"Chansons françaises" – working-class ballads, poets' texts...

Music from France's soul

: Friends of the Mount Vernon Chamber Orchestra, Parisian PEF members and artist (who appears again below, in 2004)

Traditional bistros with excellent cuisine suit these convivial soirées, but may request about 40 participants to reserve space.

0ur local members can make up the numbers, for an evening via which Parisians and visitors cross paths – in another departure from classic tourism.

"Chansons françaises" are urban ballads...

that are loved as they are or that poets, like Cohen or Dylan, have turned into music that the whole nation knows. Our artists are as different as the music is. Here are those whom we follow.

• "Piaf's style was intense. Mine sparkles!"

•Recording

: Artist, 2003

: Bistro

: "Patronne"

We first heard "Isabeau" in a smoke-filled Pigalle café. We've changed the venue to a Bastille bistro where la patronne adds to the ambiance...

: Epoch

Some songs come from the singer's grandmother, others everyone knows.

•Multifaceted charisma

: "La Parisienne", one of her incarnations, 2004

Childhood in Baghdad, adolescence in Berlin, training at the Paris Conservatory, stays in the United States... That itinerary explains the ease with whyich this Parisienne performs Middle Eastern chants, Berlin cabaret and Broadway, as well as chansons. She adapts her performances to extremely varied audiences.

: Second part of the program

She attended clown school as well. That may have encouraged her exceptional sense of communication, as when she talks to her audience, bringing it into the show.

•Great popular music, superb poetry

•Recordings

: Performance series, 2009-2010 (music of Léo Ferré, major songwriter and singer of the 1950's and '60's)

Léo Férré, Jacques Brel, Barbara... are songwriters and performers with whom French people have grown up. For audiences who are not French but understand English, this artist translates some of the verses, to help visitors discover beloved chansons.

As well, she sang the role of the Directress in Paris's 2009 and 2010 productions of Fame.