“I am not Gilles Vigneault, me. I am not Clémence. Talking is not my best job. But it’s a rapprochement, and that’s why it attracted me. ”
When she returned to the stage a month and a half ago for the first time since the start of the pandemic, to present her symphonic show at the Trois-Rivières amphitheater, Diane Dufresne felt how the audience “was lacking ”and needed to communicate.
It was after this moving evening that she decided to accept the invitation of Coup de cœur francophone and present this “talk show”, in which she will sing, tell stories of her life and answer questions from the public. . “I said yes, as long as it was at the Gesù. ”
A first in her career, for which she is preparing thoroughly, told us the diva during a joyful telephone conversation this week.
PHOTO RICHARD LANGEVIN, PROVIDED BY COUP DE CŒUR FRANCOPHONE
Diane Dufresne and pianist Olivier Godin
Choosing the songs, working on the arrangements and the “colors” with the “virtuoso pianist” Olivier Godin, whom she knows well – “We are really a duo, he is not just my accompanist, and in the readings, there is will have a musical side too ”-, write her lyrics, work on her diction, give a rhythm, a movement to this show: she leaves nothing to chance, as usual.
“I finally said to myself, it’s going to be simple…” She laughs. “But what is simple? ”
It is a privilege to reach out to the public in this way, to be near them. There is no staging, it’s me with a lectern. It is not simple, it is stripped down. It might be a chat-talk, but it’s such a show. It could have been called like that: “It’s such a show”!
Diane Dufresne
The reading aspect is particularly difficult for him – “I thought dyslexia was just when I was a kid… it might be funny sometimes! »-, but she likes« to learn a different discipline to reach the public ».
Public
It was Gilles Vigneault, a regular at this kind of show for several years, who was the first to sow the idea in her. “He told me that it would be good for me, that I had different things to say, that it would be a plus. That’s what I’m going to see. ”
Could this show lead to a tour? It’s not in the plans at the moment, but she wouldn’t say no if invitations to do so were issued to her.
“If my presence can bring anything… I sing much better than I speak, we understand each other, but it would be a pleasure to go see people. ”
In any case, it is the public who decides, and who has always decided. “If the audience isn’t there, I’m not there. In front of an empty room, not much is happening, ”says Diane Dufresne, who is surprised that the tickets have gone so quickly – a performance was added on November 19, which is also sold out. She is told that we are not really surprised that people have jumped at the opportunity to see her so closely. She bursts out laughing.
“I am beautiful from afar, but I am far from being beautiful! At my age, close … But hey, that’s how it is. It is not only me who ages in the history of mankind, but for women it is more difficult. I have good makeup artists! ”
Energy
Performing in small venues comes with its share of emotions, different from what one might experience in a Saint-Jean show or at the Maison symphonique, explains Diane Dufresne.
When it’s near us, it’s like hugging people. It’s another energy, but also intense.
Diane Dufresne
On the other hand, the idea of proximity gives him a certain amount of nervousness. “It’s funny what that wakes up in itself… Stage fright is an emotion. That’s why it takes so much rehearsal time, even for a small venue. Because each person matters! ”
Even if she would have liked to have had more time to prepare, Diane Dufresne is especially looking forward to Sunday, because even if she performs less than before on stage, the pleasure of singing remains intact.
“I have the privilege of still being in good shape to sing. The voice could have vibratos in it, but it’s still there, deeper, rounder… Younger, I sang higher because I had incredible energy! ”
Of course, this energy is not the same at 77 years old. But she feels that she sings “better than before”, and is convinced that she now has “a much more crazy head”.
That’s why I do readings. Old age allows that. You’ve got the mileage, and the people who come, they know that through that, it’s your whole life. That your wrinkles are also in your voice, but that is a quality.
Diane Dufresne
For the rest, Diane Dufresne awaits proposals, does not yet know if she will do her symphonic show again, has jazz cravings and “lots of ideas for music”, took advantage of the pandemic to write a lot and advance projects. But for now, she’s happy to go talk to people.
“I’m not a buoy, but during this time everyone does what they think is best for the others. “In her own way, then, and not being afraid of the risk -” it’s true, I could break my spice “-, the diva will come down from her pedestal to come and take the audience in her arms. “It’s my way of being around people. ”