Rome to host Charles Aznavour concert April 13

April 12, 2011 - 12:14 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - On April 13, Rome will host the concert of a world-famous chansonnier, Armenian Ambassador to Switzerland Charles Aznavour.

According to Musical news, the concert will take place in Parco della Musica concert hall, within the Santa Cecilia It’s Wonderful series of events.

A French singer, songwriter and film actor of Armenian origins, Charles Aznavour (the stage name of Shahnour Vaghinagh Aznavourian) was born in Paris on 22 May 1924. Also known by the nickname “Charles Aznavoice” and as “the Frank Sinatra of France”, Aznavour sings in six languages and has performed almost everywhere in the world. He has brought great prestige to France, which awarded him the Legion d’Onore. He has served as the Armenian ambassador to Switzerland since 12 February 2009. His parents (Armenian immigrants) launched him into the Paris theater world when he was still very young; in fact, he was only nine when he began performing, already using the alias Aznavour. His big stroke of luck came when he was discovered by Edith Piaf, who took him on tour in France and the United States.

Most of the more than 1,000 songs he has written in his long career are about love. Being able to sing them in French, English, Italian, Spanish, German and Russian has allowed him to become famous the world over. He has sung in Carnegie Hall and in all the other major theaters in the world. He has also sung duets with international stars of the caliber of Liza Minelli, Compay Segundo and Celine Dion.

The 1970’s was the era of Aznavour’s greatest success, especially in the United Kingdom, where he soared all the way to first place on the hit parade. In 1988, together with his brother-in-law and co-writer Georges Garvarentz, he wrote "Pour toi Armenie", a song dedicated to victims of the earthquake in Armenia; it stayed at the top of the charts for thirteen weeks. Many of his songs have also been interpreted by other great singers such as Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby, Ray Charles and Liza Minnelli.

Charles Aznavour

Charles Aznavour was born in Paris on May 22, 1924, the son of Armenian immigrants from Turkey. His artistic parents introduced him to the world of theater at an early age. He dropped out of school at the age of nine, already aspiring to the life of an artist. He began to perform at this time, and soon took the stage name "Aznavour". His big break came when the singer Edith Piaf heard him sing and arranged to take him with her on tour in France and to the U.S.

Aznavour's voice is shaded towards the tenor range, but possesses the low range and coloration more typical of a baritone, contributing to his unique sound.

Often described as the "Frank Sinatra of France", Aznavour sings mostly about love. He has written musicals and about a thousand songs, and made more than one hundred records. Aznavour speaks and sings in many languages, 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.

In 1974 Aznavour became a major success in the UK where his song "She" went to Number One in the charts. At 85, Aznavour is in excellent health, although admittedly 60 years on stage have made him "a little hard of hearing". He still sings in multiple languages and without persistent use of 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. On 30 September 2006, Aznavour performed a major concert in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia to start off the cultural season "Arménie mon amie" in France.

In 1998, Charles Aznavour was chosen as Entertainer of the Century by CNN and users of Time Online from around the globe. He was recognized as the century's outstanding performer, with nearly 18 per cent of the total vote, edging out Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan. He has sung for presidents, popes, and royalty, as well as at humanitarian events, and is the founder of the charitable organization Aznavour for Armenia.