Charles Aznavour

Charles Aznavour

Charles Aznavour OC (Armenian: Շառլ Ազնավուր; born Shahnour Varenagh Aznavourian (Շահնուր Վաղինակ Ազնավուրյան), May 22, 1924, Paris) is an Armenian-French singer, songwriter, actor and public activist. Besides being one of France's most popular and enduring singers, he is also one of the most well-known singers in the world. He is known for his characteristic short figure and unique tenor voice; clear and ringing in its upper reaches, with gravely and soulful low notes. He has appeared in more than 60 movies, composed about 1000 songs (including at least 150 in English, 100 in Italian, 70 in Spanish, and 50 in German), and sold well over 100 million records.

In 1998, Charles Aznavour was chosen as Entertainer of the Century by CNN and users of Time Online from around the globe. He was recognized as the century's outstanding performer, with nearly 18% of the total vote, edging out Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan.

Aznavour started his global farewell tour in late 2006.

Biography

File:Knarazn.jpg

Little Charles with his Mother Knar (1920s)

Aznavour was born in Paris, the son of Armenian immigrants Michael Aznavourian and Knar Bagdasarian. His artistic parents introduced him to the world of theatre at an early age.

He began to perform when he was nine and soon took the stage name Aznavour. His big break came when the singer Édith Piaf heard him sing and arranged to take him with her on tour in France and to the United States.

Often described as the "Frank Sinatra of France", Aznavour sings mostly about love. He has written musicals and about a thousand songs, made more than one hundred records, and appeared in sixty movies, including Shoot the Piano Player, The Tin Drum and Ararat. Aznavour speaks and sings in many languages (French, English, Italian, Spanish, German, Russian, Armenian, Portuguese, Neapolitan), which has helped him perform at Carnegie Hall and other major venues around the world. He also recorded at least one song from the 18th century poet Sayat Nova, in Armenian. Que C'est Triste Venise, sung in French, Italian (Com'è Triste Venezia), Spanish (Venecia Sin Ti), English (How Sad Venice Can Be), and German (Venedig im Grau), is one of Aznavour's most famous polylingual songs.

In the 1970s Aznavour became a major success in the United Kingdom where his song "She" went to Number One in the charts. His other well-known song in the UK was "Dance in the Old Fashioned Way".

An admirer of Quebec, where he played in Montreal cabarets before becoming famous, he has helped the career of Quebec singer-songwriter Lynda Lemay in France, and has a house in Montreal. On 5 July 2008, he was invested as an honorary officer of the Order of Canada and performed the following day on the Plains of Abraham as a feature of the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec City.

File:Aznavour-statue.jpg

Charles Aznavour Statue in Gyumri, Armenia.

Since the 1988 earthquake in Armenia, Aznavour has been helping the country through his charity, Aznavour for Armenia. Together with his brother in-law and co-author Georges Garvarentz he writes the song "Pour toi Arménie", which was performed by a group of famous French artists and topped the charts for 13 weeks. There is a square named after him in central Yerevan on Abovian Street. In 1995 Charles Aznavour was appointed an Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Armenia to UNESCO. Aznavour is a member of the Armenia Fund International Board of Trustees. The organization has rendered more than $150 million in humanitarian aid and infrastructure development assistance to Armenia since 1992. Charles Aznavour was appointed as "Officier" (Officer) of the Légion d'honneur in 1997.

File:Sissel Aznavour.jpg

Aznavour and Norwegian singer Sissel performing in Vienna

Artists who have covered his songs and collaborated with Aznavour include Fred Astaire, Andrea Bocelli, Bing Crosby, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Liza Minnelli, Josh Groban, Shirley Bassey, José Carreras, Laura Pausini, Nana Mouskouri and Julio Iglesias. Fellow French pop legend Mireille Mathieu has sung and recorded with Aznavour on numerous occasions. In 1974, Jack Jones recorded an entire album of Aznavour compositions entitled "Write Me A Love Song, Charlie", re-released on CD in 2006 . Aznavour and Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti sang Gounod's aria Ave Maria together. Elvis Costello recorded "She" for the film Notting Hill. One of Aznavour's greatest friends and collaborators from the music industry is legendary Spanish operatic tenor Plácido Domingo, who often performs his hits, most notably a studio recording of "Les bateaux sont partis" in 1985, as well as Aznavour's "Ave Maria" several times live in 1994. Also in 1994, Aznavour performed with Domingo and Norwegian soprano Sissel Kyrkjebø at Domingo's third annual Christmas in Vienna concert. The three singers performed a variety of carols, medleys, and duets, and the concert was televised throughout the world, as well as released on a CD internationally.

Charles Aznavour, a photo by Xavier Thomas.

At the start of autumn in 2006, Aznavour initiated his farewell tour, performing in the US and Canada, and earning very positive reviews. Aznavour started 2007 with concerts all over Japan and Asia. The second half of 2007 saw Aznavour return to Paris for over 20 shows at the Palais des Congrès in Paris, followed by more touring in Belgium, the Netherlands, and the rest of France. He has repeatedly stated that this farewell tour, health permitting, will likely last beyond 2010. At 84, Aznavour is in excellent health. He still sings in multiple languages and without teleprompters, but typically sticks to just two or three (French and English being the primary two, with Spanish or Italian being the third) during most concerts. On 30 September 2006, Aznavour performed a major concert in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia to start off the cultural season "Arménie mon amie" in France. Former Armenian president Robert Kocharyan and French president Jacques Chirac, at the time on an official visit to Armenia, were in front-row attendance.

In 2006, 82-year old Aznavour traveled to Cuba, where he, together with Chucho Valdes, recorded his new album Colore Ma Vie, presented at Aznavour's Moscow concert in April 2007. Later, in July 2007, Aznavour was invited to perform at the Vieilles Charrues Festival.

"Forever Cool" (2007), an album from Capitol/EMI, features Aznavour singing a new duet of "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime" with the voice of the late Dean Martin.

Aznavour finished a tour of Portugal in February 2008. On 18 January 2008 he participated as guest vocalist with the contestants of the French reality show Star Academy and sang his famous Emmenez-Moi with contestant Jérémy Chapron. Throughout the spring of 2008, Aznavour toured South America, holding a multitude of concerts in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay. Summer saw him in Quebec, and a return to Latin America followed in autumn.

Charles Aznavour's next album, the highly-anticipated international release of Duos, is a collaborative effort featuring Aznavour and his greatest friends and partners from his long career in the music industry, including Celine Dion, Plácido Domingo, Josh Groban, Laura Pausini, and many others. It is to be released in early December 2008. HE WAS A FAG! HE WAS STRICTLY DICKLY!

Film career

Aznavour has had a long and varied parallel career as an actor, appearing in over 60 films. In 1960 Aznavour starred in François Truffaut's Tirez sur le pianiste, playing a character called Édouard Saroyan. He also put in a critically acclaimed performance in the 1974 movie And Then There Were None. Aznavour had an important supporting role in 1978's The Tin Drum, winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1979. Aznavour starred in the 2002 movie Ararat playing Edward Saroyan, a movie director.

Awards and recognition

• 1963, 1971 and 1980 - Edison Awards (three-time awardwinner)
• 1971 - Golden Lion Honorary Award at the Venice Film Festival for the Italian version of the song Mourir d'aimer
• 1995 - Large Medal of French Academy
• 1995 - Ambassador of Goodwill and Permanent Delegate of Armenia to UNESCO
• 1996 - Induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame
• 1997 - French Victoire award for Male artist of the year
• 1997 - Honorary César Award
• 1997 - Officier (Officer) of the Legion d'honneur
• 2004 - National Hero of Armenia
• 2006 - Honorary prize at 30th Cairo Film Festival
• 2008 - Honorary Officer of the Order of Canada

Greatest Hits

Charles Aznavour in concert (1988).

(2001 collection tracklist)

• "Toi et Moi"
• "The Sound Of Your Name" (with Liza Minnelli)
• "The Old Fashioned Way"
• "She"
• "Tu t'laisses Aller"
• "La Mamma"
• "Que C'est Triste Venise"
• "For Me Formidable"
• "Il Faut Savoir"
• "Et Pourtant"
• "Non Je N'ai Rien Oublie"
• "Qui"
• "Yesterday When I Was Young"
• "Une Vie D'amour" (with Mireille Mathieu)
• "La Bohème"
• "Hier Encore"
• "Sur Ma Vie"
• "Embrasse-moi"
• "Ave Maria"

Discography

• 1996 - 40 chansons d'or
• French Discography
• International Discography
• International Catalog of all recordings available

Filmography

• La Guerre des gosses (1936) — Extra
• Les Disparus de Saint-Agil (1938) (uncredited) — Un élève
• Adieu chérie (1946) (as Aznavour) — Le duettiste
• Entrez dans la danse (1948)
• Une gosse sensass' (1957) — Le chanteur
• Paris Music Hall (1957) — Charles
• La Tête contre les murs (1959) — Heurtevent
• Les Dragueurs (1959) — Joseph Bouvier
• Pourquoi viens-tu si tard? (1959) — Un danseur
• Oh! Qué mambo (1959) (uncredited) — Un spectateur au cabaret
• Le Testament d'Orphée (1960) (uncredited) — The Curious Man
• Un taxi pour Tobrouk (1960) — Samuel Goldmann
• Le Passage du Rhin (1960) — Roger
• Tirez sur le pianiste (1960) — Charlie Kohler/Édouard Saroyan
• Gosse de Paris (1961)
• Les Lions sont lâchés (1961) — Charles, un convive de Marie-Laure
• Esame di guida - tempo di Roma (1962) — Marcello
• Horace 62 (1962) — Horace Fabiani
• Le Diable et les dix commandements (1962) — Denis Mayeux (episode "Homicide point ne seras")
• Les Quatre vérités (1962) — Charles
• Les Vierges (1963) — Berthet
• Le Rat d'Amérique (1963) — Charles
• Thomas l'imposteur (1964)
• Alta infedeltà (1964) — Giulio (segment "Peccato nel Pomeriggio")
• La Métamorphose des cloportes (1965) — Edmond
• Le Facteur s'en va-t-en guerre (1966) — Thibon
• Paris au mois d'août (1966) — Henri Plantin
• Caroline chérie (1968) — Postillon
• Candy (1968) — Hunchback juggler
• Le Temps des loups (1969) — Inspector
• The Adventurers (1970) — Marcel Campion
• L'Amour (1970) — Le présentateur
• The Games (1970) — Pavel Vendek
• The Selfish Giant (1971) — Narrator (French version)
• Un beau monstre (1971) — Inspector Leroy
• Part des lions (1971) — Éric Chambon
• Les Intrus (1972) — Charles Bernard
• The Blockhouse (1973) — Visconti
• Ein Unbekannter rechnet ab (1974) — Michel Raven
• Sky Riders (1976) — Insp. Nikolidis
• Folies bourgeoises (1976) — Dr. Lartigue
• Die Blechtrommel (1979) — Sigismund Markus
• Ciao, les mecs (1979) — L'amnésique
• Der Zauberberg (1982) — Naphta
• Qu'est-ce qui fait courir David? (1982) — Léon, le père de David
• Les Fantômes du chapelier (1982) — Kachoudas
• Une jeunesse (1983) — Bellun
• Viva la vie! (1984) — Édouard Takvorian
• Yiddish Connection (1986) — Aaron Rapoport
• Mangeclous (1988) — Jérémie
• Il Maestro (1989) — Romualdi
• Charles Aznavour Armenia 1989 (1989)
• Les Années campagne (1992) — Le grand-père/Grandfather
• Pondichéry, dernier comptoir des Indes (1997) — Léo Bauman
• Le Comédien (1997) — Monsieur Maillard
• Laguna (2001)
• Truth About Charlie (2002) — Himself
• Ararat (2002) — Edward Saroyan
• Ennemis publics (2005)
• Mon colonel (2006) — Père Rossi

Charles Aznavour Videos/DVDs

• Charles Aznavour - Armenia 1989, (Armenfilm) 1989 color 10min. 35mm. Director Levon Mkrtchyan. The film is about the humanitarian aid that Charles Aznavour, a famous French singer of Armenian origin, brought to Armenia after the Spitak earthquake in 1988.[1]
• http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=charles%20aznavour%20armenia%201989&search=Search&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&spell=1

• Christmas in Vienna III, A Christmas gala concert live from Vienna on 22 December 1994 with Aznavour, Plácido Domingo and Sissel Kyrkjebø, featuring the Vienna Symphony conducted by famed Croatian conductor Vjekoslav Šutej.
• Making of "Colore ma vie", A making-of featurette released in 2007 coinciding with the release of Aznavour's latest studio album, Colore ma vie. Filmed in Havana and Paris, it shows his collaboration with Cuban pianist Chucho Valdez and the thoughts, opinions, and artistry the two put into the album.

Trivia

• Aznavour's nickname is Charles Aznavoice ('as no voice), used both by critics and affectionately by some fans.

• Aznavour's voice lies in the tenor range but has a baritonal coloratura, leading to the unique sound of his voice.

• Aznavour's name was used as the basis for the name of the character Char Aznable by Yoshiyuki Tomino in his anime mecha series, Mobile Suit Gundam.

• His song "Parce Que Tu Crois" was sampled by Hip Hop producer Dr. Dre for the song "What's the Difference", off of 2001 (album)

• He has had a nose surgery to reduce what he considers its "massive length" during his youth to appeal more to the public as a singer. Jokingly on a TV5 interview, he said that he used to twist his nose to one side when passing by a lady saying "excuse me".

• He is mentioned in the Psychedelic Furs song "Sister Europe" ("The radio upon the floor/ is stupid, it plays Aznavour").

See also

• List of best-selling music artists
• Franco-Armenian relations
• Ils Sont Tombés

External links

• Charles Aznavour at IMDb
• Charles Aznavour at the Songwriters Hall of Fame
• Official site
• Biography by Radio France International
• Fansite Template:Fr icon
• Original discography, catalogue and discussion group Template:Fr icon
• Les carnets Aznavour Template:Fr icon
• Charles Aznavour - Armenian-Russian fan site Template:Ru icon
• Karaokes of Charles Aznavour Sing Charles Aznavour Songs (music and lyrics)

Live performances

• Charles Aznavour - "Ave Maria" performance
• Charles Aznavour - "Hier encore" performance
• Charles Aznavour - "Paris au mois d'août" performance

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