He was planning to perform on the occasion of his 100th birthday, on 22 May 2024, but…
Charles Aznavour was 94 years old, and he continued to perform on stages around the world and to keep adding to the ranks of his fans, but…
the French-Armenian world-renowned chansonnier Charles Aznavour would have turned 96 today. Very many people would have wanted to congratulate him in person today, but…
Charles Aznavour’s (real name Vaghinak Aznavourian) father, Micha, was born in Akhaltskha, Georgia, and his mother in Izmir, Turkey. Charles’s family was firmly attached to national traditions, the mother tongue and the church. His parents took part in theatrical performances organised by Armenians, which Charles also attended. From childhood he had a great interest in the arts. He attended a theatre school. To help his parents, the young Charles performed in small productions and sang in church.
Later he began writing songs for the recognised singers of the time. In 1946 he met the famous singer Édith Piaf, and together they toured with concerts. In the early period he sang with Pierre Roche. He achieved universal recognition in 1959, after a performance at the Olympia concert hall in Paris. He sang in almost all the best concert halls in the world, and also gave concerts in Yerevan. Aznavour wrote more than 1,000 songs. His records were released in millions of copies, and his poems were translated and published as separate books. He is the best performer of his own songs. Aznavour sang with Luciano Pavarotti, Plácido Domingo, Liza Minnelli, Mireille Mathieu and Patricia Kaas. With his daughter Seda he performed Sayat-Nova’s song “Ashkharums”. He also wrote opera music. Aznavour appeared in more than 60 films, including “The Crossing of the Rhine”, “The Devil and the Ten Commandments”, “Père Goriot” and others, and for the film “Head Against the Wall” he received the “Crystal Star” award.
After the 1988 Spitak earthquake he visited Armenia many times and was in the disaster zone. In Paris he established the “Aznavour for Armenia” fund to help the earthquake victims, and opened its representation in Yerevan. Together with the singer and composer Georges Garvarentz he wrote the song “For You, Armenia”, releasing a video with the participation of 90 French singers and actors. In Cuba, with C. Valdés, he released an album (2007, presented in Moscow).
From 1995 he was honorary ambassador on special assignments of the President of the Republic of Armenia, and permanent delegate of UNESCO in Armenia. In 2009 he was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to Switzerland. He wrote the memoirs “Aznavour on Aznavour” (1975) and “Past Days” (2004).
“My path was not easy or calm. I tasted much bitterness along that path — doors closed in my face, mocking smiles, slander…” — this is how Charles Aznavour described the road he travelled, who, despite those difficulties, achieved worldwide fame, was recognised as the best singer of the 20th century, received awards, and was decorated with two orders of the French Legion of Honour.
“You conquer the world because you can move people,” Charles de Gaulle said to Charles Aznavour.
Charles Aznavour died on 1 October 2018.
