Jacques Brel – A Sinful Waltz

Duration

1 h

Recommended age

To Adults

Belgian actor, director, and singer-songwriter Jacques Brel has sold over 25 million records, a testament to the popularity and timelessness of his songs. Brel’s songs are known as chansons, and the secret to his success may well lie in the lyrics. In fact, Jacques Brel has also been called a poet because of his lyrics. Brel is considered one of the greatest French-language songwriters of all time, and his lyrics have been translated into many languages.

In this performance, the musicians let loose. At times they charge like bulls toward death, and at times they hold their breath so as not to say too much. The concert consists of gems from Brel’s oeuvre, translated into Finnish.

Jacques Brel’s songs speak grandly of life: of love, death, and social observations. Even somber topics are handled with Brel’s characteristic humor. Amsterdam, The Song of the Old Lovers (La chanson des vieux amants), If You Leave Me Now (Ne me quitte pas), and other chanson classics transport the listener to the streets of Amsterdam and from there to tender yet bittersweet love.

The ensemble is conducted by Jukka Nurmela, who aims to bring the performance close to the intimate and dimly lit atmosphere of the club gigs from the early days of Brel’s career. In addition to Nurmela’s double bass, the ensemble features Anne-Mari Kanniainen on accordion and Lauri Uusitalo on piano. Actor Joni Kuokkanen interprets Brel’s lyrics through his singing.