For his 35-year career, Michaël Rancourt has dreamed up a new show, entirely in French, that leaves a lot of space for deceased artists that audiences have not forgotten. With the tour The UnforgettableWith his first work in more than ten years, the imitator mainly wanted to pay tribute to Charles Aznavour, Gerry Boulet, Dalida, Michel Louvain and Gilbert Bécaud.
In addition to his 35-year career, Michaël Rancourt turns 60 this year. The unforgettable tour is also the tenth of his career.
“So I had three good reasons to make 2023 a milestone year,” he says.
You have to go back to 2012 to see the very last theatrical tour that Michaël Rancourt presented with The Voice of Others. In recent years he has focused on a corporate show, The Jukebox Years, from Piaf to Sinatra.
“It’s kind of like a big comeback at the same time,” he says of his new tour.
To make The Unforgettables, the impersonator turned to his fans on Facebook for help. He asked them what imitations they wanted to see and what cuts he should make of the artists.
In contrast to his previous shows, where he lined up many and short impersonations, this time Michaël Rancourt wanted to go into each artist impersonated a little longer.
“Imitate 75 people for two hours, I did it and I don’t feel like it anymore,” he said. But I still feel like being on stage and showing people what I can do. »
In his new show he can therefore make between three and five excerpts from songs by the same artist.
“Mimicking someone for 30 seconds or five minutes is different,” he says. In 30 seconds we quickly switch from one to the other. There people have time to embark. »
A dream that could come true
In addition to this new Quebec tour, Michaël Rancourt mentions that he is in talks to play concerts in Europe in 2024 and 2025.
“It was always a childhood dream and I started to wonder if I was too old for it. But I was approached and talked about it with my girlfriend. Could I fulfill a dream I had when I was younger? After all, I don’t think I’m that old at 60! »
► Michaël Rancourt will present his show The Unforgettable May 25 at the Capitole de Québec and May 28-29 May at the Casino de Montreal. michaelrancourt.com.