After passing through the Czech Republic, Moldova, Romania, Turkey, Bulgaria, Croatia and Hungary, and before visiting France, where she will perform for the first time in her career at the legendary Accor Arena in Bercy, Lara Fabian is back with us, or at home, for a few precious meetings.
Two years after stopping there on the occasion of her 50 World Tour, for concerts which were initially to be given in 2020, the year of her 50th birthday, the Belgian-Québécoise was back Monday evening at Salle Wilfrid -Pelletier from Place des Arts with his Je t’aime World Tour. Although the audience was large and enthusiastic, we couldn’t help but notice that it wasn’t getting any younger. Lara Fabian being on the verge of reaching 35 years in the profession, we can bet that a large part of the seats were occupied that evening by early admirers.
Around the singer dressed in sequins, a sublime outfit of light, we find four musicians: Manu Pitois (conductor and piano), Jimmy Lahaie (guitar), Alex Paquette (bass) and Antoine Côté (drums). À cour, a string quartet whose significant contribution is sometimes drowned out in the orchestrations. At the back of the stage, five singers with powerful voices, certainly, but which could be used with more sobriety.
On the program, 18 of the singer’s greatest hits, of whom we too often forget that she is also a songwriter. Of these 18 tracks, four come from the album Carpe Diem (1994), six of Pure (1996) and three of Naked (2001). No song is taken from the nine albums released since 2005! Without shying away from our pleasure, since the evening is filled with poignant texts and memorable tunes, there is still reason to wonder if the singer is not relying a little too much on her old repertoire.
Gospel accents
In a beautiful but conventional setting, a space that light alone sculpts, where pretty incandescent bulbs go up and down, Lara Fabian breaks the ice with I forgot, Alleluia And I still believe inbut it is with All And If you love me that the atmosphere really begins to heat up, on stage and in the room. In the segment that follows, more acoustic, with gospel accents, Lara is surrounded by her singers. Before singing The differencethe singer, with emotion, taking the time to find the right words, reminds us that she is a long-time ally for the LGBTQ community.
Next I Guess I Loved Youa real gem taken from his second album in English, A Wonderful Lifethen the irresistible I Will Love Again, which transforms the room into a discotheque. The great ballad singer then gives way to the diva up tempo which too often lies dormant within her. After a strange instrumental interlude, we are treated to a piano-vocal segment which contains the most beautiful moments of the evening. Singing You are my other, Not without you, Caruso (which she dedicates in a very moving way to her late mother) and I’m sickFabian demonstrates once again that she is an exceptional performer, endowed with a unique timbre, power and sensitivity.
The show ends on a more rhythmic note. First with Your paina ballad co-written with Slimane, first extract from the upcoming album, then Seize the day And Humana. For the encore, the singer kept the essential I love youand finally the languorous Adagio. Several times in the evening, Lara Fabian expressed her happiness at reconnecting with her Quebec audience. Judging by the numerous standing ovations she received Monday evening, it seems that the feeling is mutual.