The stars of the Francophonie are in town and will start rehearsals today for the show-event of the SuperFrancoFête 2022 which will be presented at the Agora of the Port of Quebec, Wednesday evening, and will then be broadcast in nearly 200 countries.
Hosted by Garou, the Beninese Angélique Kidjo and the French Nolwenn Leroy, this celebration of the French language will feature some thirty artists from America, Europe and Africa (see box), under the musical direction of Scott Price.
The lineup has undergone some changes since its unveiling. Bored by health problems, Stephan Eicher and the Ivorian artist Mula canceled their participation. Michel Fugain and the Montreal singer of Haitian origin Woodney Pierre will take their place.
At the Agora, where 5,000 people who won a draw will be able to attend the SuperFrancoFête free of charge, the assembly of the installations began on Sunday, and certain rehearsals will take place today and tomorrow before the big general on Wednesday afternoon, indicates Sylvain Parent-Bédard, president of SISMYK, the musical division of ComediHa! which produces the event.
Thousands of dollars for every song
According to the latter, this show represents “one of the greatest production and creative challenges” faced by an organization that has already brought Madonna and Celine Dion to the Plains of Abraham.
Sylvain Parent-Bédard gives the example of the release of rights on all songs, even those of which we will only hear a short extract of a few seconds, because the show will be on TV.
“It was quite a headache,” he said. We had to negotiate with several publishing houses from all over the world. That’s several thousand dollars per song. »
The federal? We forget that
Speaking of money, Mr. Parent-Bédard says he is sorry for the $500,000 grant he wanted from the federal government, which represented one-sixth of the three million dollar budget devoted to the project.
Obviously, his pressure and an open letter signed by Bloc MPs did not resolve the impasse.
“I don’t think the federal government will be present. There is no sign to show it, ”laments the promoter, who says he is ready to take the financial risk.
“I am still continuing with the same budget and the same expenses. Maybe even a little more expense, since we’re going to expand the site [ajout d’un écran géant à la place des Canotiers pour voir le spectacle]. I didn’t want to cut into the quality of the content. »
The SuperFrancoFête therefore becomes, in the eyes of Sylvain Parent-Bédard, an investment that he intends to make profitable by making this concept an annual event.
“Depending on the success of the first presentation, we will make decisions afterwards, but our intentions are to repeat the event on a recurring basis in Quebec around the same dates, to make it grow and to make it known,” he said. .
Traveling the event is therefore not in the short-term plans of the organizers, even if the SuperFrancoFête was first to take place at the Sommet de la Francophonie, in Tunisia in 2020, then at the World Expo in Dubai, in 2021, before COVID-19 scrambles the cards.
“The various public and private stakeholders who have placed their trust in us, here in Quebec, have a great interest in seeing this become an attractive activity for tourism, a carrier for culture, and a promotional card for Quebec as a leader. in the Francophonie”, explains Mr. Parent-Bédard.
THEY WILL BE ON STAGE
Animation :
- Were
- Angelique Kidjo
- Nolwenn Leroy
Guests :
- Jill Barber
- Good Child
- Isabelle Boulay
- Patrick Bruel
- Robert Charlebois
- Crow
- Louis Jean Cormier
- Tiken Jah Fakoly
- Michael Fugain
- Magic System
- Lying
- Woodney Pierre
- Zachary Richard
- Damien Robitaille
- Rori, Salebeards
- Maka Kotto
- Kim Thuy
- Fred Pellerin
▶ The show will be broadcast live by the COGECO network.
▶ It will later be broadcast on TV on TVA, TV5 Québec-Canada and TV5 Monde.