Quebec, the French Language, and Quebecois Identity

[Acajack]

She also has incredible vocal range, going from the highest to the lowest notes or vice versa in a fraction of a second.

[New Brisavoine]

Originally Posted by Acajack

She also has incredible vocal range, going from the highest to the lowest notes or vice versa in a fraction of a second.

To be fair, Edith Piaf's rendition was superior. But then no one can equal Edith Piaf. She was unique.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by New Brisavoine

To be fair, Edith Piaf's rendition was superior. But then no one can equal Edith Piaf. She was unique.

Celine Dion has the "better" (or at least stronger) voice. Piaf had the humanity. If one were comparing singers across cultures, I might see Piaf as more comparable to Judy Garland.

[New Brisavoine]

Piaf had a super strong voice (too strong even I find).

I'm reading British, German, and Spanish press now, and it's just funny how negative the British press can be regarding this opening ceremony compared to Spanish and German press, who call it "world wonder" etc.

The comments on the Financial Times were one long series of criticism of the ceremony (too woke, abysmal, dull, totally inferior to London 2012). The strength of Francophobia in England never ceases to surprise...

I agree it was too woke though. Watching now the beginning that I hadn't watched earlier, some of the tableaux were frankly inappropriate (an ode to homosexual love (with guys themselves very clichés and not representative of the wider homosexual population), heavy metal and beheaded aristocrats, seriously??). This is the left-wing crew in charge of the ceremony that I mentioned yesterday.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

Celine Dion has the "better" (or at least stronger) voice. Piaf had the humanity. If one were comparing singers across cultures, I might see Piaf as more comparable to Judy Garland.

Piaf's voice came from deep deep inside her soul. Something that is extremely uncommon.

Elle chantait avec ses tripes.

[Acajack]

There was definitely some woke stuff in there, though not intolerably so.

Originally Posted by New Brisavoine

Piaf had a super strong voice (too strong even I find).

I'm reading British, German, and Spanish press now, and it's just funny how negative the British press can be regarding this opening ceremony compared to Spanish and German press, who call it "world wonder" etc.

The comments on the Financial Times were one long series of criticism of the ceremony (too woke, abysmal, dull, totally inferior to London 2012). The strength of Francophobia in England never ceases to surprise...

I agree it was too woke though. Watching now the beginning that I hadn't watched earlier, some of the tableaux were frankly inappropriate (an ode to homosexual love (with guys themselves very clichés and not representative of the wider homosexual population), heavy metal and beheaded aristocrats, seriously??). This is the left-wing crew in charge of the ceremony that I mentioned yesterday.

[niwell]

I knew our French interloper would be furious that Gojira played. One of the better modern metal bands and you know, actually French. That portion was great. And IMO it was a very good ceremony overall - one of the better ones.

[mousquet]

Originally Posted by New Brisavoine

I agree it was too woke though. Watching now the beginning that I hadn't watched earlier, some of the tableaux were frankly inappropriate (an ode to homosexual love (with guys themselves very clichés and not representative of the wider homosexual population), heavy metal and beheaded aristocrats, seriously??). This is the left-wing crew in charge of the ceremony that I mentioned yesterday.

At some point, there was threesome (a woman with 2 men).
I instantly told myself - foreigners are going to bash and make fun of us again...
That was even more embarrassing than the nasty British weather.

I found Dion's performance very decent, if not impressive, especially when she's been sick. Definitely one of the main highlights of the ceremony.
I'm not a fan at all; her music ain't funky enough for my taste.
But yeah, she did great on that one. It was even kinda moving in the damn rain.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by mousquet

At some point, there was threesome (a woman with 2 men).
I instantly told myself - foreigners are going to bash and make fun of us again...
That was even more embarrassing than the nasty British weather.

I found Dion's performance very decent, if not impressive, especially when she's been sick. Definitely one of the main highlights of the ceremony.
I'm not a fan at all; her music ain't funky enough for my taste.
But yeah, she did great on that one. It was even kinda moving in the damn rain.

It was noticed by the American right, but what really outraged them (and others) was the drag tableau that was reminiscent of da Vinci's The Last Supper. At least that's how it's being described, I didn't see it live.

[New Brisavoine]

Originally Posted by Acajack

There was definitely some woke stuff in there, though not intolerably so.

Today I see LOTS of criticism of the woke stuff on the French Twitter (and the French far-left, such as Mediapart online media, are openly rejoicing of the "fuck off" sent to the far-right by the ceremony). One journalist commented that a show should unite people, not divide and be a cause of gleeful taunting of your neighbor.

Personally after I watched part of the beginning of the show late at night, I also found it tacky and too woke here and there (threesome at the National Library of France, seriously???).

Anyway, about the artists, this today. You can't make that up! The sort of thing you would imagine in China or North Korea.

Cérémonie d'ouverture des JO de Paris : la performance de Lady Gaga avait été enregistrée à l'avance

La star américaine ne s'est pas produite en direct. Pendant le show télévisé, sous la pluie, l'escalier rose sur lequel les téléspectateurs l'ont admirée était vide.

https://www.francetvinfo.fr/les-jeux...e_6689568.html

I still don't know whether Céline Dion sang live, or whether she was lip synch as some had said before the ceremony. It was hard to tell watching her. But she and the elevation of the flame with the balloon were the two best and most moving parts of the ceremony by far, redeeming somewhat the rest. I'm glad I arrived just for the finale and skipped the rest.

[New Brisavoine]

Originally Posted by mousquet

At some point, there was threesome (a woman with 2 men).
I instantly told myself - foreigners are going to bash and make fun of us again...

They just don't realize that it's being watched by the entire planet and not just by Eurovision-loving Continental Europeans. I don't even get their point. Promoting gay rights, ok (even if out of place at an Olympic opening ceremony), but promoting threesome sex??

And the gay guys they used as actors were ugly, and not a good representation of gay men.

Someone posted an extract from the Athens opening ceremony in 2004. Much more more pleasing to the eye if you're a gay man:

[New Brisavoine]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

It was noticed by the American right, but what really outraged them (and others) was the drag tableau that was reminiscent of da Vinci's The Last Supper. At least that's how it's being described, I didn't see it live.

It's also being criticized here. One cheeky right-wing Black French commentator (of Comorran ancestry I believe) who regularly denounces Islam and wokism, said that it was quite telling that they chose to stage the ceremony in the heart of Paris and not in some ugly ethnic suburb, or that the death metal band played on the façade of the historical Conciergerie and not on the ugly concrete façade of the prefecture of Bobigny in Seine-Saint-Denis (heart of the ethnic banlieues), or that they chose to mock the Last Supper by Da Vinci and not some modern art artist. His point was that in fact those left-wing woke committees themselves value ancien art much more than tacky modern art. We still remember Da Vinci's Last Supper after 500 years, to the point of trying to mock it, but who will remember Jeff Koons & Co. 500 years from now? That's what he said.