European culture is close to Russian people. But even avid music lovers and theatergoers will not immediately remember who Jacques Brel is. The peak of his creativity and popularity came in the fifties and sixties. A bright actor and singer. Original screenwriter and director. A sincere and charming person. In life, he was more guided by feeling than reason. With this quality, the singer attracts the love of the audience in different countries.
Cheerful seal
The starting conditions oriented Jacques towards the measured and monotonous life of a bourgeois with an average income. A late child, he was born into the family of a businessman. My father was already over fifty, and he was a co-owner of a cardboard factory. The strict Catholic wanted his son to follow in his footsteps. And even got him a job - to take orders and issue ready-made cardboard boxes. However, the natural temperament of a young man, his hyperactivity, violate all plans. Having entered the College of St. Louis for twelve years, he was never able to complete his education. The lack of a certificate did not embarrass the young slob at all.
Among friends and peers, Jacques Brel has always been a cheerleader, a leader, a merry fellow. The local scout organization called him "the laughing seal." The teenager constantly joked and teased his friends. At first glance, it seemed to those around him that the reckless boy did not think at all about the future, about his place in life, about his career. Time has shown that this is a false idea. In the post-war period, the matured Jacques is persistently engaged in creativity without leaving his home business. The first pieces and musical compositions were created during this period.
Jacques is attracted to the Franche Corday group as a singer and lyricist. Here he meets Teresa Mikhilsen or, as her colleagues called her, simply Misch. From that moment on, the husband and wife work together. In 1951, they have a daughter. Personal life does not distract the singer from work. A year later, Jacques recorded and released a disc with his songs. Pen test ended in complete failure. Critics and viewers simply did not notice the vinyl disc of the unknown singer. Only the participation and love of Teresa helped Jacques cope with depression and go to Paris, where he was invited by a famous cultural figure.
On top of success
In the biographies of many successful singers, there are short stories about failures and failures. Producers have long been imposing and testing various techniques in order to "promote" little-known but talented performers. Jacques Brel goes on a long tour of the cities of France and Belgium. Plus, his route runs through the cultural centers of North Africa. By 1956, the singer has become truly famous. He was noticed by critics and reviewers of music publications, and, of course, by the audience.
Over the next ten years, the pop star released a huge number of CDs with his hits. You can name specific numbers, but they add little to the story. Jacques Brel visited all civilized countries with concerts. In the Soviet Union, his voice sounded in Moscow, Leningrad, Baku and Tbilisi. And suddenly the legendary maestro announced his departure from the stage. To say that this statement caused a shock among the world community is not to say anything. Jacques finished the last concert and left to act in films.
Brel wanted to know how the film industry lives and what resources an actor needs. In total, he has been filming for 8 years. Films with his participation were successful. As a director, he directed Wild West and Franz. Work in the cinema had to leave due to illness. Jacques Brel died in 1978 from lung cancer.
