The show Romanza: A Diva in Paris will make its Australian debut at the Adelaide Fringe in March. A talented but unclassifiable singer, Inès defies musical boundaries and social conventions, finding her true voice and destiny singing in the streets of Paris. This poetic journey through the city celebrates freedom, resilience, and the power of music beyond labels. Bruno Edelman-Niver, director, writer, lyricist, and producer of ROMAZNA: A Diva in Paris, talks to us about the show.
Inès grew up listening to the “golden age” of French chanson. Which voices – Piaf, Gainsbourg, Dalida, Barbara, Legrand – are closest to ROMANZA’s heart, and how do they resonate in the show without turning it into a mere imitation?
The golden age of French chanson was in the 1960s and 1970s, the era of chanson à texte or so-called popular song, where the lyrics seemed to combine with easy-to-remember melodies. From childhood, Inès sang the songs of Dalida, Barbara, Legrand, Gainsbourg, Piaf, etc., and her attraction to poetic lyrics and beautiful melodies determined her interest in the songs of that era.
The pairing of Bruno Edelman-Niver’s poetic lyrics with melodies composed by Inès recreates that unique blend of French chanson, known as “chanson à texte,” which is both poetic and popular. In this way, Inès continues the tradition of French chanson, while modernizing it, bringing her original voice and touches of Balkan, Gypsy, Oriental, Latin American (tango) melodies, etc.
Her unique voice bucks the current trend in French song, which tends to speak the lyrics or sing them in a whisper. In “Romanza,” Inès’s voice is at the forefront, whether in lyrical variations, jazz, or French song. In the show, a few so-called “classic” French songs are incorporated into the staging and drive the action forward, but they are by no means imitations, as they fit in with all the other songs, particularly those from Inès’ album “Romanza”.
Inès continues the tradition of French chanson, while modernizing it, bringing her original voice and touches of Balkan, Gypsy, Oriental, Latin American (tango) melodies, etc.
Her voice covers three octaves and oscillates between jazz, classical music, and chanson. When you heard her for the first time, what struck you most: the range of her voice, its colour, or her ability to appropriate very different styles?
When I first heard Inès sing, I was struck by the ease with which she performed French songs as well as jazz and pop tunes. What struck me most was the disconcerting ease with which she sang melodies that amateur or semi-professional singers usually took a long time to learn, or sang rather poorly. She sang in all styles, including opera, which she had taught herself.
It was only later, once she became aware of her voice, that she began to perfect her technique. She entered the Conservatory directly into the third year, then passed the entrance exam for the specialised program at the CRR in Paris on her first try. But most importantly, even before taking lessons, she sang as well as those who had studied for years, and in all styles. All she lacked was technique and, above all, self-confidence.
It was this ease that paradoxically became a handicap for her when she found herself confronted, in her professional life, with competition, envy, categorisation, and narrow-mindedness… Of course, the show ROMANZA – a Diva in Paris tells the story of Inès, a singer with a golden voice.
However, it is not an autobiographical show, but rather a work of fiction inspired by real events. It is a pretext for a journey in song, behind the scenes of the music world and bohemian Paris…
the show ROMANZA – a Diva in Paris tells the story of Inès, a singer with a golden voice
How did you discover Inès?
I discovered Inès, in the poetry club in Paris. It was during COVID, so there was practically no other theatre open in Paris. As I couldn’t put on my shows, nor see those of others, I went there to recite poetry and maintain my acting skills… That’s how I discovered Inès: she was singing, accompanied by a guitarist, with a magnificent voice, “Est-ce ainsi que les hommes vivent” (Is this how men live), a song by Léo Ferré based on a poem by Jean Ferrat. I was singing that very song in my show. We decided to sing it together. We prepared a duet, which we performed for the audience at the poets’ club.
The promotional text suggests that Inès “does not belong to any school.” As a director, how did you decide to present this: as a problem that holds her back, or as a secret strength that she has not yet recognised?
This is precisely where the problem lies: if you want to maintain your originality, you can’t fit into any box or belong to any school, but if you don’t belong to any school, you can’t get your originality recognised. This problem gave rise to the show Romanza—a Diva in Paris, which develops the theme of the incomprehension of artistic nature by institutions, which nevertheless feed off its creative energy, without which these same institutions (conservatories, jazz clubs, concert halls, etc.) could not even exist. The conjunction and opposition of these two notions, the artistic and the institutional, is the Gordian knot of the show, through which Ines ultimately reveals herself.
This is precisely where the problem lies: if you want to maintain your originality, you can’t fit into any box or belong to any school, but if you don’t belong to any school, you can’t get your originality recognised.
In the show, the venue managers don’t know where to classify Ines. To what extent is ROMANZA: A Diva in Paris inspired by real experiences with gatekeepers who want artists to fit into a single mould? Why was this important to you?
There is an infinite choice of music genres and experiences, an unimaginable abundance of musicians and concerts (in Paris, at least), and yet it seems that music professionals want to confine innovation to genres that they consider more lucrative and more “fashionable.” In this regard, we can talk about the omnipresence of rap and urban music, to the detriment of French chanson, which seems to be reserved (according to them) for a category of people they call “nostalgic.” However, when we promoted the album Romanza on social media (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, etc.), we realised that our listeners were of all ages, from all social backgrounds, and of all genders. Yet Parisian programmers and venue managers (whether jazz or pop) insist that French chanson is necessarily a genre that only interests “old” people, and that innovation can only happen in urban music.
when we promoted the album Romanza on social media […] we realised that our listeners were of all ages, from all social backgrounds, and of all genders.
Of course, there are also new female singers who are emerging successfully, such as Zaho de Sagazan, Ysé, Clara Luciani, etc., who are continuing the tradition of French chanson. But, I would like to emphasise that this is only my opinion, I consider that their lyrics and voices are not charismatic enough. And that these singers lack joie de vivre, a love of life, poetry, or, conversely, the universal drama that characterises beautiful French songs. The lyrics of these popular singers reveal self-centered individuals and convey a narrow, depressive worldview. It would seem that the trend in French music, to use the words of concert programmers, is toward depression, self-deprecation, social issues, and, particularly among female singers, feminism and domestic violence, etc. In other words, the trend is toward songs that address current issues.
Inès and I have created an album that doesn’t address any of these trends, but only talks about love, passion, or universal subjects such as exile or absence, while always keeping the emphasis on poetry and melodies, rather than on a “fashionable engagement” designed to sell songs better. This approach can be seen today as a form of engagement against a certain musical trend, and in defence of poetry and beautiful French songs.
Inès and I have created an album that doesn’t address any of these trends, but only talks about love, passion, or universal subjects such as exile or absence, while always keeping the emphasis on poetry and melodies,
If you were to describe Inès to a music programmer in Adelaide in a single phrase, which doesn’t reduce her to a cliché, what would it be?
Inès, an atypical French singer with a golden voice, who continues the tradition of French chanson while transforming it.
Inès, an atypical French singer with a golden voice, who continues the tradition of French chanson while transforming it.
Inès ended up singing in the streets of Paris. What does street performance represent for you: the failure of the system, artistic freedom, or a kind of initiation ritual?
All three at the same time: artistic freedom, because in the street you can sing what you want, when you want, to whom you want, and how you want, at the time and place of your choosing… Even if, as mentioned in the show, the municipal police often prohibit musicians from playing in the streets of Paris.
It’s also a kind of initiation ritual that all the great singers (Piaf, Polnareff, Zaz, and many others) have gone through. Indeed, the streets of Paris have always inspired street singers, who in turn have inspired the streets of Paris.
Finally, it obviously represents a failure of the system, because institutions, at least in France, always recognise new talent too late. Very often, these talents have to go abroad to make a name for themselves, and then when they return to France, they are in a way “rediscovered” by the music world. This is a recurring theme for French musicians.
“A journey through Paris” suggests that the city is almost a character in its own right. What aspect of Paris does ROMANZA show us: the Paris of postcards, Paris by night, the working-class streets? How did you choose the locations that appear in the play?
Paris is indeed the main character in the play, in dialogue with Inès. The show takes us on a journey through an imaginary Paris, evoked through texts recited by the pianist, who plays several roles and accompanies Inès on her theatrical and musical journey. But the specific locations in Paris mentioned in the show are the Pont des Arts, the banks of the Seine, and the Seine itself, which irrigates the city with poetry and songs. A few video images of Paris punctuate this journey.
The phrase “that’s where she met her destiny” is very evocative. Without giving away the ending, what kind of destiny did you want to give her: recognition, love, a new voice, or something less expected?
What all artists want: recognition… But that’s just a step towards a new artistic quest, a new journey.
You are a poet, playwright, and director, moving between the page and the stage. Did ROMANZA begin as a poem, a screenplay, or the image of this woman singing alone in Paris? What was the initial spark?
We started with the album “Romanza,” an album of poetic songs dedicated to Paris, for which I wrote most of the lyrics. Initially, the script was deliberately unfinished. It was developed during rehearsals, based on suggestions from the actors. In this regard, we have a wonderful actress in the show, Ekaterina Khamraeva, who plays several roles. This method of “study for action,” which I learned while studying directing at the Moscow Theater Institute, gives the actors a great deal of freedom, allowing them to participate in the staging, in a way. The director, like an orchestra conductor, organises, chooses, provides the conditions, and directs the various “studies” of the actors, thus creating an extremely lively staging that changes at any moment, according to a pre-established plot (by the director, who is careful not to communicate it to the actors).
This method of “study for action,” which I learned while studying directing at the Moscow Theater Institute, gives the actors a great deal of freedom, allowing them to participate in the staging
Your work combines poetry, music, and theater in cabaret-style shows. In ROMANZA, how did you strike a balance between narrative theater and purely musical or poetic moments where time seems to stand still?
As I said earlier, the balance is created during rehearsals. We use pre-written texts, such as songs or poems, and create new texts on stage, during exchanges between the director and the actors.
The show uses texts, artistic videos, and contemporary dance. How do these elements work: as illustrations of the story, as commentary on Inès, or as representations of her inner life? For the Adelaide audience, who may not know much about French chanson, what entry points have you incorporated into the show so that they can feel the emotion and understand the issues at stake for Inès?
It is no understatement to say that this show is all about theatre: it is not about telling a story in a narrative way, but about using all the tools of theatre – speech, music, dance, mime, lighting, video, etc. – to fuel the narrative and move the story forward. I am convinced that even if the audience knows absolutely nothing about French song, they will be carried away by the dynamics and rhythm of the staging, Inès’ voice, the musical quality, and the actors’ performances.
I am convinced that even if the audience knows absolutely nothing about French song, they will be carried away by the dynamics and rhythm of the staging, Inès’ voice, the musical quality, and the actors’ performances.
When audiences leave ROMANZA: A Diva in Paris at the Adelaide Fringe, what do you hope they will take away with them: a new love for song, a portrait of Paris, or a sense of recognition in Inès’ refusal to conform to a single model?
I think the audience will take away an appreciation for Inès’ refusal to conform to the norm, because that is the fate of every artist who believes in their art. To fight, to fight against all odds, to fulfill one’s artistic destiny. Never to resign oneself, never to give up. “You have to know how to carry your cross. Believe,” says Nina, the aspiring actress in Chekhov’s famous play “The Seagull”. I also believe that they will take away with them the melodies and music of the French language; and above all, they will remember a lively, exhilarating show that gives hope to everyone in their struggles for existence.
Why should Adelaide audiences come and see this show?
To hear beautiful songs, listen to the sounds of the French language, and be lulled by a story, half-lived, half-imaginary, that gives hope. To experience emotions of love, joy, sadness, hatred, and pleasure—the catharsis that is essential to any show that aims to transform the audience for the duration of the performance.
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We thank Bruno Edelman-Niver for this interview and we can’t wait to see Romanza : a Diva in Paris in March.
KEY INFO FOR ROMANZA: A DIVA IN PARIS
WHAT: Romanza: a Diva in Paris
WHEN: 1-3, and 10-14 March- the show start time varies depending on the day
WHERE: The Garage International, Adelaide Town Hall, ADELAIDE
HOW: Buy your tickets via this link
HOW MUCH: Full priced adult tickets start from $35. There are also discounts for Fringe Members, students, seniors and concession card holders.
For events linked to France and the Francophonie, check out our What’s on in January
