Post by davidhr on Oct 25, 2022 7:27:52 GMT -5
Lara concluded the western European portion of her tour this past week and celebrated it with a photo, at
www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=693969442087352&set=a.259330805551220
or
and the accompanying message: “End of the "Best Of" tour in France... Thank you all for coming to meet me... What a pleasure to have found you again... to have met your smiles, your looks... thank you for your flowers, your words and your testimonies of love… 30 years that music has bound us… 30 years that you have followed me faithfully… I feel so privileged and full of gratitude for all the kindness you offer me… I love you…💕
See you soon ….”
Despite the health difficulties that popped up, it seems as if it was a big success (which one can judge by all the wonderful praise she received on social media, both as a ‘performer’ and as a ‘trooper’, not allowing the difficulties to stop her).
Le Cannet was the last stop on the French tour and Laurent Martinache uploaded videos [8]
www.youtube.com/c/LaurentMartinache/videos
Before the show Lara had a 3 minute interview on the radio there, and it can be heard at
www.francebleu.fr/emissions/tapis-rouge/azur?fbclid=IwAR2NSNuK6BiZLt7CtDRVjEvoFTovEDp68bWdmJgPKaeWtJkibQkGcAbYM5Y
In addition to promoting the concert, it was also a chance to promote her book (which was referred to as Je passe a table). [Thanks to the Lara Fabian Coeur de lumière FB site for the link].
Lara then moved on and quickly completed the three eastern European concerts, in Budapest, Belgrade and (last night) Tallin. There are videos from all three concerts which, as one would expect, had the same setlist as the earlier shows.
1) Budapest (10/20)
Damir Jalensky [8]
www.youtube.com/channel/UC50TCQMvc8RYtSIRRIAWUCw/videos
Szeréna Gyarmati [4]
www.youtube.com/user/1989bpgirl
Csaba Hévizi [5]
www.youtube.com/channel/UCZvNCaNOhV2WIAbAObZJE3w/videos
Árvácska Dul [6]
www.youtube.com/user/24Tunderke/videos
Janos Horvath [3]
www.youtube.com/channel/UCur6wV8JDSSPCOJ4msB4ROw/videos
The latter included a nice duet of Pas sans toi,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8kSX4r0tqI&ab_channel=J%C3%A1nosHorv%C3%A1th
And Lara’s closing, in Hungarian, can be seen at
www.youtube.com/shorts/M5eVuCrybQ8
2) Belgrade (10/22)
She seemed to be in good voice, as one can hear from her singing of Adagio
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahhfOaNcmjI
Caruso
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUb4fngxJew&ab_channel=NenadErcegovcevicOfficial
and Je suis malade:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCunGSSQdOo&ab_channel=BorisRadusinovic
There are various other videos from this concert:
Love Lara [5]
www.youtube.com/channel/UCRbRNgb3ayJEHR2iPFcfwsw/videos
Lara The Ring Fabian [2]
www.youtube.com/channel/UCrU8ynwJtIdQ_jVg3ZN9kRA/videos
Zorna R [6]
www.youtube.com/user/Zoran630/videos
One can also hear Lena Kovacevic, brought in for the occasion, singing at
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tubUxwzytdw&ab_channel=ZoranR.
3) Tallinn (10/24)
Martvil [4]
www.youtube.com/channel/UCEeKXe9VBbkcIb2VFNTqI-A/videos
Timo Kanerva [2]
www.youtube.com/user/Rackelhane/videos
Lara The Ring Fabian
Humana: www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyOl0uB-6uE&ab_channel=LaraTheRingFabian
Unlike in France, these concerts were a big thing, and thus were covered and reviewed. Here’s a review of the concert in Budapest (https://zene.hu/20221022_angyal_szallt_le_kozenk_lara_fabian_budapesten_koncertezett):
--------------------------------
An angel landed among us: Lara Fabian gave a concert in Budapest
When we already feel that the work is coming at us from all directions, the junk, the "chili-vili glare", when we think that we can only get our heads around it, when something monumental, grandiose or similar extra adjectives have to be added. Well, then Lara Fabian comes and I run out of words!
The Belgian-Canadian singer, songwriter, musician, actor and producer, one of the most successful European artists of all time, performed again in Budapest. The fans were waiting for her for a long time, because due to the Covid epidemic, her concert would not have taken place now, but, as the saying goes: "good things are worth waiting for."
Lara Fabian is a magical phenomenon, we can confidently state this after her one and a half hour concert. The singer sings in nine languages: French, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Hebrew, Flemish, German and Russian. With 20 million sold albums behind her, she returned to Hungary with the 50 World Tour. With this concert tour, she celebrated her 50th birthday at the same time, although she turned 52 in the meantime, but it doesn't show on her.
Lara was only 18 years old when her single Croire sold 500,000 copies in Europe. Her second album, Carpe Diem, has already achieved triple platinum status. Her career progressed well, and by the end of the 90s she had already gained world fame, her records included such hits as "I Will Love Again" or "Adagio".
Perhaps her 2002 DVD, which featured a selection of her greatest hits, including her song "Je t'aime", which was sung along with her by the audience of tens of thousands, was perhaps even more well-known, but the instead of the original "Je t'aime' (I love you), the fans sang 'On t'aime' (We love you).
When you listen to Lara Fabian, you feel as if you are in a slightly different dimension. In the Papp László Arena, it was enough for the singer to stand in the light, in an elegant black dress, and start singing. No one was looking for LED walls or fire plumes. You were natural or honest if you like. Which sometimes we start to forget that it even exists. As she told her stories between songs, you could feel that an angel had just landed among us.
The concert was accompanied only by the band and the vocalists, who otherwise would have stood their ground as independent singers. In this case, we say "she sang well". Although, even better than that... Lara was compared to Céline Dion by the industry for years, and she always emphasized that she is not just a pop singer. Her style is a mix of pop/rock, contemporary and classical music, sometimes with a bit of country.
Among other things, "Je suis malade", "Je t'aime" or "Adagio" were also performed in the Arena, but if someone is not familiar with Lara Fabian's songs and just sat down to listen, even they will not be disappointed. In fact! The audience was able to leave with such clarity and deep feelings that only real great artists are capable of. During the evening, the singer said "thank you very much" several times in perfect Hungarian, so we can only say to her: "Merci, Lara!"
M. Adri
----------------------------------
For those who saw Lara in concert during this tour (or any time else), these words and sentiments are very familiar...
And that’s it – her long awaited concert tour is now over. In little under one month she had 18 concerts, not all without incident as we know, but overall a smashing success. It may well be a long time before we see another one, as it would probably require a new album as incentive to get back out on the road.
As one further celebration of this tour, Lara is featured in the October 28th edition of the Canadian publication 7Jours. Lara Fabian The Netherlands FB site provided a photo of the cover, at
www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=537014458431949&set=pcb.537015635098498
and then also provided scans of the article(s) [thank you!]. Here’s the translation:
------------------------------------------
Exclusive
Meeting in Paris with her friend and director Joel Legendre
“It is backstage of the Olympia that I chose to attend the show of Lara Fabian. I vibrated with her, with the sisters Riverin, with all the musicians from Quebec, and also with the French audience. On this first evening, in this mythical room, Lara will have swept everything in her path. She received not less than a dozen ovations and a quantity of voices raised to cry to her “I love you Lara”. But that which I remember above all, it is to what extent the young girl who came from Belgium to install herself among us at the age of 19 years lives to this day as the best ambassador of who we are! Her name in capital letters may shine on the famous marquee of this theater, but that light will never equal the light that emanates from Lara's soul when I am lucky enough to have her near me. So I join the audience in shouting out loud, "I love you, Lara!””[NB: As he’s Canadian, when referring to ‘us’, he means Canadians].
Lara Fabian: Quebec follows me in this adventure
In the City of Light, her name is everywhere: on the huge displays in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Pres, on the luminous screens along the Seine, and even on the Champs-Elysees. But it is the huge red neon letters on the emblematic marquee of the Olympia that strike the imagination most. Lara Fabian is performing there tonight, and I'm happy to be there as a director and a guest. So I bring for you news of our Lara and I also take advantage of it to make you live, as if you were there, her great return on stage in France. Meeting with a woman and a fulfilled artist.
Lara, tonight you're performing in a theater where the greatest legends have sung. How do you feel a few hours before going on this stage where Piaf, Becaud, Hallyday and Dassin performed?
LF: I am both excited and aware of how lucky I am to be singing in this mythical venue, and I have been for three decades now.
Do you remember your very first time?
LF: Definitely! I was 27 years old. I even remember how I had my hair done: a kind of tropical pineapple hairstyle! (Laughs). But let's say it was fashionable! And, for the first time in my life, I was wearing Dolce & Gabbana. I thought I was going all out!
And to come back to it again and again, how does it feel?
LF: It's incredible to feel the love of the French public that comes to see me there. It's so heartwarming! It's a privilege, and I know it.
How do you prepare for a big tour like the one you are about to experience?
LF: I stop eating and drink water! (Laughs) Seriously, I eat in a very monastic way. I have weighed portions, quality foods. I also have my vocal trainer who follows me night after night. I try to sleep as much as possible and talk as little as possible.
It's a bit like entering a monastery?
LF: Absolutely! But I think it's my duty. I consider that people deserve to have the best of what I can be, and that comes with a certain discipline.
Do you have any rituals before going on stage?
LF: Yes, I have one that consists of looking each artist and technician who will be on stage with me straight in the eye, while giving them a kind of electric shock that goes from my thumbs to theirs. It's as if we were transmitting a constructive energy to each other before going on stage. I like that we are all together backstage for this transmission of energy.
You brought Quebec with you on this tour. Where did this desire come from?
LF: Because there is no better place for a peaceful atmosphere on tour than the people of Quebec. Because of the simplicity of the way it works, but also because they have a very resilient spirit. If there is any problem, they will see it as a challenge and find a way to solve it quickly. Touring with Quebecers is very comfortable.
How do you manage your personal life through this tour?
LF: My daughter, Lou, has just moved to Europe for a few months so I didn't want to confuse her any further. My family comes to see me here in Paris, and then we grit our teeth until the end of this tour. We'll get together when it's over.
And this decision, for whom is it more difficult, for your daughter or for you?
For me! Lou is so happy with Gabriel! When I told her my plan, she looked at me and said, "When are you leaving, Mom?
You have sung all over the world, what is it about the Quebec audience that you don't find elsewhere?
LF: Tenderness... (Lara starts to cry softly.) I feel it more than anywhere else, this tenderness that there is between the Quebec public and me. It is vibratory. I cannot intellectualize it, this perception. I always have the impression that when I give a recital in Quebec, people say to me: "Come on, Lara, let's give you a hug!"
Where did you get the idea to include the beautiful voices of sisters Marie-Eve, Karine and Caroline Riverin in your show?
LF: I had the chance to work with Marie-Eve on La Voix and I could see with what precision, what love and what humility she orchestrated the chorus. I learned a lot from her. One day, she asked me to go see the show Decembre. I saw these three sisters singing together and I fell in love with their exceptional voices. I asked them if they would be willing to go on a family tour with me, and to my delight, they agreed. It was as easy as that!
And they bring a lot to this show!
LF: To me, they are the soul of it. I compare this show to a big tree and it wouldn't exist without the ones I affectionately call "my apples"!
You allowed yourself a break this summer. What marked your vacation in Sicily?
LF: Food, food and more food! (Laughs) I ate so much! But without any regrets. You can really find the best food in the world. On a more serious note, besides eating, I enjoyed the sea, as well as being with my family and my husband's family. Every Sunday we would get together with my aunts and uncles and everyone would cook. Afterwards, we enjoyed the food in the backyard of the house surrounded by lighted trees.
Besides your family, do you have any friends in Sicily?
LF: Yes, I have some very precious ones, but I feel that I could make new ones if I stayed there longer.
What makes you vibe over there?
LF: First of all there is this incredible volcano called Etna. When you're on a boat and you see it in the distance, it's amazingly beautiful and strong. The peace that it generates makes me vibrate to the highest point. There is also the taste of the fruits which is very particular there. As they grow in a lava soil, they have a flavor that you can't find anywhere else. In summary: the family, Etna, the sea and the fruits of Sicily did me the most good during this memorable vacation.
What do you miss about Quebec?
LF: You. I miss the people I love! I miss Quebec terribly. There is this space that I only find in Quebec; this light that creates the height of the sky, I only find it in my adopted country!
Your tour is called Lara Fabian Best Of. What were the best moments of your professional life?
LF: There are many, but if I take three, I would say that the duet I performed with Johnny Hallyday at the Stade de France in front of 80,000 people remains an indescribable moment in my career. I will never forget it! I also have a deep affection for the show En tout intmite that I did at the Casino de Paris. It was also an exceptional moment in my life. Another important chapter that I will never forget is my return to Quebec with La Voix and Star Academie. What it gave me and what I learned was both unexpected and revealing. These experiences will remain forever engraved in my heart.
What can we wish you for this great tour that is starting?
LF: Health, physical strength, peace and joy!
Finally, Lara, how do you explain that 30 years later, your fans are still there?
LF: I don't know, Joel. If I knew, I would distill the recipe and give it to anyone who has the heart to succeed for the love of this business.
But do you have any idea?
LF: I think it's probably because I've always been myself. Sometimes it's been good, sometimes not so good, but I've always been authentic. Whether it was very good or not so brilliant to be me, I simply chose to be true. I have learned that being myself can sometimes be costly, but I will always be willing to pay the price.
It reminds me of when you campaigned here in France for the right to same sex marriage. You took the risk of putting your career at risk.
LF: Yes, and many people lost their lives. But at some point, dressing in colors that please others ends up staining who you really are. If you're always being a chameleon for an opinion, first you lose your own colors and then you have no stature as you age. My stature is my will never to hurt anyone, but not to compromise which would hurt myself beyond repair.
----
A tailor-made show
Lara asked Joel Legendre, her friend and director, to write a word in the souvenir program of the Lara Fabian Best Of tour. Here it is exclusively.
The first time I met Lara, she had just arrived in Quebec. It was on a television set that we met and, immediately, we connected. In this business, as you can imagine, the people you meet do not necessarily become friends. But the candor and the courage felt in Lara that day gave me the feeling that this young woman straight out of her native Belgium was going to stay in my life. Thirty-five years later, I can affirm that my inner voice was not mistaken. Despite her rapid rise in Quebec, her phenomenal success in Europe, her immense popularity in the United States and all over the world, this naive and pure singer I met at the time is still present in my life today.
When she came back to settle in Quebec, five years ago, we hastened to see each other and, during our first supper, she shyly asked me if I would accept to stage the show celebrating her 50th anniversary. Of course, I answered in the affirmative! So we created, surrounded by a beautiful and solid team, the show 50 World tour. After a few weeks of touring, the planned performances had to be canceled for reasons of confinement. The 50 World tour was supposed to resume its tour last April, until Lara called me and asked me to meet her. It is in her magnificent countryside that she explains to me that after these two years of hiatus, she wants another show, that the story told in the World Tour no longer quite corresponds to what she feels today. A few minutes of discussion will have been enough to start the creation of the new show with enthusiasm. It is through a few tears and lots of laughter that Best Of will be almost entirely created that day. A bit as if the stars had all aligned. As if the confidences, the songs, the story to be told were quietly waiting behind the trees surrounding Lara's home.
While putting on this show, I had the impression that Lara Fabian dropped her artist name and that she simply gave us access to her first name. Tonight, you will see on stage an accomplished artist, but who still doubts, a woman stronger than ever, but whose sensitivity still makes her vulnerable, a remarkable singer, but who no longer seeks perfection.
Dear Lara, I still shiver at the memory I have of that day when you told me that the dream of singing appeared when, very small, you felt the emotion that your voice brought to your grandmother. I am proud of all you have accomplished, but what makes me even more proud is to see the conscious, brilliant and radiant human that you have become. Good show!
P.S. A little advice from the director: prepare your handkerchiefs...
---------
A Day in the Life of Lara
Lara's assistant, Johanna, takes care of the artist's day until she is on stage. After the show, Johanna takes care of her again until she is in her hotel room. What is a day in the life of Lara like on tour? "Lara usually rests in the morning and she refrains from talking to keep her vocal cords in top shape," says Johanna.
Arrival in her dressing room
"Around 1 p.m., I arrive before Lara to organize her dressing room, explains her assistant. The first thing I do is prepare her herbal tea. She swears by this hot drink made of lemon and ginger. It is essential for preserving her vocal cords. Then I'll bring her lip balm to a specific place on stage (because it's essential for a singer that her lips don't dry out), tissues and, possibly, I'll also bring a herbal tea water. That's all she needs. Once Lara arrives in her dressing room, around 3 p.m., we choose the costume she will wear. Her stylist, Patrick Vimbor, has prepared, from Quebec, some outfits, and she goes there according to her inspirations. Then, I prepare the bathrobe with which Lara will receive people after the show. At 3:30 p.m., we choose the meal, which will very often not be eaten until after the show. Then there are vocalizations with her singing teacher. From 4:15 p.m. until 5 p.m., these are the tests of sound with the musicians and the Riverin sisters. Afterwards, it's time to bring in all the speakers who will prepare Lara until she goes on stage. During this time, there are always interviews, which she gives as much for radio, television, or the press. In general, so that everything goes fairly smoothly, we give five minutes per person. Then it's time for hair and makeup. Finally, Lara puts on her outfit and we both have our little ritual: I pass her the jewelry she will wear“, underlines Johanna.
After the show...
"When Lara finishes her show, she puts on her bathrobe and, five minutes later, we begin meetings with friends, family or special guests. Once all these meetings are over, Lara dresses in a more relaxed outfit and either she returns to the hotel, or we go directly to the next city where she will perform the next evening". When we ask Johanna, who has been working with Lara for a few years, what qualities she attributes to the artist, the latter has difficulty answering because she finds that Lara possesses them. "Professionally speaking, Lara is a warrior! She has incredible rigor. As I also meet her as a friend, I would tell you that on tour, she is a different character. She has 30 years of experience, so she knows well how to do what she has to do. But the quality that follows her everywhere is her immense kindness and benevolence, as much for her team as for her public. In this sense, she is exemplary."
----------------------------------
Very revealing as to Lara’s preparation for her concerts, and how her summer went. And certainly very loving words from Joel Legrande.
In other news, Lara was on ’50 Minutes Inside’ with host Nikos Aliagas; Lara posted the following beautiful picture, at
www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=695176978633265&set=a.259330805551220
or
with the caption “Find me tomorrow in the portrait in 5 dates on @tf1 in @50inside with the magnificent Nikos Aliagas
Thank you my dear friend for your kindness and your loyalty 🙏
And for this beautiful picture 📸
And a very special thank you to the Hotel Parister for its beautiful welcome in their Parisian setting.”
‘BuzzTV’ in France (and numerous other sites) had the following video from the show
www.youtube.com/watch?v=btkdab3kWnQ&ab_channel=BuzzTVFrance
and this discussion:
------------------------------------
Lara Fabian was the guest of 50 Minutes Inside this Saturday, October 22 on TF1. In front of Nikos Aliagas, the 52-year-old singer came back on the highlights of her career and her life. Notably her relationship with another great name of French song, Daniel Lévi, who died on August 6 at the age of 60 from colon cancer. He would have been 61 years old on August 26, 2022.
On Nikos Aliagas's tablet, the mother of 14 year old Lou, reviewed an excerpt of a performance of Daniel Lévi dating from 2010. Under the amazed eyes of Lara Fabian, the interpreter of L'Envie d'aimer covered the cult title of Serge Lama, Je suis malade. "This is a rare moment for me. I was overwhelmed by this performance," said the singer. When asked if she had been in contact with the singer before his death, the singer replied: "No, I had not had this chance", she regrets. We had crossed paths before everything closed because of the international crisis [Covid-19 pandemic] but no, I had not had it before." A tribute will be paid to Daniel Lévi at the Théâtre de Mogador in Paris on November 7.
LARA FABIAN MORE AND MORE CLOSE TO FLORENT PAGNY
Lara Fabian took advantage of this exchange to talk about another sick artist, Florent Pagny, who is suffering from lung cancer. "When I knew that another of my collaborators was ill recently, I have not stopped writing to him since. And every week I send a little note to this great man. I write to him all the time," she said. The singer also admitted that she had difficulty expressing her feelings about the situation in which artists find themselves: "I find that, sometimes, the modesty of our jobs and the fact that we have only met in places where there is a stake, an audience, a mask to wear makes that we do not dare to say with all the simplicity of the world, the love that we have for someone. Especially when they are in trouble."
--------------------------------------------
The actual video of her performance, with English subtitles, was presented by Lara The Ring Fabian at
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkD1QLdYFag&ab_channel=LaraTheRingFabian
A very heart-warming interview; in addition to the comments noted above, they discussed Lara’s love of family, her Star Academie experience, her book, and it closed with Lara’s saying that she would have told her little self to ‘savor life’. One cannot doubt that she does just that!
Interesting photo(s) of the week:
From the Angels du bout du monde FB site,
www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=558193172896773&set=a.144753384240756
with the caption, “Elegance is when the inside is as beautiful as the outside.”
From the Lara Fabian America FB site, with once again a number of beautiful tour pictures, at
www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=506287371510993&set=pcb.506288191510911
(including the ADBM photo and the one Lara posted).
And don’t miss the pictures in the 7Jours article that Lara Fabian The Netherlands uploaded on their Fb site, with the starting page for them
www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=537014465098615&set=pcb.537015635098498
We know from her comments that Lara will be reuniting with her family now that the tour is over. But over that, Lara, and by extension her fans, are now in a somewhat strange position. It’s been years since Lara had no television show, concert tour, or new album to be preparing for, was not having to stay home due to the pandemic, or, more recently, was not officially on vacation. That lack of structure might take some getting used to, for all of us. Stay safe everybody,
David
www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=693969442087352&set=a.259330805551220
or
http://instagram.com/p/Cj6EhYnrV0o
and the accompanying message: “End of the "Best Of" tour in France... Thank you all for coming to meet me... What a pleasure to have found you again... to have met your smiles, your looks... thank you for your flowers, your words and your testimonies of love… 30 years that music has bound us… 30 years that you have followed me faithfully… I feel so privileged and full of gratitude for all the kindness you offer me… I love you…💕
See you soon ….”
Despite the health difficulties that popped up, it seems as if it was a big success (which one can judge by all the wonderful praise she received on social media, both as a ‘performer’ and as a ‘trooper’, not allowing the difficulties to stop her).
Le Cannet was the last stop on the French tour and Laurent Martinache uploaded videos [8]
www.youtube.com/c/LaurentMartinache/videos
Before the show Lara had a 3 minute interview on the radio there, and it can be heard at
www.francebleu.fr/emissions/tapis-rouge/azur?fbclid=IwAR2NSNuK6BiZLt7CtDRVjEvoFTovEDp68bWdmJgPKaeWtJkibQkGcAbYM5Y
In addition to promoting the concert, it was also a chance to promote her book (which was referred to as Je passe a table). [Thanks to the Lara Fabian Coeur de lumière FB site for the link].
Lara then moved on and quickly completed the three eastern European concerts, in Budapest, Belgrade and (last night) Tallin. There are videos from all three concerts which, as one would expect, had the same setlist as the earlier shows.
1) Budapest (10/20)
Damir Jalensky [8]
www.youtube.com/channel/UC50TCQMvc8RYtSIRRIAWUCw/videos
Szeréna Gyarmati [4]
www.youtube.com/user/1989bpgirl
Csaba Hévizi [5]
www.youtube.com/channel/UCZvNCaNOhV2WIAbAObZJE3w/videos
Árvácska Dul [6]
www.youtube.com/user/24Tunderke/videos
Janos Horvath [3]
www.youtube.com/channel/UCur6wV8JDSSPCOJ4msB4ROw/videos
The latter included a nice duet of Pas sans toi,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8kSX4r0tqI&ab_channel=J%C3%A1nosHorv%C3%A1th
And Lara’s closing, in Hungarian, can be seen at
www.youtube.com/shorts/M5eVuCrybQ8
2) Belgrade (10/22)
She seemed to be in good voice, as one can hear from her singing of Adagio
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahhfOaNcmjI
Caruso
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUb4fngxJew&ab_channel=NenadErcegovcevicOfficial
and Je suis malade:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCunGSSQdOo&ab_channel=BorisRadusinovic
There are various other videos from this concert:
Love Lara [5]
www.youtube.com/channel/UCRbRNgb3ayJEHR2iPFcfwsw/videos
Lara The Ring Fabian [2]
www.youtube.com/channel/UCrU8ynwJtIdQ_jVg3ZN9kRA/videos
Zorna R [6]
www.youtube.com/user/Zoran630/videos
One can also hear Lena Kovacevic, brought in for the occasion, singing at
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tubUxwzytdw&ab_channel=ZoranR.
3) Tallinn (10/24)
Martvil [4]
www.youtube.com/channel/UCEeKXe9VBbkcIb2VFNTqI-A/videos
Timo Kanerva [2]
www.youtube.com/user/Rackelhane/videos
Lara The Ring Fabian
Humana: www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyOl0uB-6uE&ab_channel=LaraTheRingFabian
Unlike in France, these concerts were a big thing, and thus were covered and reviewed. Here’s a review of the concert in Budapest (https://zene.hu/20221022_angyal_szallt_le_kozenk_lara_fabian_budapesten_koncertezett):
--------------------------------
An angel landed among us: Lara Fabian gave a concert in Budapest
When we already feel that the work is coming at us from all directions, the junk, the "chili-vili glare", when we think that we can only get our heads around it, when something monumental, grandiose or similar extra adjectives have to be added. Well, then Lara Fabian comes and I run out of words!
The Belgian-Canadian singer, songwriter, musician, actor and producer, one of the most successful European artists of all time, performed again in Budapest. The fans were waiting for her for a long time, because due to the Covid epidemic, her concert would not have taken place now, but, as the saying goes: "good things are worth waiting for."
Lara Fabian is a magical phenomenon, we can confidently state this after her one and a half hour concert. The singer sings in nine languages: French, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Hebrew, Flemish, German and Russian. With 20 million sold albums behind her, she returned to Hungary with the 50 World Tour. With this concert tour, she celebrated her 50th birthday at the same time, although she turned 52 in the meantime, but it doesn't show on her.
Lara was only 18 years old when her single Croire sold 500,000 copies in Europe. Her second album, Carpe Diem, has already achieved triple platinum status. Her career progressed well, and by the end of the 90s she had already gained world fame, her records included such hits as "I Will Love Again" or "Adagio".
Perhaps her 2002 DVD, which featured a selection of her greatest hits, including her song "Je t'aime", which was sung along with her by the audience of tens of thousands, was perhaps even more well-known, but the instead of the original "Je t'aime' (I love you), the fans sang 'On t'aime' (We love you).
When you listen to Lara Fabian, you feel as if you are in a slightly different dimension. In the Papp László Arena, it was enough for the singer to stand in the light, in an elegant black dress, and start singing. No one was looking for LED walls or fire plumes. You were natural or honest if you like. Which sometimes we start to forget that it even exists. As she told her stories between songs, you could feel that an angel had just landed among us.
The concert was accompanied only by the band and the vocalists, who otherwise would have stood their ground as independent singers. In this case, we say "she sang well". Although, even better than that... Lara was compared to Céline Dion by the industry for years, and she always emphasized that she is not just a pop singer. Her style is a mix of pop/rock, contemporary and classical music, sometimes with a bit of country.
Among other things, "Je suis malade", "Je t'aime" or "Adagio" were also performed in the Arena, but if someone is not familiar with Lara Fabian's songs and just sat down to listen, even they will not be disappointed. In fact! The audience was able to leave with such clarity and deep feelings that only real great artists are capable of. During the evening, the singer said "thank you very much" several times in perfect Hungarian, so we can only say to her: "Merci, Lara!"
M. Adri
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For those who saw Lara in concert during this tour (or any time else), these words and sentiments are very familiar...
And that’s it – her long awaited concert tour is now over. In little under one month she had 18 concerts, not all without incident as we know, but overall a smashing success. It may well be a long time before we see another one, as it would probably require a new album as incentive to get back out on the road.
As one further celebration of this tour, Lara is featured in the October 28th edition of the Canadian publication 7Jours. Lara Fabian The Netherlands FB site provided a photo of the cover, at
www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=537014458431949&set=pcb.537015635098498
and then also provided scans of the article(s) [thank you!]. Here’s the translation:
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Exclusive
Meeting in Paris with her friend and director Joel Legendre
“It is backstage of the Olympia that I chose to attend the show of Lara Fabian. I vibrated with her, with the sisters Riverin, with all the musicians from Quebec, and also with the French audience. On this first evening, in this mythical room, Lara will have swept everything in her path. She received not less than a dozen ovations and a quantity of voices raised to cry to her “I love you Lara”. But that which I remember above all, it is to what extent the young girl who came from Belgium to install herself among us at the age of 19 years lives to this day as the best ambassador of who we are! Her name in capital letters may shine on the famous marquee of this theater, but that light will never equal the light that emanates from Lara's soul when I am lucky enough to have her near me. So I join the audience in shouting out loud, "I love you, Lara!””[NB: As he’s Canadian, when referring to ‘us’, he means Canadians].
Lara Fabian: Quebec follows me in this adventure
In the City of Light, her name is everywhere: on the huge displays in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Pres, on the luminous screens along the Seine, and even on the Champs-Elysees. But it is the huge red neon letters on the emblematic marquee of the Olympia that strike the imagination most. Lara Fabian is performing there tonight, and I'm happy to be there as a director and a guest. So I bring for you news of our Lara and I also take advantage of it to make you live, as if you were there, her great return on stage in France. Meeting with a woman and a fulfilled artist.
Lara, tonight you're performing in a theater where the greatest legends have sung. How do you feel a few hours before going on this stage where Piaf, Becaud, Hallyday and Dassin performed?
LF: I am both excited and aware of how lucky I am to be singing in this mythical venue, and I have been for three decades now.
Do you remember your very first time?
LF: Definitely! I was 27 years old. I even remember how I had my hair done: a kind of tropical pineapple hairstyle! (Laughs). But let's say it was fashionable! And, for the first time in my life, I was wearing Dolce & Gabbana. I thought I was going all out!
And to come back to it again and again, how does it feel?
LF: It's incredible to feel the love of the French public that comes to see me there. It's so heartwarming! It's a privilege, and I know it.
How do you prepare for a big tour like the one you are about to experience?
LF: I stop eating and drink water! (Laughs) Seriously, I eat in a very monastic way. I have weighed portions, quality foods. I also have my vocal trainer who follows me night after night. I try to sleep as much as possible and talk as little as possible.
It's a bit like entering a monastery?
LF: Absolutely! But I think it's my duty. I consider that people deserve to have the best of what I can be, and that comes with a certain discipline.
Do you have any rituals before going on stage?
LF: Yes, I have one that consists of looking each artist and technician who will be on stage with me straight in the eye, while giving them a kind of electric shock that goes from my thumbs to theirs. It's as if we were transmitting a constructive energy to each other before going on stage. I like that we are all together backstage for this transmission of energy.
You brought Quebec with you on this tour. Where did this desire come from?
LF: Because there is no better place for a peaceful atmosphere on tour than the people of Quebec. Because of the simplicity of the way it works, but also because they have a very resilient spirit. If there is any problem, they will see it as a challenge and find a way to solve it quickly. Touring with Quebecers is very comfortable.
How do you manage your personal life through this tour?
LF: My daughter, Lou, has just moved to Europe for a few months so I didn't want to confuse her any further. My family comes to see me here in Paris, and then we grit our teeth until the end of this tour. We'll get together when it's over.
And this decision, for whom is it more difficult, for your daughter or for you?
For me! Lou is so happy with Gabriel! When I told her my plan, she looked at me and said, "When are you leaving, Mom?
You have sung all over the world, what is it about the Quebec audience that you don't find elsewhere?
LF: Tenderness... (Lara starts to cry softly.) I feel it more than anywhere else, this tenderness that there is between the Quebec public and me. It is vibratory. I cannot intellectualize it, this perception. I always have the impression that when I give a recital in Quebec, people say to me: "Come on, Lara, let's give you a hug!"
Where did you get the idea to include the beautiful voices of sisters Marie-Eve, Karine and Caroline Riverin in your show?
LF: I had the chance to work with Marie-Eve on La Voix and I could see with what precision, what love and what humility she orchestrated the chorus. I learned a lot from her. One day, she asked me to go see the show Decembre. I saw these three sisters singing together and I fell in love with their exceptional voices. I asked them if they would be willing to go on a family tour with me, and to my delight, they agreed. It was as easy as that!
And they bring a lot to this show!
LF: To me, they are the soul of it. I compare this show to a big tree and it wouldn't exist without the ones I affectionately call "my apples"!
You allowed yourself a break this summer. What marked your vacation in Sicily?
LF: Food, food and more food! (Laughs) I ate so much! But without any regrets. You can really find the best food in the world. On a more serious note, besides eating, I enjoyed the sea, as well as being with my family and my husband's family. Every Sunday we would get together with my aunts and uncles and everyone would cook. Afterwards, we enjoyed the food in the backyard of the house surrounded by lighted trees.
Besides your family, do you have any friends in Sicily?
LF: Yes, I have some very precious ones, but I feel that I could make new ones if I stayed there longer.
What makes you vibe over there?
LF: First of all there is this incredible volcano called Etna. When you're on a boat and you see it in the distance, it's amazingly beautiful and strong. The peace that it generates makes me vibrate to the highest point. There is also the taste of the fruits which is very particular there. As they grow in a lava soil, they have a flavor that you can't find anywhere else. In summary: the family, Etna, the sea and the fruits of Sicily did me the most good during this memorable vacation.
What do you miss about Quebec?
LF: You. I miss the people I love! I miss Quebec terribly. There is this space that I only find in Quebec; this light that creates the height of the sky, I only find it in my adopted country!
Your tour is called Lara Fabian Best Of. What were the best moments of your professional life?
LF: There are many, but if I take three, I would say that the duet I performed with Johnny Hallyday at the Stade de France in front of 80,000 people remains an indescribable moment in my career. I will never forget it! I also have a deep affection for the show En tout intmite that I did at the Casino de Paris. It was also an exceptional moment in my life. Another important chapter that I will never forget is my return to Quebec with La Voix and Star Academie. What it gave me and what I learned was both unexpected and revealing. These experiences will remain forever engraved in my heart.
What can we wish you for this great tour that is starting?
LF: Health, physical strength, peace and joy!
Finally, Lara, how do you explain that 30 years later, your fans are still there?
LF: I don't know, Joel. If I knew, I would distill the recipe and give it to anyone who has the heart to succeed for the love of this business.
But do you have any idea?
LF: I think it's probably because I've always been myself. Sometimes it's been good, sometimes not so good, but I've always been authentic. Whether it was very good or not so brilliant to be me, I simply chose to be true. I have learned that being myself can sometimes be costly, but I will always be willing to pay the price.
It reminds me of when you campaigned here in France for the right to same sex marriage. You took the risk of putting your career at risk.
LF: Yes, and many people lost their lives. But at some point, dressing in colors that please others ends up staining who you really are. If you're always being a chameleon for an opinion, first you lose your own colors and then you have no stature as you age. My stature is my will never to hurt anyone, but not to compromise which would hurt myself beyond repair.
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A tailor-made show
Lara asked Joel Legendre, her friend and director, to write a word in the souvenir program of the Lara Fabian Best Of tour. Here it is exclusively.
The first time I met Lara, she had just arrived in Quebec. It was on a television set that we met and, immediately, we connected. In this business, as you can imagine, the people you meet do not necessarily become friends. But the candor and the courage felt in Lara that day gave me the feeling that this young woman straight out of her native Belgium was going to stay in my life. Thirty-five years later, I can affirm that my inner voice was not mistaken. Despite her rapid rise in Quebec, her phenomenal success in Europe, her immense popularity in the United States and all over the world, this naive and pure singer I met at the time is still present in my life today.
When she came back to settle in Quebec, five years ago, we hastened to see each other and, during our first supper, she shyly asked me if I would accept to stage the show celebrating her 50th anniversary. Of course, I answered in the affirmative! So we created, surrounded by a beautiful and solid team, the show 50 World tour. After a few weeks of touring, the planned performances had to be canceled for reasons of confinement. The 50 World tour was supposed to resume its tour last April, until Lara called me and asked me to meet her. It is in her magnificent countryside that she explains to me that after these two years of hiatus, she wants another show, that the story told in the World Tour no longer quite corresponds to what she feels today. A few minutes of discussion will have been enough to start the creation of the new show with enthusiasm. It is through a few tears and lots of laughter that Best Of will be almost entirely created that day. A bit as if the stars had all aligned. As if the confidences, the songs, the story to be told were quietly waiting behind the trees surrounding Lara's home.
While putting on this show, I had the impression that Lara Fabian dropped her artist name and that she simply gave us access to her first name. Tonight, you will see on stage an accomplished artist, but who still doubts, a woman stronger than ever, but whose sensitivity still makes her vulnerable, a remarkable singer, but who no longer seeks perfection.
Dear Lara, I still shiver at the memory I have of that day when you told me that the dream of singing appeared when, very small, you felt the emotion that your voice brought to your grandmother. I am proud of all you have accomplished, but what makes me even more proud is to see the conscious, brilliant and radiant human that you have become. Good show!
P.S. A little advice from the director: prepare your handkerchiefs...
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A Day in the Life of Lara
Lara's assistant, Johanna, takes care of the artist's day until she is on stage. After the show, Johanna takes care of her again until she is in her hotel room. What is a day in the life of Lara like on tour? "Lara usually rests in the morning and she refrains from talking to keep her vocal cords in top shape," says Johanna.
Arrival in her dressing room
"Around 1 p.m., I arrive before Lara to organize her dressing room, explains her assistant. The first thing I do is prepare her herbal tea. She swears by this hot drink made of lemon and ginger. It is essential for preserving her vocal cords. Then I'll bring her lip balm to a specific place on stage (because it's essential for a singer that her lips don't dry out), tissues and, possibly, I'll also bring a herbal tea water. That's all she needs. Once Lara arrives in her dressing room, around 3 p.m., we choose the costume she will wear. Her stylist, Patrick Vimbor, has prepared, from Quebec, some outfits, and she goes there according to her inspirations. Then, I prepare the bathrobe with which Lara will receive people after the show. At 3:30 p.m., we choose the meal, which will very often not be eaten until after the show. Then there are vocalizations with her singing teacher. From 4:15 p.m. until 5 p.m., these are the tests of sound with the musicians and the Riverin sisters. Afterwards, it's time to bring in all the speakers who will prepare Lara until she goes on stage. During this time, there are always interviews, which she gives as much for radio, television, or the press. In general, so that everything goes fairly smoothly, we give five minutes per person. Then it's time for hair and makeup. Finally, Lara puts on her outfit and we both have our little ritual: I pass her the jewelry she will wear“, underlines Johanna.
After the show...
"When Lara finishes her show, she puts on her bathrobe and, five minutes later, we begin meetings with friends, family or special guests. Once all these meetings are over, Lara dresses in a more relaxed outfit and either she returns to the hotel, or we go directly to the next city where she will perform the next evening". When we ask Johanna, who has been working with Lara for a few years, what qualities she attributes to the artist, the latter has difficulty answering because she finds that Lara possesses them. "Professionally speaking, Lara is a warrior! She has incredible rigor. As I also meet her as a friend, I would tell you that on tour, she is a different character. She has 30 years of experience, so she knows well how to do what she has to do. But the quality that follows her everywhere is her immense kindness and benevolence, as much for her team as for her public. In this sense, she is exemplary."
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Very revealing as to Lara’s preparation for her concerts, and how her summer went. And certainly very loving words from Joel Legrande.
In other news, Lara was on ’50 Minutes Inside’ with host Nikos Aliagas; Lara posted the following beautiful picture, at
www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=695176978633265&set=a.259330805551220
or
http://instagram.com/p/Cj-WONLLVAs
with the caption “Find me tomorrow in the portrait in 5 dates on @tf1 in @50inside with the magnificent Nikos Aliagas
Thank you my dear friend for your kindness and your loyalty 🙏
And for this beautiful picture 📸
And a very special thank you to the Hotel Parister for its beautiful welcome in their Parisian setting.”
‘BuzzTV’ in France (and numerous other sites) had the following video from the show
www.youtube.com/watch?v=btkdab3kWnQ&ab_channel=BuzzTVFrance
and this discussion:
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Lara Fabian was the guest of 50 Minutes Inside this Saturday, October 22 on TF1. In front of Nikos Aliagas, the 52-year-old singer came back on the highlights of her career and her life. Notably her relationship with another great name of French song, Daniel Lévi, who died on August 6 at the age of 60 from colon cancer. He would have been 61 years old on August 26, 2022.
On Nikos Aliagas's tablet, the mother of 14 year old Lou, reviewed an excerpt of a performance of Daniel Lévi dating from 2010. Under the amazed eyes of Lara Fabian, the interpreter of L'Envie d'aimer covered the cult title of Serge Lama, Je suis malade. "This is a rare moment for me. I was overwhelmed by this performance," said the singer. When asked if she had been in contact with the singer before his death, the singer replied: "No, I had not had this chance", she regrets. We had crossed paths before everything closed because of the international crisis [Covid-19 pandemic] but no, I had not had it before." A tribute will be paid to Daniel Lévi at the Théâtre de Mogador in Paris on November 7.
LARA FABIAN MORE AND MORE CLOSE TO FLORENT PAGNY
Lara Fabian took advantage of this exchange to talk about another sick artist, Florent Pagny, who is suffering from lung cancer. "When I knew that another of my collaborators was ill recently, I have not stopped writing to him since. And every week I send a little note to this great man. I write to him all the time," she said. The singer also admitted that she had difficulty expressing her feelings about the situation in which artists find themselves: "I find that, sometimes, the modesty of our jobs and the fact that we have only met in places where there is a stake, an audience, a mask to wear makes that we do not dare to say with all the simplicity of the world, the love that we have for someone. Especially when they are in trouble."
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The actual video of her performance, with English subtitles, was presented by Lara The Ring Fabian at
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkD1QLdYFag&ab_channel=LaraTheRingFabian
A very heart-warming interview; in addition to the comments noted above, they discussed Lara’s love of family, her Star Academie experience, her book, and it closed with Lara’s saying that she would have told her little self to ‘savor life’. One cannot doubt that she does just that!
Interesting photo(s) of the week:
From the Angels du bout du monde FB site,
www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=558193172896773&set=a.144753384240756
with the caption, “Elegance is when the inside is as beautiful as the outside.”
From the Lara Fabian America FB site, with once again a number of beautiful tour pictures, at
www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=506287371510993&set=pcb.506288191510911
(including the ADBM photo and the one Lara posted).
And don’t miss the pictures in the 7Jours article that Lara Fabian The Netherlands uploaded on their Fb site, with the starting page for them
www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=537014465098615&set=pcb.537015635098498
We know from her comments that Lara will be reuniting with her family now that the tour is over. But over that, Lara, and by extension her fans, are now in a somewhat strange position. It’s been years since Lara had no television show, concert tour, or new album to be preparing for, was not having to stay home due to the pandemic, or, more recently, was not officially on vacation. That lack of structure might take some getting used to, for all of us. Stay safe everybody,
David