France 3 "Ce soir ou jamais" tonight

Could anyone load Philippe's part down, please? I can't manage to see it, and via Web it only works if you have a French IP-address, I suppose.

What a pity!

I suscribe Duffy's petition I'm languishing for more Felipe

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at 1h 48

Hi rikkapijemy,
can't be opened, sorry!

It works!!!

Unfortunately, it isn't possible to see the videos in Germany as it seems. Could anyone of you please
upload the part with Philippe in YT ?

Thank you, rikkapijemi, unfortunately I do not understand almost anything of what Philip says, but it is so handsome that it does not import anything!!.

Duffy

I can watch this broadcast in Germany very well.

I´m just not sure, if I may post it on YT because of the copyright of the TV- channel.

But I´ll try. Let us hope the best!

If anyone can upload just the part with Philippe, I'll be happy to translate for the non-French speakers - not the rest though!

Artemis



Maybe, we can make subtitles then!

JaRoWi,

Sorry, I didn't see that you had already offered to do it. Please don't jeopardise your YT channel, though - they seem to be really cracking down on copyright issues and several of my favourite uploaders have "disappeared".

A.

Yes, Artemis, I realized the same, because my YT channel is just for enjoying with other persons videos and I discovered that I have "lost" some of them, specially "OedipusTirannus" one So, the problem is copyright?

Pilar,

Sometimes it's a question of copyright - although I think some uploaders are leaving of their own accord - there seems to be widespread discontent with Google/You Tube's new privacy policy (or lack of privacy policy as some people see it).

A.

Thank you all,
I finally managed it, can see it on the laptop, but not on our server.... a contoversial show on a conveniant level. Very interestant. And almost at the end but not least, dear friends, those wonderful green eyes.....
I only wondered why they picked out those old videos, the sound was rather strange in parts. On the other hand, the hamster on P's chin is great.

Thanks Artemis!


You're so bad Duffy, poor thing he was younger, everybody has this kind of weird periods...

Voilá!

OMG, Jana you're fantastic I don't even know how to download it from the website!

JaRoWi,

Chouette! I'll do the translation on Friday if that's OK (I'm out all day tomorrow).

Duffy,

The hamster on Philippe's chin is not half as alarming as the small furry animal currently sitting on Cencic's head - saw him as Farnace recently and he was wonderful, but the hair, the hair!

Dear All, if someone wants it I have a pseudo-translation in Spanish, sorry but my brain was not in English tonight...

...speaking about the facial hair ....

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Yes, that's where the excerpt was taken from, with the sweater he looks like a Parisian existentialist of the sixties, only a pipe or cigarette ist missing.

It must have been his existentialist phase....


Well, I suppose we all have gone to strange phases during our life. Remember the eighties, anyone? Punk?

No, for me it was "Miami Vice", jeans in carrot-shape , shoulder-pads and high heels, blue mother in pearl. (Heavens! Fortunately nobody here knows me in person....I wouldn't have told that to anyone....)

Duffy

I put "Philippe´s part" on YT yesterday. Are you happy ?

Thank you very much, indeed....

Sorry Jana, I forgot to ask, shall I translate anything? Or is there already someone doing it?

Duffy,

I just got back home and I am starting the translation now; will finish it off tomorrow morning.

A.

Wonderful.

Thank you very much, Jana!
Pilarddcc there has translated this dizzy Frenchman that the Frenchmen speak precisely, and I could have heard the intelligent questions that have returned to do Philippe to him ¡ and it was a question of a group of intellectual!
Only one knew about what he was speaking...
Philippe is, besides all the other things that already we know, A SAINT.
Duffy: I hope that it has given the hamster to his Spanish friend and one does not ask for it nevermore.

Here's the translation of Part I of the France 3 interview - rest to follow tomorrow morning.

Presenter: We're about to welcome PJ, "the" star baroque singer in France - rather than introducing him, it so happens that he will be appearing at the next Victoires de la Musique which will be shown on France 3, an (award) ceremony that he is very familiar with - so rather than just introducing him, I suggest we take a look; he has received almost all of the (possible) awards at the Victoires de la Musique - classical music, obviously.

Then there's a series of clips of various award ceremonies - in order -

Roberto Alagna presenting PJ with the award for the Young Singer of the Year (2004);
PJ receiving the Singer of the Year Award (2007);
PJ receiving the Best Recording of the Year Award for "Carestini" (2008);
PJ receiving the Singer of the Year Award (2010, in absentia)

Presenter:

PJ, Good Evening. You'll be participating at the next Victoires de la Musique Classique on 20th February - well, you'll be singing there. You're appearing at the Salzburg Festival in May with Cecilia Bartoli in "Giulio Cesare" and in June you'll be touring in France. Your latest album was recorded with William Christie as conductor and with another countertenor, Max Emanuel Cencic - the CD is entitled "Duetti". It's said that it's thanks to you that the public at large has reconnected with baroque music; the castrati were the pop stars of the 18th century. How does this come about all of a sudden? After all, we were no longer listening to this kind of music ...

PJ:

Well, in a small way, it's thanks to the countertenors, but the ones who were my predecessors, like James Bowman and conductors like William Christie who were instrumental in the rediscovery of this music, 20 to 30 years ago already. But it's true that at the moment there is a craze (for baroque music) that just doesn't stop - that is to say, there's a huge amount of baroque productions, of baroque concerts in France, notably - a country that likes baroque music a lot.

Presenter:

Why did it go out of fashion? The castrati were pop stars in the 18th century; they were icons ...

PJ:

You have to see the difference - it was not countertenors (singing) at that time; it was castrati. In fact, we countertenors make use of that music which was written for them. Also favouring this music is the fact that there are many women who sing this repertory. It's music of great virtuosity, extremely sensual as well, the object of which is to charm and capture the attention of the listener and you can feel that the public is electrified by these "pirouettes" and it's a real challenge to sing this music.

Presenter:

We'll listen to you now in "Lamenti" - song of lament. Listen ... a countertenor (I guess that's for the benefit of those who have never heard one - A.)

Nice clip of a bearded PJ singing "Eraclito Amoroso"

Presenter:

The castrati in the 18th century, if one could put it this way, made terrible sacrifices - they didn't have any choice for that matter. With you, one can easily hear the difference between your voice when you talk to us and when you sing.

PJ:

Yes, we usually play a clip and then I talk (so you can hear the difference). It's true that I've often spoken after a concert to mention a disc, but never during a concert.

Presenter:

Of course, in order not to (destroy the illusion) ... How does this come about with you?

PJ:

It's due to training. Moreover, if you listen to a soprano like Cecilia Bartoli (personally, I'd call CB a mezzo, but that's what he said - A.) or Nathalie Dessay, they don't speak in the same way that they sing, luckily. It's a bit the same mechanism for a man. We have two rather complex mechanisms - with the chest and the head.

Presenter:

But you sing in head voice as opposed to the castrati who sang in chest voice. Can you explain the difference to us?

PJ:

Traditionally, it's a little strange that a man sings in a high voice in baroque music; the women sang very low and the men sang high and they liked to play on these ambiguities. I really don't want to imitate a woman's voice, rather I want to preserve something of childhood, of the child's voice. A true countertenor evokes the pure voice of a child. There are many people who say, and sometimes it annoys me, that I have the voice of an angel. I don't have the voice of an angel, I have the voice of a human being.

Presenter:

A child's voice with the ribcage of an adult ...

PJ:

That's exactly what they sought to do in the past by castration; they wanted to keep the vocal register of a child but with an adult's body and all the maturity of an adult.

Presenter:

And that's how they manager the "mezza di voice"?

REST TO FOLLOW LATER ...


A.

That is the good thing about this forum: it is a collection of interviews, TV and radio performances and reviews in magazines. A Philippe Jaroussky library.

And a tour schedule and a great picture gallery plus interseting things to download that are not for sale anywhere.

This forum has more information on Philippe than his own site. (Well, maybe everything there goes on FaceBook, but I am a conscientious objector when it comes to things like FaceBook.)

So once again: thank you Jana and your team!

You are thousand times right carolineleiden

I would like to add that what I like the most on this site it is respect for the private life of the Artist

We owe it to the moderators
Thank you to them for that

Of course the forum has more information than PJ's website and FB's page! In fact, I think PJ's manager should hire Jana and Company to do the job [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Specially with latest events and interviews this forum is the only trustworthy source!

Thanks everybody!

Caroline
You are right, I'm also suspicious as far as FaceBook is concerned. I'm wondering how many people think they really could get in contact with Philippe via FaceBook.
What a smart idea of those companies with their "personal" pages on FaceBook. Getting so much important information about the behaviour and taste of the fans, it is the cheapest way of market research they can have. And the fans are posting declarations of love to EMI....I think, as he knows about this forum, he'd rather look here than in FaceBook if he wanted to know anything. This forum is honest.

Duffy: I don't reckon that people actually think they can get in contact through FB. I am myself one of his followers but I never think that he is behind the FB page. However I must say that he posted from time to time and someone actually asked if he was the real Philippe and he says "of course" and that when he has time he tries to thank through FB and post something. I don't know if this is a marketing thing but FB is very useful to get to know your fans, as you said, it's cheap and very immediate. This forum is a more complex thing if you don't have much free time you can't spend the day reading all these posts, nevertheless I think this is a much complete tool to know the fans. I would be very flattered if I were him reading this forum, or very frightened....I am not quite sure [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

PART TWO

Here's the remaining part of the France 3 interview - taking from where we left off ...

Presenter:

And that's how they managed the "mezza di voce"?

PJ:

Yes, the castrati were often larger than the average man and they had an extremely large ribcage and very tiny vocal chords and that's how they became specialists in holding a note for as long as possible - in order to impress ...

Presenter:

Can you do it?

PJ:

I can hold a note - perhaps not as long as they could but I don't know... I can give you example (PJ gives a demonstration). The idea was to increase and diminish the sound for as long as possible. Obviously, they could do it for three or four times longer than me ...

Guest in Glasses:

Can I ask you a question?

Presenter:

Yes, of course.

Guest in Glasses:

In England, in the English colleges, they kept ... in Cambridge or King's College at Oxford, (Guest seems to be a bit vague about various English educational establishments! - A.)
there is still the tradition of the falsetto voice, which reproduces this child-like voice. Moreover, the first really world-famous (countertenor) was a handsome bearded man ..

PJ:

Alfred Deller, of course.

Guest in Glasses:

Yes, Alfred Deller, who was known the world over for his voice - he was trained there and they have this tradition; it's very, very beautiful (to hear) under the old Gothic arches of King's College. (As far as I know, AD sang at Canterbury and St. Paul's Cathedral - A.)

PJ:

It's true, it's a voice that was very commonly used in England for church music ..

Presenter:

Up to the age of 18, you were a violinist. How did it come about that you began to sing all of a sudden? Did you discover your voice?

PJ:

Yes, I went to a countertenor concert and I was a little "surprised" - as many people still are because not everyone knows the countertenor voice yet - and at the same time I was completely convinced that I could do it myself and thought "That's what I want to do". It was a real vocation.

Presenter:

It happened just because you wanted to do it? There are more and more people who like countertenors today ...

PJ:

No, I think I sang in that voice instinctively but I didn't know that you could make a profession of it. I didn't know about the magnificent repertory of the castrati that one could re-claim as a countertenor. It was a revelation of several stages, but I made my mind up quite quickly.

Guest in Glasses;

One last indiscreet question - in the videoclip there, you're sporting a beard - a bit in homage to Alfred Deller - obviously, that might have caused you a bit of a problem on stage for example. You wouldn't push ambiguity so far as doing "Semiramis" in a beard?

PJ:

Oh,no,no. Curiously, "cross dressing" (on stage) is more readily accepted in a woman than in a man but it has happened that I have done an opera where there were only men on stage and some of my colleages played female rôles - this can happen.

Presenter:

Your name sounds Russian, but it's written in a Frenchified way. How do you explain that?

PJ:

My great-grandfather arrived at the (French) border during the Russian Revolution in 1917 and consequently, the name is written in the French way. Moreover, (in French) it's pronounced "Jaroussky" but in Russian it's pronounced "Ya russki" which means "I'm Russian".

Presenter:

Was that his real name or did he just say "I'm Russian"?

PJ:

He just said "I'm Russian" - that's why it's written with "ou" - it's a bit (Frenchified) as is the case for many immigrants ...

Red-Haired Lady:

Since we've begun with indiscreet questions - there is something which fascinates me - you switched from violin to singing - and not just any voice - we talked about the "voice of an angel" but in fact, it's extraordinarily sensual so it must cause unheard of amorous ramifications. There are people who travel across the whole world to hear you sing. I can imagine that you must be the object of some form of harassment ...

Presenter:

Less than in the 18th century when this really was the case ...

PJ:

No, what I like very much about this (countetenor) voice is that one either likes it or one doesn't. There are people who always maintain that it's a bit artificial for a man to sing like that and others who fall head over heels in love with this type of voice. It's true that the people who follow me are very faithful, in general.

Presenter:

Now, let's listen to you singing Vivaldi.

Videoclip of PJ singing "Mi vuoi tradir, lo so"

Presenter:

Don't you sometimes feel "straght-jacketed" by the baroque repertory? Don't you sometimes want to escape?

PJ:

Yes, that does happen to me sometimes. For example, the repertory for castrati is written mainly in Italian and it's true that I have dipped my toes a bit in the water of "Mélodies Françaises" - a later repertory of the early 20th century - because I wanted to sing in French - and sometimes I stray away from the well-trodden paths. And there's a lot of contemporary works as well; many present day composers are interested in this voice with its variety of timbres and the surprising aspect of it- that interests them a lot, for example.

Voice off (possibly Guest in Glasses): You're a good actor.

White-Haired Guest:

I see a lot of difference between you and Deller. You have such incredible ease (with your voice). You sing in falsetto, it's what you might call the voice of an "haute contre", isn't it?

PJ:

Yes, it's a bit the same mechanism.

White-Haired Guest:

You have extraordinary ease so you can sing a whole Handel opera without exhausting yourself or being left with a broken voice at the end of it - which I've sometimes experienced listening to countertenors. You have an exceptional ease - I must say it's a kind of vocal miracle/

(Here there are 3 people talking at once and it's difficult to hear and very irritating - A.)

Presenter: That's what makes him a star.

Guest in Glasses (presumably to White-Haired Guest):

Well, when you sing and practice in your bathroom that would leave you rather tired.

White-Haired Guest:

Well I must say he (meaning PJ) leaves me speechless.

PJ:

Well, there are dangerous rôles and easier ones. In this profession, you have to choose your rôles very carefully and which correspond well (with your voice) because, unfortunately, the rôles are not written for our own voices. You have to try to fit into a mould which is not yours and sometimes it happens that we make mistakes.

Rather Large Guest: I'd say that your voice is like a musical instrument.

PJ:

What is very stressful for all operatic voices is that you have to sing without microphones and I always insist upon this point. Sometimes, when you are not feeling so good and when you are in a huge concert hall, you don't have the back-up of a microphone (Try telling Serenaluce and Arpeggio that, Philou - A.)

White-Haired Guest:

Well, I'll think of you at such times ...

Presenter:

And also you are appearing before a public that won't hesitate to boo or hiss. The public for classical music is much more difficult. This would never happen with an audience at a rock concert.

PJ:

Yes, the classical music loving public is much more demanding. This can be disgreeable but it also has its good side. There are more and more countertenors singing now and the public is becoming much more demanding. They no longer want to hear just a high male voice - they want us to sing well, they want to be able to hear us properly - they want us to be good actors too and for us to believable in our rôles - and it's true that these demands mean that we have to work a lot to meet the public's expectations.

Presenter:

PJ, thank you - and we'll see you at the Victoires de la Musique Classique.

Thank you very much Artemis, I didn't get well the last questions with everybody talking at the same time so your translation it's actually very helpful. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I think he is very gentle when they asked him about a possible "harassment", do you actually think that it's becoming more and more difficult for Philippe to deal with?

It's very interesting what he says about microphones, you're right Artemis, Serenaluce and her alterego should read this! It should be exhausting for him to sing in those big theaters, specially when there is a big orchestra. When he sang in La Coruña, the teather was small so it was great, I can tell the difference with the Teatro Real, even if he was also superbe! [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Artemis

Many thanks for your excellent translation! I´ll start to make subtitles this weekend ( after our rehearsal; we´ll play Telemann, Vivaldi & Co - that inspires, you know ).

The special thanks also for your delicious comments in it! Because to translate is difficult enough, but to have such an good taste of humor is the most rare thing at all!

Dear people, I would like to thank you all for your kind and friendly appreciating words, really pleasant to know what a faithful (!) admirer- society we are !

I never thought in the hamster on Philippe's chin as a tribute to Alfred Deller, but it may be that the explanation.

Artemis,

Artemis!
Great!thanks a million..!

Artemis,

, many, many thanks.

Pilar,

Sorry, I've been away from my PC for a couple of days so I didn't answer your question.

Re: Harassment -

I think it probably is becoming more difficult for Philippe to deal with. The sexual ambiguity of the countertenor voice probably attracts some very strange people indeed.

There's much ribaldry here about body searches and smothering him with kisses but we are only joking and I don't think anyone who posts here would harm so much as a hair on his head (or his chin!!). However, you only have to look at some of the posts on You Tube and elsewhere to realise that there are some very bizarre people around out there.

Michael Chance (a British countertenor who in his prime had the most wonderful alto voice) has spoken quite openly about it in an interview. He suffered at the hands of a female stalker for years - she even stalked his wife as well, which must have been doubly alarming.

I've noticed the presence of "minders" at some of Philou's concerts; they're there ostensibly to keep the autograph queue moving but I've often wondered if they are there for other purposes, if needed.

Every time I wait in line for his signature I'm struck by how selfish some people are - they come armed with enough copies of his CDs to supply a regiment - poor man - all that after giving his all at a concert! I guess it's the price he has to pay for being drop-dead gorgeous ...

A.

Dear friends,
I'm late because my computer was out these last days. It was a beautiful interview where people were admiring and respectful. And bravo for our work dear friends ! What an incredible team ! I wonder if Philippe can imagine or even see that ????????????? What do you think about ?

Jana (and others),

Thanks for your kind words. I'm new to this game so I'm not at all blasé about bunches of emotikon flowers! I'm happy to do the translating as I look upon it as a labour of luuurve (hehe). Also, it keeps my ancient brain ticking over ...

A.

Popoli!

The English subtitles added! Enjoy!

I wrote to the info "Translation by Artemis" ( if you want me to write something else, tell me please!) and " Subtitles by nightspell" ( as well ! )


Dear Artemis

Your post about the " harassment" is amazing, you explained here even the right point of view for some woolly thoughts and I´m very grateful for this. We can´t always manage to shut up diverse "body searches and smothering him with kisses" , so we let it pass in the hope for - as you colorful described- no one of our members "would harm so much as a hair on his head (or his chin!!)".
I hope so. But we must keep our eyes peeled! Thank you!

Thank you for your answer, Artemis!

It's a little bit scary what you told about Michael Chance. It's true
that his ambiguity can atract some weird people around, I must say that
wandering about FB some particular persons contacted me because of beung
a PJ fan. I'm kind of new in FB and all this stuff and I am a trusting
one but I think I can detect some kind of obsession around them. There
are many kinds of admirers but I guess that sometimes it is difficult to
separate the good ones from the freak ones [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] .

Unfortunately I've seen that his sexual orientation is the main topic
for a lot of people, whether for loving him just for that or despising
him. I find this approach quite disturbing and I feel also ashamed for
them. Your sexual orientation is not a virtue or a flaw is like the
colour of your eyes, so take it or leave it!

Jana and Nightspell:

Thank you for your work!

I actually think that here we are joking arround. Nobody actually thinks about doing something wrong to Philippe is just funny to share naughty thoughts with you. I was very ashamed reading some posts in YT and FB, but here people is very polite, at least from my point of view.

Artaserse, dear:Probably because I do not know English and I get lost in your replies and rejoinders, I'm also in these.
You say you are gay .... Is that important?. I'd rather know what color are your eyes or what season you are happier or if you like your job. All that you tell me more, much more that whether or not you're gay.
Even more telling me what you think of Raquel Andueza (is a joke, silly!)
Pilar is concerned about the possible harassment that may occur Felipe, I too am concerned and I think all those who love him may also be concerned.
Moreover, sometimes I think that Philip is so absolutely wonderful that one day a fan could harm outrageous, like so many other artists has happened to them.
Pilar tried to find an explanation to the subject of harassment, and she said as we felt. Why Artaserse upset you?. Why do you think you have to justify yourself?. I have not understood and I'm sorry.

Thank you so much for translating this, Artemis, great work!!

I would rather say that "what is perceived by some people as sexual ambiguity" might lead some to strange obsessions. For me nothing can be clearer than the fact that PhJ´s head voice is male. To me it is the most "manly" sounding of all countertenor voices, impossible to confuse it with the voice of a woman. I always think people who find it sounds feminie must have something with their hearing wrong. Of course, that is just my perception of PhJ´s voice.
(By the way, I am a woman myself, so I hope this statement is not perceived as misogynist! ;-) )

Artemis, I have also noticed the "minders". They seem to be always there once you have noticed them, either as official security or as more invisible presences. Although PhJ seems to ignore the fact, of course there are people who are obsessed by him in an unhealthy way, some female, some male, I guess. It must make it quite difficult for him to lead a normal life, but obviously he is trying. So I think it is good that we here try not to make things more difficult for him, but know what is suitable and where the healthy borders are.

Astarto: I agree! His voice is very masculine but I think that if you're not used to hear countertenors maybe it's easier to explain that sound as feminine. The beauty of his voice, at least for me, is that it has his own personality, it's very particular, it's not only a high voice it has something very characteristic.

I didn't notice those "minders" but I think it's sad. I'm actually shocked about PJ's fan phenomenon, specially because classical music realm seemed a safer place. I mean this is not Justin Bieber...I thought that area was populated by polite admirers but after reading and wandering around in the website I discovered very disturbing things [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] I'm still surprised about what Artemis told us about Michael Chance and also grateful to Philippe to be such a generous and patient person. If I were him I would not know what I would do.