Legrand back in Moscow with Les Paraplues de Cherbourg
By Olga Svistunova

ITAR-TASS News Agency
May 30, 2005 Monday 3:41 AM Eastern Time

MOSCOW, May 30 — Michel Legrand will present once again his undying
Les Paraplues De Cherbourg melodies at the State Kremlin Palace in
Moscow on Monday night. The French maestro will give a single concert
in Moscow titled “The Return of the Umbrellas of Cherbourg”.

Music to the world famous film Les Paraplues De Cherbourg released in
the mid 1960s was destined to bring worldwide fame to its author and
become his introduction card. The wonderful melody was not the only
masterpiece in Michel Legrand’s music career. The talented composer
who has Armenian blood running in his veins proved worthy of his
catching name Legrand that is translated as “grand”.

Michel Legrand enjoys success since early childhood. He began to study
at Paris Conservatoire when he was a ten- year old boy. He learned to
play the piano perfectly well and later, began to play jazz. A gift
for improvisation developed to become his main passion. Years of
joint work with celebrated jazzmen are the brightest landmark in
his artistic career. World music stars Edith Piaf, Barbara Streisand,
Frank Sinatra performed his music. Legrand recorded more than a hundred
albums, composed music to around 200 films and several musicals and
ballets. Michel Legrand has three Oscar prizes and five Grammy awards
among other innumerable prestigious awards.

At the age of 73 Michel Legrand is as busy as ever, creating music
that is now often performed by his son Benjamin who will star in the
concert in the Kremlin tonight in which several popular French cafe
chantant-style singers will take part.

Although tickets to the concert are rather expensive the Moscow
audiences who love good music will spare no expense to meet the
celebrated composer who promised to show the best from his repertoire.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress