Legendary French popular singer, singer, musician and actor Charles Aznavour on his first appearance in the Czech Republic will bring seven-member backing band. It consists of: Franck Bedez - bass, double bass, Eric Berchot - piano, Yann Deborne - guitar, Didier Guazzo - drums, Magali Ripoll - accordion, Eric Wilms - keyboards and Claude Deruyck - singing.
Charles Aznavour will perform at the Prague Congress Centre on April 6 with a "farewell" - a valedictory - a program in which singing famous songs from his rich musical career.
In his 91 years, Charles Aznavour is one of the greatest living figures in world music, sings in eight languages, for his eighty-year career, he composed over 1,000 songs, recorded dozens of albums, which have sold over 100 million copies. It is described as "a new romance, Napoleon chanson, French Frank Sinatra, or a small man with sad eyes, which in French music brought nostalgia, melancholy and formerly taboo subjects." Charles Aznavour will perform in the Czech Republic for the first time, in the former Czechoslovakia performed only once in Bratislava in November 1978. In Prague, was to appear in 1969, but the concert in connection with the death of Jan Palach set aside.
Charles Aznavour was born in 1924 in Paris as Shahnour Varenagh Aznavourian Armenian parents who fled their homeland before the genocide. At 9 years old, he left school and became a child actor. During the German occupation of Paris he sang in cabarets, while his parents were hiding at home Armenians, Jews, Russians and communists.
After the war he worked with Edith Piaf as the author of music and lyrics of her songs. In the '50s he gradually became independent and had success throughout the world. This helped him and his great language skills, when a series of songs sung in several versions.
His songs influenced many famous artists who are also recorded - from Elton John, over Sammy Davis Jr., Ray Charles to Celine Dion. One of his most famous songs, La Bohème, also sang Czech Hana Hegerová. He also starred in over 60 films, the most known roles include those in the film François Truffaut's Shoot the pianist.
In a poll CNN Aznavour was appointed as the greatest artist of the 20th century. He has won numerous prizes and awards (Golden Lion, César, Order of the Legion of Honor, Hall of Fame). Aznavour is also actively report to their Armenian roots. "I resigned myself to this thing called destiny. After all the evil that brought to my nation, to me, quite well preserved. But he remains much to do to help those who are waiting for one more chance, "he said in his biography.
Since 1995 he has been an ambassador for UNESCO of Armenia and in 2009 became Armenian Ambassador to the United Nations in Switzerland. Since 2006 he has performed throughout the world in the context of farewell tour last duet with singer ZAZ and his 90th birthday celebrated last May on stage in Berlin. Since last year, for example, performed in New York, Moscow, Montreal, London and Warsaw. Last September, he attended six concerts in Paris and most recently in November at the Royal Albert Hall.
La Bohème
Avec un Brin de nostalgia
Source: tz