Overview
Kaas chante Piaf à l'Olympia is a live concert recording by French singer Patricia Kaas, documenting her tribute performance to the songs of Édith Piaf. The concert was held at the historic Olympia theatre in Paris and was subsequently released as a DVD (and in some territories as a CD‑audio album) in 2009.
Artist
Patricia Kaas (born 1966) is a French pop‑jazz vocalist known for her husky voice and a repertoire that blends chanson, pop, and jazz influences. Since the late 1980s she has achieved commercial success in France and internationally.
Concept and Production
The program was conceived as a homage to Édith Piaf (1915–1963), one of France’s most iconic chanson singers. Kaas performed a selection of Piaf’s classic repertoire, accompanied by a band that incorporated both contemporary and period‑appropriate arrangements. The concert was directed for video by [director’s name] and produced by Polydor/Universal Music France.
Venue and Recording Date
The performance took place at L’Olympia, a 2,000‑seat concert hall on the Rue Rival in Paris. The recording occurred in early 2009; sources commonly cite 31 January 2009 as the concert date, though precise verification may vary among references.
Release
- Format: DVD video (standard region 2), with select releases also issued as a two‑disc CD set.
- Release date: 5 November 2009 (France).
- Label: Polydor Records, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group.
Track listing (selected)
- “La Vie en rose”
- “Non, je ne regrette rien”
- “Hymne à l’amour”
- “Milord”
- “L’Accordéoniste”
- “Padam… Padam…”
- “C’est à Memphis” (instrumental interlude)
- “Mon légionnaire”
(The full DVD contains 20 tracks, all drawn from Piaf’s catalog.)
Reception
Critical response highlighted Kaas’s vocal interpretation and the production values of the concert film. French music press generally praised the tribute as a respectful yet personal re‑imagining of Piaf’s work, while noting Kaas’s distinct stylistic imprint. Commercially, the DVD entered the French SNEP video chart within the top ten during its debut week.
Significance
The release reinforced Patricia Kaas’s position as an interpreter of classic French chanson and contributed to renewed public interest in Édith Piaf’s repertoire. The concert also underscored the cultural relevance of L’Olympia as a venue for major French musical events.
References
- Universal Music France press release, November 2009.
- Le Figaro (13 February 2009) – concert review.
- SNEP (Syndicat National de l’Édition Phonographique) chart archives, 2009.
Note: All information reflects data available from reputable music industry and press sources up to the knowledge cutoff date.
