Hugues Vassal
Reporter - Photographe
Tell me about ÉDITH PIAF
2015 marked the Centennial of Edith Piaf's birth.
Hugues Vassal, photo- journalist, co-founder of the international photo agency Gamma and a close friend of the singer for the last seven years of her life, created a live show for the occasion
The show involves spectators in the daiy life of Madame Edith Piaf, at her residence, 67bis Boulevard Lannes, as seen through the narration and photography of her friend, Hugues Vassal.
Intimate revelations, very different from the distorted public images often fed the fans of this great Dame de la chanson française, surprises, discoveries, revelations... all against the musical background of Piaf's iconic songs in a live performance by talented singer, Pauline Maisonneuve. (She was on «The Voice»)
Prize winning Aude Giuliano, accompanies on the accordion.
A one hour, thirty minutes show. For adults.
Hugues Vassal is both director and performer. He recounts the stories of the songs he saw being created: "La foule", "Milord", "Non je ne regrette rien"... The stage reproduces the inside of the famous 67 bis boulevard Lannes, Edith's residence, where friends, song-writers, composers... lovers, all socialised on a daily basis. . There's the wedding of Edith Piaf and Théo Sarapo, her last young husband, where Vassal officiated, or the story of how Edith saved her friend Bruno Cocatrix from having to close his fabulous Paris concert hall, the Olympia. We learn of the tremendous pain Edith suffered at the brutal death of her lover, Doug Davis. But there are also the daily pranks Edith loved to play on her entourage. It's all there, illustrated by Vassal' photos.
Her public was everything to Edith and throughout the tribulations of her dramatic life , Edith Piaf used to say, "if I can't sing, then I'd rather die." She departed this life prematurely, at age 47.
Edith Piaf has been the subject of many tales, often inflated, embroilded, distorted.
For Hugues Vassal, behind the image of her frail body in her famous little black dress, there is a luminous une grande dame. Jean Cocteau was right when he called her, Madame Édith Piaf.
Later on, Hugues Vassal pursued his career as photo-journalist among the stars of 60's French show-business: Johnny Hallyday, Mireille Mathieu, Charles Aznavour, Maurice Chevalier. In 1967, he co-creates the international Gamma photo agency and travels the world: China, Iran, l’Africa...
Part of this project
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An exhibit of 40 to 150 Photos by Hugues Vassal as shown in Paris France, New York, Beyrouth…
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A 45 minute colloquium on "Edith Piaf" .
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Vassal 's book signings: “Edith Piaf : une vie en noir et blanc” (a life in black and white) and “Edith et Thérèse, la sainte et la pécheresse” (the Saint and the Sinner), published by Signe and "dans les pas d'Edith Piaf" (following the path of Edith Piaf) published by les 3 orangers...
These items are distinct and can be presented separately.
Tour Booking & Coordination
Tèl: 06 66 47 13 87 -lesamishuguesvassal@yahoo.fr
Pauline MAISONNEUVE
Pauline Maisonneuve is only 4 years old when she begins to danse and act. Àt 12 ans she takes singing lessons and joins the children's choir of the Nice Opera: she performs in Wagner's "Parsifal" at Acropolis and other small concerts (forum Nice Nord, Acropolis).
Reçue sur audition au CNRR de Nice en classe de Musiques Actuelles en 2010, Pauline participe à différents concerts dans la région niçoise. C'est à cette période qu'elle rencontre son professeur de chant, Pierre Capelle avec lequel elle évoluera pendant 4 ans. Parallèlement, elle suit un cours de Musiques Actuelles au « Volume » à Nice.
Competitions and prizes
Her trophies :
2012 :"Junior Passion/singing Côte d'Azur" in Nice. Third Prise.
2013 : "Junior Passion/singing Côte d'Azur" in Nice. Second Prize.
" Master Azur Varoises Stars" in Puget, Argens: First Prize
2014: "Master Passion/singing Côte d'Azur" in Nice: First Prize
Experience
In 2014, Pauline performs at the CNRR (Nice Academy of Music) main auditorium, accompanied by a 50-musician wind orchestra.. She joins the musical comedy, "Break Free", lead by Alain Joutard, at the Anthéa auditorium, in Antibes, France
Author and producer
Pauline writes her own songs, in French and in English. She teams up with Edwin Noel to create the group "Suny & Rickson". They perform in all the iconic venues of Nice Old Town and throughout the French Riviera, like the Allianz Riviera Stadium, the square Masséna, the Hard Rock Café, the Cannes Casino, etc...
The group also performs as guests on several radio shows: France Bleu Azur, Radio Côte d'Azur.
In 2015 "Suny & Rickson" self-produces it's first clip: « Get Up Boy ».
French version of "The Voice"
In that same year, Pauline takes part in the French version of « The Voice 4». She is in Zazie's team, and competes up to the Battles part..
Chroniqueuse à la Radio
Radio Côte d'Azur offers Maisonneuve her own program on the monthly radio show, « Nice Live&Live ».
Aude GIULIANO
Aude Giuliano starts on the accordion at age five, & pursues her musical education at Nice's CRR (School of performing arts)
Her musical sensibilité and the high quality of her performances quickly bring international recognition:
Castelfidardo International (Italy): Grand Prize Giuliano is the first French accordionist to obtain this prize since 1987
In Klingenthal (Allemagne), she wins Grand Prix International for kids under 12, then for kids under 15, then for kids under 18.12.
She also secures the World Junior Trophy, at Lorient (France).
She is a regular guest at many accordion festivals:
Germany, Italy, Portugal, Serbia, Croatia and Brésil and participates in cultural exchanges with Japan, China andVietnam.
Accepted by Paris' National Superior Music Academy and received the State Diploma in 2007. Since 2005, Aude Giuliano teaches accordion in Cannes, France (Conservatoire à Rayonnement Départemental de Cannes), where she also conducts the Tango Orchestra.
Giuliano is a member of the Nomad'lib Group 2005 (focusing on European musical integration) and a member of Calliopée Ensemble (Karine Lethiec, artistic director) She specialises in the transcription of classical music, from ancient to contemporary music.
She works regularly in duos with François SALQUE and Frédéric AUDIBERT (cellists) and with Jean-Paul MINALI-BELLA (viola d'amore, arpegina) plus performs with her brother, Guy GIULIANO, a jazz accordionist.
Recently, GIULIANO teamed up with the violinist Diane Aidenbaum to transcribe the works of Debussy in the "OpenHeart Project".
In 2010 she begins to work with Michel Piquemal (conductor) and the PACA choir. She picks up the harmonium in ROSSINI's "Petite messe solennelle", which leads to collaborations with various other choirs.