing along by the audience. For "S'il ne reste qu'un ami" she lets them alone to accompany the keys.
Lara Fabian raises the bar of the action just slightly higher with "La différence" which is immediately greeted with cheers. A song of the equality between men pursuing their sexual preference. An anti-homophobia number that will be very much appreciated. In black and white photographs we see how loving gay couples can cherish each other.
With "I Will Love Again" the Belgian singer draws after an hour the first absolute highlight of the evening, but not the last. The whole room springs right to dance along with this up-tempo song. Fabian herself is jumping up and down. The acceleration halfway through the song does its work so that spectators clap too. By far this is the number that has the largest international appeal. Certainly, Fabian is slow in placing it. But she knows how to combine dynamics with show resistance.
She exchanges vests and goes for a glitter specimen to realize her dream. Again she gets the audience effortlessly in her hand with an excellent ABBA medley although it must be be said that she is not as strong in her low notes and dares to get bogged down sometimes. The transition between Dancing Queen and Money Money Money does not have sufficient smoothness. But that is a detailed criticism while the audience in the theater has what it wants: celebrations for the fans.
"Tapez un ou Tapez moi" [thumbs up or thumbs down] she asks the audience when she takes a risk: bringing an unpublished up-tempo song. The fans seem to find "Non coupable" to taste and Thumbs then go up after the song. For our taste she is not up to "J'y crois encore", where a very strange arrangement was given and it was taken slightly lower than normal. But above all, the band seemed to play a little faster then the pace the singer wanted. For the whole number we also feel that band and singer were engaged in another key. That gave us a very bizarre feeling.
Lara Fabian was greeted with audience delight after each song, though it was not always clear whether the "Je t'aime" which fans breathed, was an expression of love and admiration for their idol, or simply a request number. "Je t'aime" the French singer saved for the first encore which earned her a second standing ovation, just as had been given at the end of "L'oubli". With a wonderful piano riff and drums of "Quand je ne chante pas" she took a little over an hour and a half, after which she said goodbye to Antwerp.
Conclusion: Lara Fabian put down a strong show in Antwerp with little to complain about.
Bert Hertogs
Setlist: Ma vie dans la tienne; Le désamour; Immortelle; Elle danse; Ton désir; Envie d’en rire; Tu es mon autre; La difference; S’il ne reste qu’un ami; I will love again; ABBA medley (The winner takes it all // Dancing queen // Money money money // Gimme gimme gimme); Le coeur qui tremble; Relève toi; Mon coupable; J’y crois encore; L’oubli; [Encores:] Je t’aime; Quand je ne chante pas
------------------------------------------------
Lara is continuing to add venues to her tour for the album, and the latest is back to Brussels at the Forest National on December 17th. It is advertised on her site as “a special concert celebrating the end of the tour across France and Belgium”. Pre-sales are already available. There still may be other dates added in France before that one, however, and one such has been announced for December 16th in Audomarois in northern France (for the very first time)(http://m.lavoixdunord.fr/region/lara-fabian-a-sceneo-longuenesse-en-decembre-2016-ia37b0n3392482). The international dates will then, it was said occur afterwards. Of course, there are many international dates before that, for example in eastern Europe in April and May, and in Russia and the Ukraine for late November and early December. [Note that the concerts in Kiev for December 2 and 3, for which one can already buy tickets (http://m.parter.ua/en/event/kontserty/pop_i_estrada/lara_fabian.html), for some reason are not listed on Lara’s ‘events’ page]. BTW, 'Nicolas Boucaud' on the MZ FB site reports that some of these international tickets are selling very well - Budapest (4000 seats) is already sold out, and only 800 seats of 7000 are remaining for Romania.
Now on to the re-release of ‘Ma vie dans la tienne’. Minimal changes were done to the actual CD case and booklet, with the exception of the last booklet page listing the included DVD (‘Un soir autour du monde’) and the two new songs. They are ‘Non coupable’ and ‘Voce’ as the bonus selections, and they slip onto the CD in the place of the previous two bonus songs (from the elite edition). We’ve heard both of these before, ‘Voce’ when Lara was in Italy last year, and ‘Non coupable’ on the current tour. Nevertheless, it’s good to get the studio versions, which reemphasize their quality and Lara’s singing.
Here are the lyrics for the two songs, neither of which is actually included on the CD booklet (probably to save money, but it is a slight to them – the previous two bonus songs did have their lyrics shown). For ‘Non coupable’, the French lyrics are from ‘Rich Art’ on the Lara Fabian est ton autre site (https://www.facebook.com/166959643357708/photos/a.168982793155393.43222.166959643357708/988534751200189/?type=3&theater), and here is an English translation:
---------------------------------
Not guilty (Non coupable)
No, I never take the side roads
No barriers skimmed, eyelids, which lower
I look straight ahead, incensed, shattered
But it is not only the truth that hurts
There's also the rumor that goes round and attaches itself
In red on the resume that’s like a job
Even if it is invented, that which one vomits and spits
It remains for me to sing
Not guilty
I would not excusing myself for living and existing
Not guilty
I would not blame, that’s not my ‘kettle of fish’
We reap what we sow, and if I'm guilty
It is of having been only Myself... Only myself!
No, I would not seek the highest cliff
No I'm not a woman to disclose my faults
Of being the angel or the beast, to share with others
I would say no more than a word, but I would sing it
I say Yes to life, to love which lifts
To all those outstretched arms that have carried my dream
And which are always there, so that nothing ends
Let me sing to you
Not guilty
I would not excuse myself for living and existing
Not guilty
I would not blame, that is not my kettle of fish
We reap what we sow, of “Tout” I am guilty
Even of screaming ‘Je t’aime”
Not guilty
I would not excuse myself for having seized my chance
Not guilty
I will never bend before this violence
And I do what I love and if I'm guilty
It is of having been only Myself…
Only Myself!
----------------------------------
Considering these lyrics, perhaps it was a good idea that Lara did not include this on the initial release of the album. It would have garnered a lot of the attention, and perhaps derailed Lara’s goal of getting the media on her side. Perhaps it was always planned that it be released with the re-edition (and maybe it was also always planned that the movie, ‘Un soir autour du monde’ would then be included). That way Lara could get her points ‘out there’, without a more direct confrontation.
As for ‘Voce’, the Italian lyrics are readily available on line (e.g., www.lyricsmania.com/lara_fabian_-_voce_lyrics_sanremo.html), and a translation is given below:
----------------------------------
Voice (Voce)
(Cristiano Cremonini)
Voice for who has no voice
To give a meaning to this time…
Voice that is noise of the city
Enters me like the wind…
I sing all the silence that
Is screaming around me, around me
Tell me who you are, voice in the air
I want to mix myself up inside of you
Sing for you from the bottom of the soul
With the strength to win…That remains in me…
To live again, to dream again
Until joining you…
This voice that never stops
Giving a meaning to this time…
I sing, the profound power that
The serenity contains in itself, contains in itself…
Tell me who you are, voice that goes in the wind
The clear song of mine I dedicate to you… to you
Wherever you are…the intense breath of yours
To win again, to discover again
The happiness locked inside us
------------------------------------
As for the included DVD, ‘Un soir autour du monde’, here are some personal impressions.
**Extremely beautifully filmed, wonderful color, camera angles, direction – could not have been better.
**Lara looked very beautiful – as good as she has looked in any of her DVDs (considering also that she is in her mid 40s).
**This is a ‘no drama’ DVD – Lara looked completely relaxed and happy, without any discernible tension.
**That made this an ‘ordinary’ concert – perfectly representative of the concerts she gave on her ‘round the world’ tour. It didn’t really seem ‘special’ in any way; on the positive side, that implies the various cameras didn’t get in the way or were on the performers’ minds.
**Lara’s voice was perfectly controlled, she hit all the notes, however high or low, without much effort, and was powerful where it needed to be. Granted, her voice is not quite as full or as powerful as, say, in the Molson Centre concert from 20 years ago; neither is there the underlying emotional tension that propelled her singing back then. But one guesses that both the original audience and anyone watching this DVD would be perfectly satisfied with what they hear.
**The sound offering for the DVD is either 5.1 or stereo; the sound recording is excellent and using the 5.1 choice makes everything sound much fuller, including Lara’s voice.
**There is a choice of French subtitles, which are used when Lara speaks to the audience in English. This almost never happens on the DVD, so the subtitles rarely show up. There is very little talking to the audience shown here.
**Actually we know Lara did speak much more to the audience, because we have fan videos from the original concert, in June of 2015, that display it. While she spoke in both languages on that occasion, there is extensive dialogue in English.
**Since this was meant primarily (at least initially) for her French audience (and advertised to the French public as a way of spreading the French language), the concert dialogue was not included. Instead we get, every couple of songs, Lara being interviewed in French by Frederic Lopez. That takes place on a boat in Paris going down a river (probably the Seine). The discussion covers the usual topics – Lara’s multi-language history, Love, etc., sometimes appropriate to the up-coming song (i.e., gay rights before La Difference).
**One of the topics of conversation is the new album ‘Ma vie dans la tienne’ – so, assuming this segment was shown in the theatre as well, there was a tie-in after all, however brief. The movie then segued to the video of ‘Ma vie dans la tienne’, which makes one think this DVD was finished shortly before it was shown in the theatres.
**All of the songs are done sufficiently well that there would be no complaint, but a few stand out. Surprisingly, ‘Yelliel’ is one of them, and gets a standing ovation from the crowd. ‘Angel’ and ‘Je suis malade’ are two others; different viewers might well choose additional/different songs.
**All in all, this is quite a well-done DVD, though perhaps due to its lack of intense emotional content it won’t engender the type of fanatic following that some of her earlier ones have. Nevertheless, Lara should consider eventually offering it for sale on its own, as it is a worthy entry into her pantheon of live concerts. Given that some 7 of the songs are in English, it could even be sold in countries speaking that language. However, note that this DVD is ‘Pal’, so is meant for European audiences.
It’s probably too early to know how this re-release will affect total sales, but in France, for physical CDs, it has jumped up 30 places and is now #58; in Belgium, the album is still at #22.
In the third notable item of the week, Lara was on the show “Les Annees Bonheur” with Patrick Sebastien. She performed a medley of the songs ‘Humana”, "J’y crois encore” and, in homage to the new album, “Ton desir” (which made some people think that for some 'upbeat' public appearances, that is really the third single). Lara put a link to the video on her FB site, and it can be seen at:
www.facebook.com/larafabian.artist/videos/828113003999330/
Also included was a clip from the show “C’est votre vie Patrick Sebastien” from last December 15th, in which Lara performed a very well regarded spoof of an old Patrick Sebastien hit, “Si tu pouvais fermer ta gueule”. This was also then reproduced separately on youtube,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=633tI3rSpU0
From the hosts’ reception of her, to Lara’s ease, it is clear she is now once again one of the ‘inner circle’ of entertainment celebrities in the French music world. Mission certainly accomplished! Some photos of the show were captured by Lara Fabian Greece (https://www.facebook.com/443548625770236/photos/a.443804005744698.1073741828.443548625770236/483850448406720/?type=3&theater) and also Irina Popova (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=964730570271838&set=pcb.964730783605150&type=3&theater).
And speaking of past events, there is a nice video of Lara singing at MFM last month, performing an acoustic version of “Ma vie dans la tienne”, available at
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChuPUP6qreE
As for future events, Lara is now off for a few weeks, to both rest and spend time with her family. However, the show "LE JOURNAL INTIME DE LARA FABIAN", the ‘intimate’ interview with Thomas Van Hamme will be shown on RTL TVI this coming Sunday.
In other news, Lara attended the show ‘Cats’ at the Théatre Mogador in Paris and posted some pictures of herself with cast members on her website, available at:
www.facebook.com/larafabianofficial/photos/pcb.1095961977111965/1095961807111982/?type=3&theater
She included the caption, “What a beautiful show! "Cats" at the Theatre Mogador! Thanks to Pierre-Yves and the whole cast of cats! Purr..."
Interesting photo(s) of the week: Lara with Olivier Ciappa after the concert in Marseilles
scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xft1/v/t1.0-9/10264435_1226099334069494_8080991721767116405_n.jpg?oh=822d967ca4818744d8ea39992777d559&oe=577B44A5
From 'Lara Fabian Web.com', photo of Derbey Pscale
www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10209257688185164&set=a.1590240081826.189232.1410574277&type=3&theater
And – something different – a visual illustration of the song “Je reve d’un etoile”, put together by Tarcisio Junior (thanks to the Lara Fabian Voice of Passion site for the link):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcIpSvNGrmo&feature=youtu.be
As Lara is off the concert stage until April 20th (in Romania), this coming week the event to look forward to will be the show with Thomas Van Hamme on April 3rd. Even though many of these French TV shows are blocked to international audiences, Lara’s Team has recently been putting them on her site; hopefully that will happen with this one as well (a sentiment shared by many who have written in to Lara’s site about it). Otherwise, with the French/Belgian portion of her tour over until June, Lara will probably need to find some other way to stay relevant, so we should all ‘stay tuned’.
David
