Nathalie Lhermitte in “Piaf! The Show”- Photo by Tom Alvarez.
Signaling that live entertainment is returning to normal, despite the lingering presence of the pandemic, is the amount and variety of offerings available in Central Indiana on any given weekend. Case in point this past weekend, when I saw “Piaf! The Show” at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel on Thursday and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Pops Series concert, featuring Denzal Sinclaire, at Hilbert Circle Theatre on Friday. Both paid tribute to iconic singers whose music lives on.
Nathalie Lhermitte – Photo by Tom Alvarez.
“Piaf! The Show” is a musical celebration of the legendary French chanteuse Édith Piaf. Conceived and directed by the Nice-based impresario Gil Marsalla, the tribute starred acclaimed French performer Nathalie Lhermitte, who has also portrayed Piaf in other stage productions. The show, which premiered in 2015 as a tribute to “The Swallow of Montmartre” on the centennial of Piaf’s birthday, was inspired by the award-winning movie “La Vie en Rose.”
The show at the Palladium, accompanied by live musicians, detailed the storied journey of the Parisian singer’s career through her memorable songs, complemented by archival photos and images of famous Paris locations from Piaf’s era. The program spanned Piaf’s early career from singing on the streets of Paris to her legendary concerts at Paris’s Olympia Theatre and New York’s famed Carnegie Hall in 1957. The show has been presented in over 50 countries, with the current world tour honoring the 60th anniversary of Piaf’s death.
Lhermitte, petite in size like Piaf and also a vocal powerhouse, is a dead ringer for the legendary singer, capturing her oversized passion, if not her very essence. Singing songs from Piaf’s repertoire, Lhermitte interpreted many I was not familiar with, but performed others widely recognizable by American audiences. They included, “Padam, Padam,” “Milord,” “Mon Dieu,” and “Non, je ne regrette rein,” which can currently be heard in an Allstate Insurance commercial. During several songs, Lhermitte encouraged the audience to sing along which many did enthusiastically providing evidence that a good number of them were fluent in French.
Nathalie Lhermitte – Photo by Tom Alvarez.
Accompanying Lhermitte’s astonishing vocal performance were top-drawer musicians, including Philippe Villa on piano, Benoît Pierron on percussion and drums, Frédéric Viale on accordion, and Giliard Lopes on double bass.
My only criticism of the production is the mostly black and white visuals projected on a screen suspended above the musicians. The images, consisting of famous locations, ordinary people and couples, effectively captured the atmosphere and romantic ambiance of Paris in Piaf’s lifetime, but were repeated over and over again. Perhaps that did not bother others, but as a former television documentary producer who worked with archival footage, I wish they had used additional images to illustrate the show.
Concluding the show with “Hymne a L’amour,” Lhermitte left the stage, leaving me to wonder why she hadn’t sung the ubiquitous “La Vie en Rose,” generally regarded as Piaf’s signature song. However, since the musicians had not yet exited, I anticipated her return to fulfill mine and everyone else’s expectations. After a lengthy applause, Lhermitte did reappear to coyly introduce and then intone the beloved classic to the thrill of a clearly delighted audience.
It’s a true testament to the timeless nature of Piaf’ music that it is still popular so many years after her death in 1963 at the age of 47. Through “Piaf! The Show,” those fortunate enough to be present experienced the visceral impact of a tragic artist, who sang so forcefully and with such raw emotion and vulnerability that it binds us to her still.
Denzal Sinclaire Courtesy of Tom Russo. Used with permission.
“Valentine’s Day with the ISO” held an abundance of riches for a number of reasons. For one, the Pops Series concert was led by resident conductor Jacob Joyce, whom I had not yet seen during his tenure (he is currently in his third year) with the ISO. Secondly, the soloist for the concert was Canadian jazz singer Denzal Sinclaire, whom I recently profiled here and had not yet heard. And lastly, much of the concert program paid tribute to Nat King Cole, one of my favorite Great American Songbook artists.
Joyce showed flair conducting the ISO and also likability, as he displayed a clever sense of humor during his comments throughout the concert. Exhibiting exemplary musicianship, he showed his innovative skills as a conductor while leading the ISO during the first part of the program in instrumental selections that included Bernstein’s Overture to “West Side Story,” Tchaikovsky Movement I (Suite) from “Swan Lake Suite, Op. 20a,” Richard Rodgers’ “My Funny Valentine” from “Babes in Arms” and Dvorák’s “Song to the Moon” from Rusalka, Op. 114,
Denzal Sinclaire- Courtesy of Tom Russo. Used with permission.
Sinclaire, who is one of Canada’s and perhaps the entire jazz world’s most popular singers, was then introduced to regale the audience for the remainder of the concert’s first act. Showing his trademark subtle, relaxed and sophisticated approach to his music, he dazzled the receptive crowd with his rich and soothing baritone. His setlist included tunes made famous by Nat King Cole. They included “Walking My Baby Back Home,” “Mona Lisa,” “When I Fall In Love,” and “L-O-V-E.”
Following the concert’s romantic Valentine’s Day theme focusing on love, Act 2 opened with the ISO performing Carlos Gardel’s “Tango” (Por una cabeza) from “Scent of a Woman,” and John Williams’s “Hans Solo and the Princess” from “Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.”
Upon returning to the stage to continue connecting to the audience with his easygoing manner, gentle sense of humor, smooth voice, and impeccable styling, the soft-spoken Sinclaire wooed them further with standards such as “Nature Boy,” Lucky Day,” “I’ve Got the World on A String,” and, no doubt, Cole’s most famous song, “Unforgettable.”
The ISO concluded the concert with Tchaikovsky’s “Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture,” bringing to mind a dance piece I saw last month, choreographed by Dance Kaleidoscope‘s artistic director David Hochoy set to the same music. It occurred to me that it would have been wonderful had these two premier arts organizations collaborated, as they have in the past, to bring this particular piece alive. Just a thought.
It was a complete surprise and extra treat when Sinclaire reappeared to croon an a cappella rendition of Irving Berlin’s sweet and sentimental “Always” to end the evening in a low-key manner that characterized a showmanship that is distinctive for its understated elegance. A truly class act.
