The legendary chansonnier, composer and actor Charles Aznavour is rightfully called the best pop artist of the 20th century. When this short man in a gray suit walks on stage and begins to sing, his passionate and attractive voice penetrates right into the heart.
The life and work of Charles Aznavour
Shahnur Vakhinak Aznavuryan (real name Charles Aznavour) was born in 1924 to a family of immigrants. In the early 1920s. the parents of the future world-famous chansonnier traveled all over Europe and ended up in Paris. In the capital of France, where they stayed awaiting a visa to the United States, they had a second child (the family already had a daughter, Aida), and Aznavuryan settled in this country. Charles's father kept a small restaurant in which all family members worked, including little Charles. But the business was not successful, and the father was forced to close the institution during the crisis in the 30s. The family lived in poverty, and the boy never received an education, he studied at school for only a couple of years. At the age of 9, he started working. Little Charles performed in local theaters and cafes, played the violin and performed Russian dances. During the Second World War, he became the breadwinner of the family, since his father went to the front.
The 1940s can be called the starting point of Aznavour's musical career. During this period, he began to compose songs and poems, and Pierre Roche performed them. The duo, Roche et Aznavour, performed after the war in a cabaret in France in Belgium. Soon Charles met the famous singer Edith Piaf, who drew attention to young performers. The singer invited them on her American tour, and the performers gained popularity. The famous singer performed the song of Aznavour, which he specially wrote for her. Soon, other talented chansonniers began to perform the works of Charles: Patachau, Gilbert Becot, Georges Ulmer.
In 1950, Anavour's partner Pierre Roche moved to Canada, so Charles began performing solo. He first achieved success on stage in 1954, performing his song "Sur ma vie" in the USA, but the following year his performance at the Olympia concert hall was unsuccessful. Critics came to the conclusion that the singer has neither the vocal nor the external data necessary for the singer. But ordinary Frenchmen were delighted with the attractive voice of the chansonnier.
The following years were successful for Charles Aznavour. His performances were triumphant at Carnegie Hall. In addition, he began acting in films. As an actor, he has appeared in Shoot the Pianist, The Hatter's Ghosts, American Rat, Tin Drum, Edith and Marseille. In 1971, the film “Die of Love”, directed by Andre Kayat, was released on the screens, to which Aznavour wrote a song and performed it. This composition in the blink of an eye became a real hit, and the film was awarded the main prize at the Venice Film Festival.
The works of Charles Aznavour have become very popular, as in them he conveys the feelings of an ordinary person. During his many years of creative activity, Aznavour wrote more than 1300 songs. In the early 2000s, he finished his career on the stage, and was appointed Minister of Culture of France. Aznavour, despite his advanced age, continues his concert activity.
Personal life of a great chansonnier
Charles Aznavour had three wives. The first marriage took place when the singer was 21 years old. The family lasted only 5 years. Subsequently, the chansonnier recalled this as a mistake of youth. The wife of Micheline Rugel at that time was only 17 years old, she gave Aznavour two children: a daughter, whom they named Seda, and a son, Charles.
The second official marriage was with Evelina Plesis, but the spouses did not have children, which was the reason for their separation. But Aznavour's third wife, Ulla Topsel, gave birth to three children: daughter Katya and sons Misha and Nicolas. The couple have been together for over 50 years. The spouses live in Switzerland.
