Post by davidhr on Sept 6, 2016 7:54:54 GMT -5
Lara had no public events this past week, and instead used the time to elude to upcoming projects/events. One of the topics on her mind was the upcoming concert in Athens. She (or her team) posted a link to the video from ‘Vivement dimanche’ of her 2012 duet with Nana Mouskouri of her song "La Vie, L'Amour, La Mort", at:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmDRzCSV-n0
If one wants to see a version with English subtitles, that can be found at:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQTo3ACXJgc
As long as we’re on the topic of the ‘Nana’, remember Lara’s performance of ‘Soleil, soleil’ on the show ‘Quelque chose en nous de’, where Nana Mouskouri surprised her? It doesn’t appear to be on youtube, so I’ve put it at the following download link:
app.box.com/s/7qd83scenwi3q9eyhuma
And then while we’re on the topic of Greece, there are of course Lara’s interactions with Mario Frangoulis, first with their duet of ‘All Alone Am I’
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCuaOV-1r9k
and then of course their severely curtailed version of ‘So In Love’ from ‘Delovely’,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYad5ZVdwoc
One wonders whether she will be seeing him at all in Athens; they don’t seem to have had any public interactions in the last few years.
Finally, there are Lara’s doings with George Perris; you may remember Lara sang a duet with him, ‘Ma solitude’, which appeared on his album ‘Un Souhait’. An audio version with subtitled lyrics (in French) can be found at:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCbrADxqjW0
Lara has attended some of his concerts, and still appears to be a big fan, feelings which appear mutual. There has no been no indication from Lara that any ‘guest stars’ will appear with her in Athens, although we’ll have to wait and see. The concert is still two weeks away.
Of more immediate interest is Lara’s upcoming appearance at the "New Wave Festival" in Sochi, Russia tomorrow (Sept. 7th), so she’s likely there already. She notes on her site that she “will perform together with other international artists such as Sumi Jo and Anna Netrebko the music composed by Igor Krutoy”. As discussed in previous Updates, Lara is returning to this festival after missing last year for some unspecified reason, rumored to be a disagreement with Krutoi (or just possibly the international community’s disapproval of Russia that forced the festival to move from Latvia to Russia in the first place). Lara gave a link to the festival (in English) at newwavestars.eu/en/, and the ‘Lara Fabian est ton autre site’ found (or created) a relevant ‘poster’, visible at:
www.facebook.com/166959643357708/photos/a.168982793155393.43222.166959643357708/1095318910521772/?type=3&theater
If one clicks on the subsequent picture links at that site, one sees Lara is included in the general posters, e.g.,
www.facebook.com/166959643357708/photos/pcb.1091688670884796/1091680507552279/?type=3&theater
Then, perhaps as a nod to the coming English album, which she is presumably working on now, Lara put a link to her official video of ‘I Am Who I Am’ from her self-titled English album, at
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZszCb5Yx4E&feature=youtu.be
with the caption, a quote from Oscar Wilde, “Be yourself.. Everyone else is already taken.”
BTW, concerning that album: current iTunes position (some 16 years later): #25 Armenia; #42 Uzbekistan; #71 Moldova; #129 Ukraine.
She also put on a link of the audio of the song “Conquered” from the album ‘A Wonderful Life’, at:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXX6_jBjGTk&list=PL81fpur68UovBMaPdoGG33L09qF1b0aPU&index=11
quoting the lyrics,
“When I thought that love was gone, all gone
(You made me believe) And you proved that love was strong, so strong...Because you touched inside of me…
Something I would never have believed
Until...Until you conquered me”
Ironically, these two songs express somewhat opposing points of view of the value of ‘individuality’ – one glorifying its dominance, the other, its subservience.
In memorializing songs from the two ‘wide-scale’ English releases, let’s not forget the other English album, ‘Every Woman in Me’ (EWIM) which seems to slip through the cracks in Lara’s thinking. It is still commercially available, e.g., through FNAC (http://musique.fnac.com/a2788707/Lara-Fabian-EWIM-CD-album).
All of the above interactions were carried out on Lara’s site primarily in English, and Lara’s team once more had to fend off complaints about why French was not being used. As Lara's team has also had to do the past few weeks with respect to the concerts in Turkey, they noted that in appealing to the audience in certain foreign countries (most, in fact), it was necessary to address them in the (foreign) language that was most understood, to be effective. In this case they had the added explanation that the two songs referred to were in English to begin with. Again, this will be a battle that will be waged with even more frequency when Lara starts promoting the next English language album. In a way, this is where her desire to be fully recognized as an “International” artist hits home most clearly: to communicate most effectively she risks alienating her passionate French language fans. Perhaps, as was done with the latest announcement for the Athens concert, her team will make sure that everything given is written in French as well. [Or maybe they will lose patience, and won’t do that
].
There is some carryover from last week’s events in Turkey. Lara was featured in an article in the August edition of Skyroad, which the ‘Lara Fabian est notre vie’ FB site posted, at (https://www.facebook.com/126019024417182/photos/pcb.310119739340442/310119366007146/?type=3). They also showed the translation, which I’ve copied below. Although it is presented in the light of her appearance in Turkey, the interview is of much more general interest concerning Lara and her thinking.
---------------------------------------------------
Lara Fabian
I am a lot more ordinary woman than you think
Europe first knew of Lara Fabian in 1988 Eurovision Song Contest. The first country she went abroad for a concert was Turkey, to Cesme when she was only 19 years old. Today Lara Fabian is now 46 years old and she is a world star with more than 20 million records sold worldwide. Nowadays she is counting down for a huge concert in Cesme as a tribute to the past. Skyroad interviewed the legendary artist before this long-awaited concert.
When you first came to Cesme, Turkey, you were 19 years old. How does it feel to go on the stage in Cesme after all those years?
LF: Cesme has a significant place in my music career. It was a starting point for me and I was a young girl who was giving a concert in a foreign country to a different audience. An unforgettable memory.
Your duet with Mustafa Ceceli has been popular. Have you met with the songwriter Sezen Aksu? She announced that she quit music. What do you think about it?
LF: Unfortunately, I did not have that chance. She is a legendary musician not only in Turkey, but also the world that we call World Music. I am looking forward to meeting her. I cannot believe that she gives up on music. She can’t do that. It would be such a big loss for Turkey and the world music.
You have been a part of many projects for tolerance but the world gets more and more cruel by the day. Where will that go?
LF: I am worried about our children and the next generations. Violence, war and civil war, materialism and racism are at alarming levels. Nature is being destroyed, animals are tortured, cities and countries are torn apart, millions of people are refugees, and they lose their lives as they try to immigrate by the sea. We all need to create inner peace first.
You first appeared on TV in Eurovision. This year Jamala was the winner with an original performance. Her song was about the genocide that fell upon her family…How did you find her? Can you talk about Eurovision in the changing times?
LF: When I participated in Eurovision, it was a different contest. It was not a pop music show with more than 40 participant countries that was held in large arenas back then. Quality has been improved in the recent years. I am sorry that Turkey does not participate in it. I hope TRT returns to Eurovision next year. Jamala had a stunning performance in which she merged ethnic melodies with pop music with her incredible aura and amazing voice.
Your husband is an illusionist. Is it different to be married to an illusionist? What is the greatest illusion in life do you think?
LF: Greatest illusion performance of my husband is a single, word, action or look that makes me fall in love with him again and again. I wrote a song for him in my latest album in French. It is called “Illusionist”. Like I said in the lyrics, “Illusionist casts away my sorrow all of a sudden, brings up the sun in the morning, and he knows the true meaning of love without any cheating”. Most magical thing in life is love and nothing else matters.
You have more than 20 million albums sold. The world does not only admire your voice but also you beauty. Who does Lara Fabian admire?
LF: Thank you. There are so many people that I admire. First of all, Barbra Streisand. However, many people that I admire the most are not artists. People that try to make it through another day in the face of financial troubles, single mothers, and those who smile and spread love against all odds.
Lara Fabian reminds us of a pure voice and beauty. What else would you like to add to it?
LF: Thank you again. My voice is a gift from God. Of course I don’t waste it. I practice singing lessons every day. Lara is the daughter of a Sicilian mother, and a wife, a friend and a neighbor. I might be living a more modest life than you would imagine, trying to be happy and make others happy.
Songwriters get inspired in different ways. What is your source of inspiration? How were your popular songs written?
LF: Almost all the songs that I have written or made have stories. Sometimes, I think of a melody or a phrase as I am driving, walking on the street or cooking. I sing it on the phone. It is like that, not like sitting down to write it.
You look very calm, but calm people can do the craziest things. What was the craziest thing that you did?
LF: In many languages, they say “calm waters are deep”. I look calm but I do not keep calm all the time. That wouldn’t be fun, would it? I am Mediterranean. Doing crazy things has something to do with humor. Sometimes I enjoy saying something very funny when it is least expected. I love laughing and making others laugh.
What does travel mean to you? What is your favorite place?
LF: Traveling is my lifestyle as it is a part of my career. Traveling is freedom. It opens up your horizons. That’s why I’m lucky. I have traveled to many parts of the world but there are places that I haven’t been to yet. Australia, for example.
What is your priority about the places that you visit for pleasure rather than tours? How does it feel to be famous wherever you go?
LF: I am a Belgian and Canadian citizen. I am the happiest in Canada. Montreal is the place where I moved to when I was 18 and started my career. It is a beautiful country with smiling faces. I feel happy the moment I step on Montreal Airport. I hope to move back to Montreal with my family in near future.
Where is your shelter whenever you are upset and you don’t want to talk to anyone?
LF: I am rarely upset and when that happens my mobile phone is my savior, and my husband and I start to type each other. At home, my little daughter is the guarantee that I will not be upset even for a second.
I think you were most amazed by the Ottoman architecture, Izmir sandwich and Bosphorus Strait in Turkey. Is there any change in these?
LF: These are stereotypes. I can say that there is more to Turkey for me than the Bosphorus and kebab. I’d love to stay long enough to travel by the Aegean, reaching out to the Black Sea and Lake Van. I would love to see it. Istanbul is a world capital and even if I stayed one month, that would still fall short for Istanbul.
------------------------------------------
If Lara actually means what she said here about soon moving with her family to Montreal, and it was not just a whimsical remark, then her fans in Belgium and France will have a lot more to worry about than her website featuring comments in English! Again, taking that remark at face value, it could occur in conjunction with her North American tour, when she will be in the vicinity…It would be hard to picture her doing this while her parents were ill. Nevertheless, one wonders given Lara’s remark about her concern for “our children” whether the terrorist attacks in Brussels and Paris have made her reconsider the timing of a move to Canada - she had once said it would have to wait until “Lou went to college”. Stay tuned!
Interesting photo of the week: from Lara’s official FB site, where she included the caption, “Bon dimanche ! I wish you all a beautiful Sunday !”
www.facebook.com/larafabianofficial/photos/a.215378125170359.50343.201065806601591/1225357310839097/?type=3
And, in honor of Lara’s coming trip to Greece, a picture from the Lara Fabian Greece FB site, with that same sentiment,
www.facebook.com/larafabiangreece/photos/a.443804005744698.1073741828.443548625770236/540034576121640/?type=3&theater
Lara’s appearance in Sochi as part of the New Wave Festival will highlight her activity in the coming week. Hopefully there will be videos of her appearance – there usually are from that event. [Also, remember at one time Lara talked about buying a home in Moscow…obviously that hasn’t happened…]. She will get a chance to talk with Krutoi, and perhaps move forward with all the unreleased music they have prepared over the last few years, showcased at some of the previous New Wave appearances. Why not release that long-promised multi-lingual album as well?. It is said to include some Italian songs, and so might accompany a tour of Italy [dream on…]
David
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmDRzCSV-n0
If one wants to see a version with English subtitles, that can be found at:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQTo3ACXJgc
As long as we’re on the topic of the ‘Nana’, remember Lara’s performance of ‘Soleil, soleil’ on the show ‘Quelque chose en nous de’, where Nana Mouskouri surprised her? It doesn’t appear to be on youtube, so I’ve put it at the following download link:
app.box.com/s/7qd83scenwi3q9eyhuma
And then while we’re on the topic of Greece, there are of course Lara’s interactions with Mario Frangoulis, first with their duet of ‘All Alone Am I’
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCuaOV-1r9k
and then of course their severely curtailed version of ‘So In Love’ from ‘Delovely’,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYad5ZVdwoc
One wonders whether she will be seeing him at all in Athens; they don’t seem to have had any public interactions in the last few years.
Finally, there are Lara’s doings with George Perris; you may remember Lara sang a duet with him, ‘Ma solitude’, which appeared on his album ‘Un Souhait’. An audio version with subtitled lyrics (in French) can be found at:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCbrADxqjW0
Lara has attended some of his concerts, and still appears to be a big fan, feelings which appear mutual. There has no been no indication from Lara that any ‘guest stars’ will appear with her in Athens, although we’ll have to wait and see. The concert is still two weeks away.
Of more immediate interest is Lara’s upcoming appearance at the "New Wave Festival" in Sochi, Russia tomorrow (Sept. 7th), so she’s likely there already. She notes on her site that she “will perform together with other international artists such as Sumi Jo and Anna Netrebko the music composed by Igor Krutoy”. As discussed in previous Updates, Lara is returning to this festival after missing last year for some unspecified reason, rumored to be a disagreement with Krutoi (or just possibly the international community’s disapproval of Russia that forced the festival to move from Latvia to Russia in the first place). Lara gave a link to the festival (in English) at newwavestars.eu/en/, and the ‘Lara Fabian est ton autre site’ found (or created) a relevant ‘poster’, visible at:
www.facebook.com/166959643357708/photos/a.168982793155393.43222.166959643357708/1095318910521772/?type=3&theater
If one clicks on the subsequent picture links at that site, one sees Lara is included in the general posters, e.g.,
www.facebook.com/166959643357708/photos/pcb.1091688670884796/1091680507552279/?type=3&theater
Then, perhaps as a nod to the coming English album, which she is presumably working on now, Lara put a link to her official video of ‘I Am Who I Am’ from her self-titled English album, at
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZszCb5Yx4E&feature=youtu.be
with the caption, a quote from Oscar Wilde, “Be yourself.. Everyone else is already taken.”
BTW, concerning that album: current iTunes position (some 16 years later): #25 Armenia; #42 Uzbekistan; #71 Moldova; #129 Ukraine.
She also put on a link of the audio of the song “Conquered” from the album ‘A Wonderful Life’, at:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXX6_jBjGTk&list=PL81fpur68UovBMaPdoGG33L09qF1b0aPU&index=11
quoting the lyrics,
“When I thought that love was gone, all gone
(You made me believe) And you proved that love was strong, so strong...Because you touched inside of me…
Something I would never have believed
Until...Until you conquered me”
Ironically, these two songs express somewhat opposing points of view of the value of ‘individuality’ – one glorifying its dominance, the other, its subservience.
In memorializing songs from the two ‘wide-scale’ English releases, let’s not forget the other English album, ‘Every Woman in Me’ (EWIM) which seems to slip through the cracks in Lara’s thinking. It is still commercially available, e.g., through FNAC (http://musique.fnac.com/a2788707/Lara-Fabian-EWIM-CD-album).
All of the above interactions were carried out on Lara’s site primarily in English, and Lara’s team once more had to fend off complaints about why French was not being used. As Lara's team has also had to do the past few weeks with respect to the concerts in Turkey, they noted that in appealing to the audience in certain foreign countries (most, in fact), it was necessary to address them in the (foreign) language that was most understood, to be effective. In this case they had the added explanation that the two songs referred to were in English to begin with. Again, this will be a battle that will be waged with even more frequency when Lara starts promoting the next English language album. In a way, this is where her desire to be fully recognized as an “International” artist hits home most clearly: to communicate most effectively she risks alienating her passionate French language fans. Perhaps, as was done with the latest announcement for the Athens concert, her team will make sure that everything given is written in French as well. [Or maybe they will lose patience, and won’t do that
].There is some carryover from last week’s events in Turkey. Lara was featured in an article in the August edition of Skyroad, which the ‘Lara Fabian est notre vie’ FB site posted, at (https://www.facebook.com/126019024417182/photos/pcb.310119739340442/310119366007146/?type=3). They also showed the translation, which I’ve copied below. Although it is presented in the light of her appearance in Turkey, the interview is of much more general interest concerning Lara and her thinking.
---------------------------------------------------
Lara Fabian
I am a lot more ordinary woman than you think
Europe first knew of Lara Fabian in 1988 Eurovision Song Contest. The first country she went abroad for a concert was Turkey, to Cesme when she was only 19 years old. Today Lara Fabian is now 46 years old and she is a world star with more than 20 million records sold worldwide. Nowadays she is counting down for a huge concert in Cesme as a tribute to the past. Skyroad interviewed the legendary artist before this long-awaited concert.
When you first came to Cesme, Turkey, you were 19 years old. How does it feel to go on the stage in Cesme after all those years?
LF: Cesme has a significant place in my music career. It was a starting point for me and I was a young girl who was giving a concert in a foreign country to a different audience. An unforgettable memory.
Your duet with Mustafa Ceceli has been popular. Have you met with the songwriter Sezen Aksu? She announced that she quit music. What do you think about it?
LF: Unfortunately, I did not have that chance. She is a legendary musician not only in Turkey, but also the world that we call World Music. I am looking forward to meeting her. I cannot believe that she gives up on music. She can’t do that. It would be such a big loss for Turkey and the world music.
You have been a part of many projects for tolerance but the world gets more and more cruel by the day. Where will that go?
LF: I am worried about our children and the next generations. Violence, war and civil war, materialism and racism are at alarming levels. Nature is being destroyed, animals are tortured, cities and countries are torn apart, millions of people are refugees, and they lose their lives as they try to immigrate by the sea. We all need to create inner peace first.
You first appeared on TV in Eurovision. This year Jamala was the winner with an original performance. Her song was about the genocide that fell upon her family…How did you find her? Can you talk about Eurovision in the changing times?
LF: When I participated in Eurovision, it was a different contest. It was not a pop music show with more than 40 participant countries that was held in large arenas back then. Quality has been improved in the recent years. I am sorry that Turkey does not participate in it. I hope TRT returns to Eurovision next year. Jamala had a stunning performance in which she merged ethnic melodies with pop music with her incredible aura and amazing voice.
Your husband is an illusionist. Is it different to be married to an illusionist? What is the greatest illusion in life do you think?
LF: Greatest illusion performance of my husband is a single, word, action or look that makes me fall in love with him again and again. I wrote a song for him in my latest album in French. It is called “Illusionist”. Like I said in the lyrics, “Illusionist casts away my sorrow all of a sudden, brings up the sun in the morning, and he knows the true meaning of love without any cheating”. Most magical thing in life is love and nothing else matters.
You have more than 20 million albums sold. The world does not only admire your voice but also you beauty. Who does Lara Fabian admire?
LF: Thank you. There are so many people that I admire. First of all, Barbra Streisand. However, many people that I admire the most are not artists. People that try to make it through another day in the face of financial troubles, single mothers, and those who smile and spread love against all odds.
Lara Fabian reminds us of a pure voice and beauty. What else would you like to add to it?
LF: Thank you again. My voice is a gift from God. Of course I don’t waste it. I practice singing lessons every day. Lara is the daughter of a Sicilian mother, and a wife, a friend and a neighbor. I might be living a more modest life than you would imagine, trying to be happy and make others happy.
Songwriters get inspired in different ways. What is your source of inspiration? How were your popular songs written?
LF: Almost all the songs that I have written or made have stories. Sometimes, I think of a melody or a phrase as I am driving, walking on the street or cooking. I sing it on the phone. It is like that, not like sitting down to write it.
You look very calm, but calm people can do the craziest things. What was the craziest thing that you did?
LF: In many languages, they say “calm waters are deep”. I look calm but I do not keep calm all the time. That wouldn’t be fun, would it? I am Mediterranean. Doing crazy things has something to do with humor. Sometimes I enjoy saying something very funny when it is least expected. I love laughing and making others laugh.
What does travel mean to you? What is your favorite place?
LF: Traveling is my lifestyle as it is a part of my career. Traveling is freedom. It opens up your horizons. That’s why I’m lucky. I have traveled to many parts of the world but there are places that I haven’t been to yet. Australia, for example.
What is your priority about the places that you visit for pleasure rather than tours? How does it feel to be famous wherever you go?
LF: I am a Belgian and Canadian citizen. I am the happiest in Canada. Montreal is the place where I moved to when I was 18 and started my career. It is a beautiful country with smiling faces. I feel happy the moment I step on Montreal Airport. I hope to move back to Montreal with my family in near future.
Where is your shelter whenever you are upset and you don’t want to talk to anyone?
LF: I am rarely upset and when that happens my mobile phone is my savior, and my husband and I start to type each other. At home, my little daughter is the guarantee that I will not be upset even for a second.
I think you were most amazed by the Ottoman architecture, Izmir sandwich and Bosphorus Strait in Turkey. Is there any change in these?
LF: These are stereotypes. I can say that there is more to Turkey for me than the Bosphorus and kebab. I’d love to stay long enough to travel by the Aegean, reaching out to the Black Sea and Lake Van. I would love to see it. Istanbul is a world capital and even if I stayed one month, that would still fall short for Istanbul.
------------------------------------------
If Lara actually means what she said here about soon moving with her family to Montreal, and it was not just a whimsical remark, then her fans in Belgium and France will have a lot more to worry about than her website featuring comments in English! Again, taking that remark at face value, it could occur in conjunction with her North American tour, when she will be in the vicinity…It would be hard to picture her doing this while her parents were ill. Nevertheless, one wonders given Lara’s remark about her concern for “our children” whether the terrorist attacks in Brussels and Paris have made her reconsider the timing of a move to Canada - she had once said it would have to wait until “Lou went to college”. Stay tuned!
Interesting photo of the week: from Lara’s official FB site, where she included the caption, “Bon dimanche ! I wish you all a beautiful Sunday !”
www.facebook.com/larafabianofficial/photos/a.215378125170359.50343.201065806601591/1225357310839097/?type=3
And, in honor of Lara’s coming trip to Greece, a picture from the Lara Fabian Greece FB site, with that same sentiment,
www.facebook.com/larafabiangreece/photos/a.443804005744698.1073741828.443548625770236/540034576121640/?type=3&theater
Lara’s appearance in Sochi as part of the New Wave Festival will highlight her activity in the coming week. Hopefully there will be videos of her appearance – there usually are from that event. [Also, remember at one time Lara talked about buying a home in Moscow…obviously that hasn’t happened…]. She will get a chance to talk with Krutoi, and perhaps move forward with all the unreleased music they have prepared over the last few years, showcased at some of the previous New Wave appearances. Why not release that long-promised multi-lingual album as well?
. It is said to include some Italian songs, and so might accompany a tour of Italy [dream on…] David
