Charles Aznavour has long been recognized around the world as the best variety performer of the past century. Chansonnier performs his own works, as well as composes songs for other singers. In total, about a thousand song compositions created by Aznavour are known. Discs with his recordings are issued all over the world in millions of copies. Charles Aznavour, whose songs are heard in many languages, continues to attract the attention of a large number of fans.
Sad pierrot
The entire songwriting of the artist is permeated with an aura of bright sadness. Almost all works of Aznavour are devoted to the theme of love and emotional experiences. Even at the beginning of his creative life, he noticed that people are always interested in lyrical works based on sadness and melancholy, hurt the soul and make the heart tremble. Thanks to his musical tastes, to which Aznavour has remained faithful for over sixty years, the image of romantic and sad Pierrot has been firmly entrenched in him.
This year, May 22, the famous chansonnier turned 90 years old. Charles Aznavour, whose biography began so long ago, celebrated his anniversary on the Berlin scene with the special program “The Legend Returns”. A week before his birthday, Aznavour sang in Yerevan on the square bearing his name.
The most famous French Armenian
Shahnur Azavuryan (real name chansonnier) is the son of Armenian emigrants forced to leave their homeland in 1915, fleeing the Armenian genocide. In the French manner, the boy was soon called Charles.
The parents of Aznavour were artists, creative people, so the family was not easy to emigrate. My father opened a small restaurant "Caucasus" and for several years tried to stay in the role of an entrepreneur, although it did not work out too well for him. Aznavour's mother, a theater actress, was forced to become a seamstress.
The Aznavuryan family lived hard, but in a house where peace and harmony always reigned, the atmosphere was filled with music, poetry, and theater. It is not surprising that little Charles, already at the age of five, performed before the audience, playing music on the violin. Having become a little older, he danced
Russian folk dances on the stage and sang in the church choir.
Hard acting bread
The acting debut took place when Aznavour was only thirteen years old - he had the responsible role of King Henry IV in childhood. For many years, the artist began to co-star in small boulevard theaters, and sang in provincial cinema halls in between films.
And only at the age of 19, Aznavour Charles dared to perform on the big stage. Unfortunately, a complete failure awaited him. The audience did not accept the small, puny man who was not distinguished by special vocal abilities. He was booed by a ruthless audience, and critics advised him to choose another occupation. But Charles could no longer imagine his life without music, so he continued to do it anyway.
Meeting with the Muse
Charles Aznavour and Edith Piaf met in 1946. Their meeting determined the future creative fate of the artist. The singer was very tender towards the young man, helping and supporting him in every possible way. Aznavour became an indispensable assistant for her, acting as an entertainer, secretary, personal driver and a good friend. Piaf’s repertoire included Charles’s song “Jezebel” (Isabelle), which has enjoyed continued success with the public.
The great Edith managed to discern his rich inner world, great talent and creative charisma behind the modest appearance of the artist. She inspired Aznavour and became for him a real teacher, master, managing to convey to him her vision of the song and a special creative perception.
The chansonnier himself called their relationship “sweet slavery,” which lasted about eight years. Thanks to this, Aznavour was formed as an independent and strong personality, becoming a full-fledged creator and performer of songs about loneliness and unrequited love.
Finally came success
Very soon great fame came to the artist. In 1954, Aznavour won the hearts of American listeners with the song "My life" (Sur ma vie). Subsequently, it was performed for many years by the famous French singer Joe Dassin, making it his calling card. During this period, the surname Aznavuryan lost a small particle, and from now on, the artist began to call himself Aznavour Charles. The number of songs written independently reached three dozen, and he did not stop there.
Charles Aznavour, singer and composer, also successfully mastered the profession of film actor, playing for the first time in 1955. The role of cabaret pianist in the film “Shoot at the Pianist” by the French director Francois Truffaut brought him fame and recognition. In the future, Aznavour repeatedly starred in the leading directors Jean Cocteau, Claude Chabrol, Volker Schlendorf.
In 1983, Charles Aznavour, whose biography in the movie was already quite rich, brilliantly played in Claude Lelouche's film "Edith and Marseille." The role became special for the artist, because it was a love story of Edith Piaf and Marcel Sedan.
In the early 60s, the artist was a great success in New York, performing with songs in the famous Carnegie Hall. The audience listened, forgetting everything, his quiet and soulful voice, singing about the passion and beauty of love. Now Charles Aznavour, whose photo appeared on the covers of numerous magazines and envelopes with records, began to be called the singer of French blues. His work was compared with the famous American performer, the romantic Frank Sinatra.
Aznavour Charles continued to create songs, many of which became hits: “Sa jeunesse” (“This Youth”), “Apres l'amour” (“After Love”), “Parce que” (“Because”), “Mourir d 'aimer "(" To die of love ").
The sweet burden of glory
The year 1965 in Paris was marked by the successful premiere of the operetta Monsieur Carnaval ("Monsieur Carnival"), written by Charles Aznavour. In the same year, the singer gave solo concerts for two consecutive months, performing together with the orchestra conducted by Paul Maria. And again, constant success. Fame and popularity have always been where Aznavour appeared. Charles was grateful to his fate, always remaining a gentle, modest and restrained person.
The artist’s popularity was constantly growing. This was facilitated by regular performances, tours, recordings of new albums. In 1973, in London, Charles Aznavour's song "She" ("She") received gold and platinum discs. The event at that time was unheard of, because never before had such high awards been awarded to the French.
In 1981, the new album "Charles Aznavour chante Dimey" was the peculiar result of forty years of creative activity of the famous singer and composer. The next album, named after the author of "Aznavour," saw the world in 1986.
One of the composer's most famous songs in Russia was Une Vie D'Amour (Eternal Love), written by the author for the cult film Tehran 43 (directed by Alov and Naumov). At the concerts, Charles Aznavour and Mireille Mathieu performed this duet many times, and the audience always asked for an encore.
Armenia is my love
The artist always remembers his Armenian roots and constantly keeps in touch with his historical homeland.
In 1988, Charles Aznavour after the Armenian earthquake was one of the first to help his fellow countrymen. He became the organizer of a disaster relief fund, which later grew into the Aznavour and Armenia association. Constantly takes part in the construction of schools for Armenian children. Now the chansonnier is the ambassador of Armenia to Switzerland and represents her homeland at the UN headquarters.
Under the roof of the house
Aznavour was never famous for scandals, his life is always hidden from prying eyes. The artist was married three times, although he never had the glory of a ladies man. From his first marriage, Aznavour has an adult daughter, who is already 67 years old. With his current wife, Swedish Ulla Tursel, the singer will soon celebrate a golden wedding.
By his own admission, it was the love of a woman that allowed Aznavour to experience the happiest and most dramatic moments. Marriage with Ulla completely changed his life. They had three children born and raised - daughter Katya and two sons: Misha and Nicolas. Since 1977, Aznavour and his family settled in Switzerland.
90 years of life filled with creativity
By the current anniversary of the great chansonnier in France, a complete collection of his albums has been released, recorded on 32 discs. It contains all the records of the author since 1948. Charles Aznavour is still full of strength and energy. He writes a new album, which will be called "Nostalgia."
To his many brilliant abilities, Charles Aznavour also added the talent of the writer. He writes novels, continues to work on his biography, creates notes from his own thoughts, aphorisms and past stories.
According to the great chansonnier, the capricious muse had never left him alone. He constantly creates, being in eternal search. He draws strength for life in his work, which is rooted in Armenian soil. It was from there that his language, songs, musicality. The singer, born in France, living in Switzerland, always remains a true patriot of Armenia.