Mireille Mathieu, who hadn't set foot in Montreal in 35 years, was welcomed this weekend with as much love as she could give, which means a lot. And to anyone wondering: at 77, she still amazes with the power of her voice, her breath and her precision.
Published at 2:27 p.m.
The French singer performed the first of two shows at the Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier at Place des Arts on Saturday – she will perform in Quebec and Sherbrooke later this week. A full hall for the rare visitor who was not afraid to express his admiration and solidarity: Mireille Mathieu received countless bouquets of flowers and just as many spontaneous ovations that evening. Surrounded by three choristers and eleven musicians, she responded with the generosity of the greats in an elegant show with no downtime.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Mireille Mathieu
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Mireille Mathieu
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Mireille Mathieu
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Mireille Mathieu
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The great lady of French song slowly entered the stage in a gold dress and performed first “When Night Comes to the City” and then “Made in France.” In this song, the artist from Avignon talks about his love for his country and “the song made in France”: that is exactly what we find in this show, a certain idea of France, classic and a little dated, but charming.
This new tour from Mireille Mathieu is called “60 Years of Love” and that is certainly the main theme of almost every song – shared love, fleeting love, heartbreak, love for others and even love for God. A work like no other, from which a certain naivety emerges – Why the world is without love, sang Mireille Mathieu in 1971, a cry from the heart that, when heard today, seems very open. And we admit that it brings back a certain nostalgia for the era for which she was a muse.
“I am delighted and emotional to be in Montreal. You have not changed! You gave me your heart, and I'll give you mine,” said the singer at the beginning of the evening. During this show, in which she performs no fewer than 27 pieces from her decades-long successful repertoire, she will hardly speak.
Mireille Mathieu is obviously in good shape, even if the approach is slow, barely stopping to take a sip of water. When singing, she rarely stops, takes small side steps, the theatrical gesture, but still takes full advantage of her role as a vaudeville artist, which impresses with a large orchestra and rich lighting. She even changes her dress twice – from gold to silver to black.
And of course it fills your ears too. From the fourth song, Tous les enfants chantent avec moi, followed by La Première Étoile, two of his absolute hits, we knew that the evening would be extraordinary: both the repertoire, eternal, and the voice, extraordinary, were there. .
We have to admit that we were afraid of Mireille Mathieu's voice. Sometimes age plays a bad trick on the actors. In her case, her years of work, coupled with an exceptional vocal organ, put her in a class of her own. Her special tone is intact and she can still push (and hold) the note very high in spectacular fashion without sounding like she's trying.
His interpretation of Piaf's hymn to love in the first part is astonishing. From the start of her career, Mathieu established herself as a worthy heir, so this is probably the closest thing to Piaf singing we'll ever hear in our lives. So much so that it is moving, and as she holds her final note for long seconds, we can only appreciate the extraordinary breath, sense of spectacle and self-surrender that we feel throughout the room.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Mireille Mathieu exhibition at the Salle Willfrid Pelletier at Place des Arts on February 18, 2024.
championship
Mireille Mathieu ends the first part with “Donne ton coeur, donne ta vie”, which we hum during the break – “Give your heart, give your life, and you will experience the joy of loving” – and returns in the second part with “ My Credo”, his first success from 1966, which sums up the theme of the evening well: “Yes, I believe that a life begins with a word of love. »
Then the big hits are played to the greatest delight of the audience: “Santa Maria de la mer”, “Why the world is without love”, “Acropolis farewell” – of which she sings the finale -, “Forgive me this childish whim”… That it's all a journey Over time, the lady who always wore the same haircut and rolled her R in such a delicious way offered us – otherwise we would have been disappointed!
So the evening passes, and the performer is still in complete control of her voice: when she sings A Last Word of Love, accompanied only by piano and cello, we can see how not only powerful she is, but also subtle and to many Capable of nuances.
His second cover of Piaf, Non je ne regrette rien, is another strong moment that captivates the audience. Like the time a spectator came to present him with a Canadian and a French flag… “Long live Canada, long live France… and long live Quebec!” she said in her youthful voice, waving it, what a true one caused an explosion of joy.
After moving us with Maman la plus belle du monde, which she sings with photos of her mother scrolling across a screen, Mireille Mathieu ends the evening with her cover of Abba, Bravo tu as Gag (The Winner Takes it All), another singing performance that deserves respect.
When the curtain fell, it was clear to most of the audience that we had just experienced a unique and precious moment. An extraordinary encounter that brought together the present and the past, with a warm and generous artist who ends each song with his arms wide open, in a gesture of sharing, generosity and welcome. It felt good to curl up there and forget this loveless world for a moment of the evening.
Read “The Happy Return of Mireille Mathieu”