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Cortal Consors & Singtheatre invite the Singapore audience
to a night in Paris with Jacques Brel
January 31st, 2008 - Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, the longest-running off-Broadway musical revue of all times, is produced in Asia for the first time. Starring Emma Yong, George Chan, Leigh McDonald and Tony McGill, the show will run from May 7th to 17th at DBS ARTS CENTRE - Home of SRT in Singapore.
Nathalie Ribette, founder of Singtheatre, who will produce and direct the musical revue with a local cast and artistic team says : “Jacques Brel was the leading “chansonnier” - singer and songwriter - of the 1960’s and 1970’s European scene. He was able to share compelling emotions thanks to his powerful songs and charismatic presence. I have always wanted to share my passion for this legendary modern troubadour with my adoptive country and I realized that 2008 will mark the 30th anniversary of his death. A local revival of Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris seemed a very good opportunity to promote again our cultural exchange mission”. Singtheatre’s latest production, No Regrets, A Tribute to Edith Piaf, was an artistic success and received rave reviews.
Indeed, Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, which was created in New York and features English translations of the French songs of a Belgian singer, is a timeless and powerful show, celebrating the ultimate triumph of the human spirit. It is a musical revue, or juke-box musical, and each of the 27 songs is treated like a mini play. The mood changes during this emotional ride through the ups and downs of human existence. In a simple, sober, black and white Parisian ambiance, the songs (a blend of ballads, tangoes and waltzes) alternate between the tender and the jovial. These reveal all the talents of the crème-de-la-crème of Singapore-based artists: Emma Yong (one of the Dim Sum Dollies), George Chan (famous as one of The Dance Floor judge), Leigh McDonald (Kate Carl in Forbidden City - Portrait of an Empress) and Tony McGill (Head of Musical Theatre at LaSalle-College of the Arts). They will be supported by a five-piece band, which includes French accordionist Daniel Blayo (No Regrets, A Tribute to Edith Piaf) and famous pianist Chris Nolan (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang).
Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris was first produced in 1968. Most songs were translated from the French by American poet Eric Blau and lyricist Mort Schuman with the help of Brel himself, conveying in English the pathos and wit of his story-songs, and the effect was overwhelming: the original revue played for 4 years with nearly 2 000 performances. It was revived several times all around the world and even turned into a film. The latest production in 2006 has received several award nominations.
The late Jacques Brel, an anti-war poet, was one of the best live performers of all times, electrifying audiences with his hypnotic melodies and consummate interpretation. This versatile artist was a composer, a poet, but also an accomplished actor. He lived life like there was no tomorrow, touring relentlessly and spending some time sailing around the globe. Brel died in 1978 at the early age of 49 from lung cancer.
Jacques Brel was elected The Greatest Belgian of all times in 2005 by the audience of the national television.
Media contact:
Charlotte Grant-Blom
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Tel.: +65 9176 6601
Show pictures and press kit available on request
Brought to you by Cortal Consors
Produced by Singtheatre Ltd,
at the DBS ARTS CENTRE – Home of SRT
20 Merbau Road
from 7 to 17 may 2008
Price: 55-65 SGD
- 15% early birds (until 7 april)
- 15% group booking (20 and +)
Excluding SISTIC fees
On sale via SISTIC
Singtheatre
Sing’theatre is a non-profit professional Singaporean theatre company. Created in October 2006 to promote cultural exchange, Sing’theatre is the first local company to produce English-language shows with Singapore-based artists drawing on the French cultural heritage. Sing’theatre brings plays and musicals from France to a wider Singaporean audience, showcasing Singapore-based artists. It promotes artistic and cultural exchange through collaboration between the French and the Singaporean multi-ethnic performing arts communities. Sing’theatre also aims to join together the English and French speaking communities through theatre and to contribute to Singapore’s nationwide efforts to bring a new audience to theatre. Sing’theatre has been created by Nathalie Ribette, a French national, who has been involved in the performing arts in Singapore since 1998 and is a member of the Alliance Française Board.
Sing'theatre Ltd is a Registered Charity (No 2005)
Cortal Consors
With more than 1 million clients and a presence in 5 countries (Germany, France, Spain, Belgium and Luxembourg), Cortal Consors, a BNP Paribas Group entity, is the European leader in personal savings and online trading.
Cortal Consors a multi-channel distribution platform of financial products (Internet, telephone, face-to-face) created together with BNP Paribas Private Bank Singapore an Expatriate desk in 2006. “What makes us unique is our capacity to give tailor-made expert advice to the expatriate community in Asia in the language of their choice” says Régine Plancher, head of the Expatriate Desk.
Cortal Consors has drawn up an offer dedicated at an international clientele keen to receive in open architecture top-of-the-range products (investment funds, shares, life insurance, structured products, trackers, multi-currency savings accounts, etc.) whilst benefiting from the flexibility of online management.
As a bank on a human scale, Cortal Consors offers three types of customised tailor-made services to its clients, depending on the way they wish to manage their investments:
- Cortal Consors Direct: for clients who prefer to manage their investments independently
- Cortal Consors Advisory: for clients who prefer to receive personalised advice to help them manage their investments
- Cortal Consors Portfolio Management: for clients who choose discretionary management, entrusting a financial adviser to manage their investments
Cortal Consors is proud to be once again associated with Singtheatre following last year’s success of “No Regrets, a tribute to Edith Piaf”.
For more information about Cortal Consors: www.cortal.consors.lu
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