Charles Aznavour

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Charles Aznavour
Charles Aznavour in Yerevan
Charles Aznavour in Yerevan
Background information
Birth name Shahnour Vaghinagh Aznavourian
Born May 22, 1924 (1924-05-22) (age 84) in Paris, France
Genre(s) Pop, Chanson, Jazz
Occupation(s) singer, songwriter, actor, public activist
Voice type(s) Tenor
Years active 1936 - present
Label(s) EMI, MusArm Records
Website www.c-aznavour.com

Charles Aznavour (Armenian: Շառլ Ազնավուր; born Shahnourh Varinag Aznavourian, Շահնուր Վաղինակ Ազնավուրյան, May 22, 1924) 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 150 in English, 100 in Italian, 70 in Spanish, and 50 in German), and sold well over 100 million records.[1] Aznavour started his global farewell tour in late 2006.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Little Charles with his Mother Knar (1920s)
Little Charles with his Mother Knar (1920s)

Aznavour was born in Paris, the son of Armenian immigrants Michael Aznavourian and Knar Bagdasarian[2]. 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 sings in many languages (French, English, Italian, Spanish, German, Russian, Armenian, Portuguese), 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.

Charles Aznavour Statue in Gyumri, Armenia.
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 Armenie", which 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.

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

Aznavour and Norwegian singer Sissel performing in Vienna
Aznavour and Norwegian singer Sissel performing in Vienna

Artists who have covered his songs range from Fred Astaire, Bob Dylan and Bing Crosby to Ray Charles, Liza Minnelli and Julio Iglesias. In 1974, Jack Jones recorded an entire album of Aznavour compositions entitled "Write Me A Love Song, Charlie", re-released on CD in 2006 [3]. Elvis Costello recorded "She" for the film Notting Hill. Legendary Spanish operatic tenor Plácido Domingo is a good friend of Aznavour and often performs his hits, most notably Aznavour's version of "Ave Maria" 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. [4]

Charles Aznavour, a photo by Xavier Thomas.
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 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.[5] On September 30, 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.[6]

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 of 2007, Aznavour was invited to perform at the Vieilles Charrues Festival, and sang his greatest hits to a thrilled audience.

"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 January 18, 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 will tour South America, holding a multitude of concerts in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay.

[edit] 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.

[edit] Awards and recognition

[edit] Greatest Hits

(2001 collection tracklist)

[edit] Discography

In 1989, he wrote the charity song "Pour toi Arménie" which he recorded with many French artists.

[edit] 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 Der (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

[edit] Charles Aznavour Videos/DVDs

[edit] Trivia

 Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines.
The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

Aznavour has always been conscious of his diminutive height, standing at only 5'3" (160 cm). Because of this, however, he has developed tremendous stage presence and command.

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

Aznavour's voice is in the tenor range, but generally sticks to baritone.

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").

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Thomas, Rebecca. "Aznavour leaves on high note", BBC News, April 10, 2001. "Aznavour has sold more than 100 million records..." 
  2. ^ Official biography
  3. ^ "Write Me A Love Song, Charlie", by Jack Jones, also at Amazon.com
  4. ^ Sissel Kyrkjebø (Soprano)
  5. ^ Riding, Alan. "At 82, Charles Aznavour Is Singing a Farewell That Could Last for Years", The New York Times, September 18, 2006. "There are some people who grow old and others who just add years. I have added years, but I am not yet old..." 
  6. ^ Charles Aznavour Biography, RFI Musique, February 2007
  7. ^ Delegation of Armenia to UNESCO
  8. ^ Charles Aznavour and Kirk Kerkorian National Heroes of Armenia

[edit] External links

[edit] Live performances

Preceded by
Maxime Le Forestier		 Victoires de la Musique
Male artist of the year
1997		 Succeeded by
Florent Pagny


Persondata
NAME Aznavour, Charles
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Aznavourian, Shahnour Vaghinagh; ; Ազնավուր, Շառլ
SHORT DESCRIPTION singer
DATE OF BIRTH May 22, 1924
PLACE OF BIRTH Paris, France
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH