(1915-1963)

French chanteuse. The actress bright personality, a master of the French lyrical songs of confession. Author of texts and music of songs, and books. Acted in films.

She was born as a sparrow

She lived as a sparrow

She dies, as a sparrow!

She sang these couplets on the streets of Paris, pale, unkempt, in a coat with torn sleeves at the elbows. In urban slang "Sparrow" - meant "Piaf." And no matter how high or lifted a little fame singer Edith Gassion, for the world it has remained ever easy sparrows who flew to feed the poor suburbs of Paris brilliant. What is the value of the gift was given to this street tramp, that through the years, through the luxury crowd and, through flattery and his own arrogance bring a sense of immediacy and freshness of perception peculiar to only the homeless children and beggars, forced to fight for every minute of existence. It is not for one minute did not change himself, and therefore was so beloved.

Edith was born on the street and liked to tell the story of how her mother had not had time to get to the hospital and brought the baby directly on the coat of a policeman. And the first scene was the sidewalk Piaf: Louis Gassion was wandering acrobat, and the duties of a six-year Edith was to collect money.

"Now the girl will pass you on a plate - shouted dad Gassion. - And then, to thank you, she will make a dangerous jump! "

But the jump Edith do not know how, but once decided to sing the Marseillaise. Students were moved, and the cap abundant rain poured coins. Since then, the repertoire of wandering circus replenished unconventional genre - songs.

In fact, the only child of Edith years of life can rightfully be called only three years she spent in the house "at the whores." My mother gave it to the care of their alcoholic parents. When Louis Gassion returned from the front in 1917, he found a terrible sight: a thin, ragged, dirty little girl has endured and blind from conjunctivitis. Then the father and sent to the education of Edith′s own mother, kept a disorderly house. "Girls" touching care for the child - the first time, yes, perhaps, the only time in his life, Edith felt sincere affection and love. They say that it is the prayers of the young ladies of easy virtue and a promise to my grandmother sacrificed to the needs of the church ten thousand francs Edith miraculously regained his sight on Aug. 25, 1921, the day of St. Teresa.

About a year a girl even went to school, but "decent" people were shocked - the child who lived in a brothel, could not sit at the desk with children from decent families.

Photo: "Edith Piaf"

Soon his father was forced to pick up his daughter, and Edith began "universities" wandering artist.

When she was barely 15 years old, she decided to start an independent life: a hotel and withdrew completely rely on earnings from the street singing. The story of her life Edith always begins with the October meeting in a gloomy afternoon in 1935 with a man that changed her life. It was a cabaret owner Louis LePla, correctly divined a dirty little canary enormous talent. Louis gave Edith a permanent job in his shop, he literally brought her to this stage, he gave the name of Edith, who thundered the whole world - Piaf. Louis LePla taught her: "Never make concessions to the audience! The great secret is to remain ourselves. Always be itself! "How many times in my life of Edith Piaf, clenching his teeth in pain and despair, remembering the words of the first dear patron, who seemed to let go of the dark cells" of his sparrows.

Not without its oddities. Edith loved since childhood and knew how to knit, and it should be noted that to do so even when her closet is already dusty toilets best couturier of the world - apparently, because it calms the nerves. In his youth as knitting significantly supplement the meager wardrobe street singer. And on the day debut Edith sat in the dressing, repeating the lyrics, her hands flashing spokes, she frantically tried to dovyazat missing sleeve. Representation has already begun, and there was a moment when it became impossible to postpone the release, and there was nothing left to wear. LePla force pulled the unfortunate debutante sweater with one sleeve: "Prikroesh other hand scarf. Do not gesticulate, less you move - and all will be fine! "

And really happened miraculously. This magical effect an actress, which many have tried to understand and describe, and then manifested itself in a provincial restaurant when Edith began to sing, and on large, solid scenes - all the small noise, annoying parts disappeared. The audience did not notice that Piaf is not too representative, that she was no longer young, that it sometimes drunk and that she had only one arm ... Fairy art of making a pathetic mouse into a princess, hypnotizing the audience.

The heavy days came to Edith when LePla father was killed. Newspapers with pleasure touched upon the theme of involvement in the crime restaurant singer. Idle onlookers gathered at the cabaret, where she performed Piaf, to gawk at the girl related to "business LePla", and some of the familiar artists put quite frankly: "Your patron died.

Photo: "Edith Piaf"

With your talent, you′ll soon be back to sing on the street.

Perhaps he was angry, and so stupid, this actor. In addition to the remarkable talent Edith had the character of steel, hardened street education. She was able to go ahead, little refleksirovala was quite spontaneous, sociable and have never stayed in solitude. Introducing Raymond Asso very influenced by the formation of Edith Piaf as a person and as a singer. Once, during the lifetime LePla, Edith looked for a publisher. Lord, who was sitting at the piano, asked his guests to hear a new song. Naive girl openly expressed his belief that music is very mediocre, but the words she liked. Author of the text, and they turned out to be Aso, has been honored - so to sever their friendship.

Educated, meticulous, intelligent, Raymond set out to transform "ugly duckling" into a beautiful swan. I must say that before Asso Edith had a lot of experience with men, but these were mostly sailors, soldiers, dockworkers. From one of these friends still quite young Piaf born girl, who soon died. However, we can confidently say that the first real close friend Edith became Raymond. He influenced Edith, thawing to its professional pride. "How can you make something to understand others, if she does not know the meaning of some words of his songs?" This argument Asso acted on Piaf′s irresistible, and it became obedient, like a snake at the pipes.

First, Raymond took the formation of Edith, as our heroine barely knew how to read by syllables. Secondly, he began to fight with the bad manners favorite. Every now and then in the family′s nest came the stern voice of Raymond: "Do not pour a glass to the brim," "No it did champ and do not talk with your mouth full," "Keep your fork properly" - if the house was filled with children of preschool age, then while Edith has passed twenty-one.

It Asso introduced Piaf with a favorite composer, singer - Marguerite Mono. This triple alliance gave the audience a lot of song masterpieces. Marguerite played in the life of Edith huge role. She taught her what is the song that the music is not only a melody, that, depending on how her perform, she can convey the same feelings as words. Until the end of the life of Edith would say: "The most wonderful gift that I did Raymond - Git it!"

But this was not the whole truth. Aso is associated with the name and the first major speech before an audience of Piaf′s most famous music hall in Paris - "ABC", which ended a spectacular success.

Photo: "Edith Piaf"

When she came on stage, the hall ran a wave. Small angular woman looked almost poor in a short dress (while on stage was made to address the long), but its spirited voice instantly full of spectators. She graduated from singing, but the room literally bellowed: "More! Again! .. "The next day all the newspapers wrote about it:" Yesterday at the scene "ABC" in France, was born a great singer ... "

From this evening in the professional life of Edith never been a bust, no downtime, no stops. She opened the way to glory.

And with Aso, they parted. Independent, sharp Edith tired of playing the role of "poor lamb. Thanks to the gift, it quickly grew out of "short pants" that are "stitched" to her lover. Yes, and could not warm the heart of Edith Piaf for a long time to become attached to one man. In love, it required only a sense of immediacy, and as soon as the excitement disappeared and the singer, without thinking parted with the subject of a bygone passion. It is said that Edith really loved only Marcel Cerdan, a famous boxer, who died in a plane crash. But maybe he was the only nepokinutym man just because died before the moment had gone from the heart of Edith′s love for him. Another such person was a young man Piaf - Theo Sarap. In his hands a great singer died.

Gift of Edith, the call to the soul of every man, her desire to help any and all understand - whether tramp or the Queen of England - appeared not only on stage but in real life. Desperate and daring, Piaf became a true symbol of fighting against the Nazi invasion of Europe. Her songs were a pass unhindered, even in the POW camp. Speaking one day in this camp, Edith expressed a desire to be photographed with the prisoners, and the German authorities could not resist a great singer. In Paris, Piaf increased the face of every one hundred and twenty prisoners, and taped pictures of fake identity cards. Shortly Edith again asked the occupation authorities - to visit this camp. In the suitcase with double bottom, she was driven documents and distribute them photographed prisoners. There were one hundred and twenty, who, thanks to Edith was given a free ...

Without hesitation, the singer of wasting their time and energy on those who were near, who had the good fortune like her.

It Piaf owes his dizzying success of Yves Montand. She put him diction, came up with a scenic image, meticulously assesses his repertoire. Love does not interfere with Edith Iva make work hard.

Photo: "Edith Piaf"

It literally tortured Montana nonhuman voltage, which could easily make myself. Many years later, Yves Montand said that everything in life he is obliged to Edith. But, of course, they also parted. The last time their names appeared on a poster next to the film Marseille Blistena "Nameless Star", in which Piaf sang the leading role.

In addition to musical talent Edith had a great dramatic gift, and could it be otherwise, if Piaf with such stunning force was able to transmit multiple images of their lyrical songs heroines. Play by Jean Cocteau′s "indifferent handsome" was written by the famous French playwright, especially for Edith. In this new work Piaf, where she sang a single song, with the fullness of acting talent manifested great singer.

She knew many of the strengths of this world - famous, rich and influential. Edith was friends with Marlene Dietrich, was proud of familiarity with Charlie Chaplin, was sitting at a table with the Crown Prince. She flouted the money, but earned them millions. But those around her, it is easy to use tools; money fled before she managed to even look at them. Her house was always full, and often random people stuck in it for a long time and lived in its full content. She embarrassed showing mink coat, given her Marcel Cerdanya. And when she tried to explain that this is normal when a rich lover gives her friend, luxury gifts, she suddenly squinted slyly and said: "I owe no" and ordered him at cards face - beautifully decorated where you will not find.

It remains to the end of a street girl, not accustomed to the mercy of fate, "the great street girl," of which Cocteau adored Piaf, wrote: "Look at this little woman, whose hands are like lizards. Look at her forehead Bonaparte, her blind eyes, who gained vision. How would she sing? .. As welling of her narrow chest great wail of the night? And she already sings, or rather - in the manner of a nightingale April tries to fulfill his love song. Have you ever heard ever, as working with the nightingale? He tries. He ponders ... He suffocated. Rushes forward, retreats. And suddenly, finding what I wanted, began to sing. And shakes us. "