Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Tuesday's musing and Open Thread: Pascal Toussaint, Je suis malade



Meet Pascal Toussaint, male soprano with an angel's voice. The multitalented and generous author and artist Amy Tan--dear friend, prolific writing idol, and world traveler--came across Pascal singing in a Paris nightclub one evening and decided that the world ought to hear his extraordinarily beautiful voice, starting with America. (That's Amy's little Yorkie, Bombo, in the video). Amy writes:

I discovered Pascal in a Paris cabaret Aux Trois Mailletz in the 5th arrondissement on rue Galande. He is the star of a contingent of performers each night.

His voice is that of a boy soprano, which never changed with pubescence due to an anomaly. Some say his voice is like the great Jimmy Scott. But his style is purely his own.

He was born in Guadeloupe, won a singing contest at age 14, was accepted into the Paris Conservatoire, where he received classical voice training for opera. In addition to opera, he branched out into jazz, rock, and cabaret. He is also a composer, actor, and writer.

Thus far, Pascal has performed in San Francisco and New York; I hope to make it to one city or the other when returns, undoubtedly as a serious star next time.

(Dear Petulant, I knew you'd get my reference immediately!)
Je suis malade

Je ne rêve plus;

Je ne fume plus;
Je n'ai même plus d'histoire.
Je suis laide sans toi; je suis sale sans toi; comme une orpheline dans un dortoir...

[I don’t dream any more;
I don’t smoke any more;
I don’t even have a story any more.
I am dirty without you; I am ugly without you; like a little orphan in her room...]
So...how is everyone this morning?!

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