National funeral of Jean-Pierre Ferland | Yellow and emotion for the last farewell to the Little King

(Montreal) Sun, yellow, emotion, music, words: there was everything needed on this beautiful Saturday in June to offer Jean-Pierre Ferland a final, dignified and above all full farewell. of life, in his image.

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The national funeral held by the Quebec government to pay tribute to the singer-songwriter who died on April 27 at the age of 89 took place at the Marie-Reine-du-Monde cathedral basilica at 11 a.m. From 9 a.m., guests began to enter the interior, and for almost two hours long-time friends, politicians, artists who collaborated with him or who were influenced by his music paraded through the square. .

What did they have in common, besides the fact that several wore a touch of yellow? Great admiration, and the desire to bear witness to the importance of Jean-Pierre Ferland in their lives and in the history of Quebec.

By 11 a.m., all the seats in the immense basilica were occupied. When the urn arrives to the sound of his song I’m coming back homeperformed by a string quartet, the emotion was palpable on the faces of Jean-Pierre Ferland’s family, who followed slowly.

“A giant has left us. A genius of words and music, who marked the lives of Quebecers,” underlined Quebec Prime Minister François Legault, in a sober speech where his admiration for the singer was obvious.

It was Florence K who offered the first musical performance of the ceremony. She performed The musicwhich appears on his 1995 album don’t listen to that, with an almost painful sweetness. She herself was visibly moved, wishing the singer “bon voyage” at the end. This restraint perfectly prepared the testimonies of Jean-Pierre Ferland’s two children, Julie and Bruno, discreet since the death of their father a month ago, and very dignified in their grief.

“At the end of his life, Dad was peaceful and happy. He smiled his charming smile until the last moment,” said his daughter Julie, who spoke of the “fireworks” that her father had been throughout his life.

“What I will keep the most about him is his great tenderness of recent years, I would have taken that for a long time,” said his son, Bruno.

Other testimonies followed, including that of his friend the director Pierre Séguin, his biographer Marc-François Bernier, and also his niece Sylvie Ferland, who came to read a very lively text written by her father Antoine and which began like this: “Born to an anxious father and an overwhelmed mother, we still lived in serenity. It wasn’t castle, it wasn’t royal, but everything was to be done on the Plateau-Mont-Royal. You are our pride for having become famous. »

Jean-Pierre Ferland’s partner of 16 years, Julie Anne Saumur, testified to her infinite tenderness for her “man”. “You are and you will always be the man of my life,” she said in a touching speech, in which she also recalled the sense of joy of the one who shared her life.

A little later during the ceremony, Julie Anne Saumur came to join Mélissa Bédard to sing A chance we have, with all the dignity and love in the world. When she let go of her tears after the last phrase of the song, “ A chance that we love each other », the emotion was at its peak.

This emotion distilled during the ceremony was also felt outside, since it was broadcast live on a giant screen, on the Place du Canada next door. More than a hundred people were there, and some cried after Julie Anne Saumur’s words.

Outside as well as inside, yellow was in the spotlight, obviously in homage to Jean-Pierre Ferland’s legendary album. Met on Place du Canada, Carmen Castonguay, who had taken care to match her shoes and jacket for the occasion, was moved as she explained her admiration for the singer. “In his words, he sums up everything people want to say. In sentences that we will use when we are not able to put the words together. »

Rollande Primeau tells us that she met Jean-Pierre Ferland in the 1980s, just before his show, when he was a host on Radio-Canada. He then surprised her, during the show, by coming into the audience to kneel next to her, to sing alongside her. “All of Quebec will miss him. He was my own little king,” she said, holding back tears.

The emotion also passed from the inside to the outside when Claude Dubois came to sing his classic If God exists. Several people sang the song again, and it ended with thunderous applause and “well done!” » thrown by the crowd.

“Hello my boyfriend! », Slipped Claude Dubois before leaving after this moment of absolute grace.

A final farewell to the Little King would not have been complete without Ginette Reno. The latter was unable to travel, but appeared in a pre-recorded video. “I am very moved, I would have liked to be with you. To all those who love Jean-Pierre, like me, I wish you my most sincere condolences,” she said before singing A little higher, a little further. And even seated, even delayed, she knew how to breathe grandeur and intensity into the moment.

The ceremony ended and the urn was carried outside to the sound of Jean-Pierre Ferland’s voice reciting the text Before I calm down. “ I want to die my life/And not live my death » he says in this song, a phrase that has been his mantra throughout his life, as many of his friends have said over the past month. Outside the sky was a bright blue, and touches of yellow shone in the sun. The splendor of that day, he would have bitten into it.

With the collaboration of Chloé Bourquin and Vincent Larin