Look up Isabelle in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Isabelle is a French feminine given name. It may refer to :

• Isabella of France (disambiguation), a disambiguation page
• Isabelle of Luxembourg (1247–1298), a daughter of Henry V of Luxembourg and his wife Margaret of Bar
• Isabelle of Orléans (disambiguation), a disambiguation page
• Princess Isabelle (disambiguation), a disambiguation page
• Isabelle Abiera (born 1992), a Filipina actress and model
• Isabelle Adjani (born 1955), a French film actress and singer
• Isabelle Antena, a French singer
• Isabelle Arnould (born 1970), a retired Belgian female freestyle swimmer
• Isabelle Aubret (born 1938),a French singer
• Isabelle Autissier (born 1956), a French sailor, navigator, writer and broadcaster
• Isabelle Amyes (born 1950), an English actress
• Isabelle Blais (born 1975), a Canadian actress
• Isabelle Blanc (born 1975), a French snowboarder and Olympic champion
• Isabelle Boulay (born 1972), a francophone Canadian pop singer
• Isabelle Boulogne (born 1971), a French sprint canoer
• Isabelle Brasseur (born 1970), a Canadian figure skater
• Isabelle Breitman (born 1959), a French actress and director
• Isabelle Carbonell, a Belgio-Uruguayan documentary photographer and filmmaker
• Isabelle Caro, a French model suffering from severe anorexia nervosa
• Isabelle Carré (born 1971), a French actress
• Isabelle Champmoreau (born 1974), a New Caledonian politician
• Isabelle Charest (born 1971), a Canadian short track speed skater
• Isabelle Chartrand (born 1978), a Canadian ice hockey player
• Isabelle Cheng (born 1970), an intelligence agent
• Isabelle Collin Dufresne (aka Ultra Violet, born 1935), a French-American artist
• Isabelle Corey (born 1939), a French film actress
• Isabelle Coutant-Peyre (born 1952), a French lawyer
• Isabelle Daniels (born 1937), an American athlete, who mainly competed in the 100 metres
• Isabelle de Charrière (1740–1805), a Dutch-born writer of the Enlightenment
• Isabelle de Craon (1212-), a French noblewoman
• Isabelle Debré (born 1957), a member of the Senate of France
• Isabelle Delobel (born 1978), a French figure skater
• Isabelle Delorme (1900–1991), a Canadian composer, pianist and music educator
• Isabelle Deluce (born 1992), a Canadian actress
• Isabelle de Meulan (born c.1148-1220), a French noblewoman
• Isabelle Demongeot (born 1966), a former French professional tennis player
• Isabelle de Montolieu (1751–1832), a Swiss novelist and translator
• Isabelle Despres, a French slalom canoer
• Isabelle Devaluez (born 1966), a retired French discus thrower
• Isabelle Diks (born 1965), a Dutch GreenLeft politician
• Isabelle Dinoire (born 1967), the first person to undergo a partial face transplant
• Isabelle Duchesnay (born 1963), an ice dancer who competed for both Canada and France
• Isabelle Durant (born 1954), a Belgian politician, member of the Ecolo party
• Isabelle Eberhardt (1877–1904), a Swiss -Algerian explorer and writer
• Isabelle Ferron (born 1967), an actress in both film and stage
• Isabelle Fijalkowski (born 1972), a retired French basketball player
• Isabelle Flory, a French violinist
• Isabelle Fuhrman (born 1997), an American teen actress
• Isabelle Gatti de Gamond (1839–1905), an Italo-Belgian educationalist, feminist and politician
• Isabelle Goldenson (-2005)
• Isabelle Holland (1920–2002), an author of children and adult fiction books
• Isabelle Huppert (born 1953), a French actress
• Isabelle Keith (1898–1979), an American actress
• Isabelle LaMal (1886–1952), an American film actress
• Isabelle Lendl (born 1991), an American amateur golfer
• Isabelle Liberman (1918–1990), an American psychologist
• Isabelle Lucas (1927–1997), a Canadian-born British actress and singer
• Isabelle Mancini (born 1967), a French cross country skier
• Isabelle Mercier (born 1975), a Canadian professional poker player
• Isabelle Mir (born 1949), a French former Alpine skier
• Isabelle Morneau (born 1976), a defender on the Canada women's national soccer team
• Isabelle Mouthon-Michellys (born 1966), a French athlete
• Isabelle Nanty (born 1962), a French actress and film director
• Isabelle Nylander (born 1990), a Swedish figure skater
• Isabelle Pasco (born 1966), a French actress and model
• Isabelle Pasquet (born 1962), a member of the Senate of France
• Isabelle Pearson (born 1981), a Canadian judoka
• Isabelle Peretz, a Professor of Psychology at the University of Montreal
• Isabelle Pieman (born 1983), a Belgian figure skater
• Isabelle Poulenard (born 1961), a French soprano
• Isabelle Rampling (born 1985), a Canadian synchronized swimmer
• Isabelle Redford, an American artist, entrepreneur and philanthropist
• Isabelle Romée (1377–1458), the mother of Joan of Arc
• Isabelle Sadoyan (born 1928), a French actress
• Isabelle Sandy (1884–1975), a French poet and writer
• Isabelle Severino (born 1980), a French gymnast and actress
• Isabelle Simonis (born 1967), a Belgian politician from the Socialist Party
• Isabelle Stengers (born 1949), a Belgian philosopher and the daughter of the historian Jean Stengers
• Isabelle Stoehr (born 1979), a French professional squash player
• Isabelle Turcotte Baird (born 1970), a Canadian athlete
• Isabelle Urquhart (1865–1907), an American stage actress
• Isabelle Vasseur (born 1959), a member of the National Assembly of France
• Isabelle Vengerova (1877–1956), a Russian-born American pianist and music teacher
• Isabelle Wendling (born 1971), a French handball player
• Isabelle Wéry, a Belgian actress and writer
• Isabelle Westbury (born 1990), an English cricketer
• Isabelle White (1894–1972), a British diver

fictional characters

• Isabelle (comics), a Belgian comic book series
• Isabelle of Cornwall, the mother of Tristan in Arthurian legend
• Isabelle Tyler, a fictional character on the USA Network science fiction television series The 4400

Isabelle is also the name of a mathematical theorem prover (proof assistant).

See also[link]

• Ana Isabelle, a Puerto Rican singer
• Katharine Isabelle aka Katherine Isobel Murray (born 1981), a Canadian actress
• Isa, the French shortening for Isabelle

Charles Aznavour
Aznavour at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival
Background information
Birth name	Shahnour Vaghenag Aznavourian
Born	(1924-05-22) May 22, 1924 (age 88)
Origin	Paris, France
Genres	Pop Chanson Jazz
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, actor, public activist, diplomat
Years active	1936–present
Labels	EMI MusArm Records
Associated acts	Claude Lombard Katia Aznavour
Website	www.c-aznavour.com

Charles Aznavour, OC (born Shahnour Vaghenag Aznavourian; Armenian: Շահնուր Վաղինակ Ազնավուրեան; Shahnour Vaghinak Aznavurian;^[1] May 22, 1924) is an Armenian-French singer, songwriter, actor, public activist and diplomat. Besides being one of France's most popular and enduring singers, he is also one of the best-known singers in the world. Charles Aznavour (pronounced in French as Sharl Aznavoor) is known for his unique tenor^[2] voice: clear and ringing in its upper reaches, with gravelly and profound low notes. He has appeared in more than sixty movies, composed about a thousand songs (including 150 at least in English, 100 in Italian, 70 in Spanish, and 50 in German^[3]), and sold well over 100 million records.^[4]

In 1998, Charles Aznavour was named Entertainer of the Century by CNN and users of Time Online from around the globe. He was recognized as the century's outstanding performer, with nearly 18% of the total vote, edging out Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan.^[5] He has sung for presidents, popes, and royalty, as well as at humanitarian events, and is the founder of the charitable organization Aznavour for Armenia along with his long-time friend impresario Levon Sayan.

In 2009 he was appointed ambassador of Armenia to Switzerland, as well as Armenia's permanent delegate to the United Nations at Geneva.^[6] He started his new Aznavour en Toute Intimité tour in 2011.

Life and career[link]

Background[link]

Aznavour was born as Shahnour Vaghenagi Aznavourian in Paris the son of Armenian immigrants Michael Aznavourian (an Armenian^[7][8] from Akhaltsikhe,Georgia) and Knar Baghdasarian (from Izmir, Turkey), ^[9] who survived the Armenian Genocide.^[10] His father spent his youth in Tbilisi Georgia, where his family had moved for work (Charles's grandfather was a personal chef to the Governor General of Tbilisi).^[11] Later, after moving to France, Michael Aznavourian sang in restaurants before establishing his own Caucasian restaurant called Le Caucase. Missak Manouchian, a leader of French Resistance who was executed by the Nazis in 1944, had been a frequent guest at the Aznavourian's home, and Aznavourians had supported Misak and his wife Meliné when they were in hiding. Together with his wife, who was an actress, Michael introduced Charles to the world of theatre at an early age. Charles dropped out of school at the age of nine, already aspiring to the life of an artist. He began to perform at this time, and soon took the stage name "Aznavour". His big break came in 1946 when the singer Édith Piaf heard him sing and arranged to take him with her on tour in France and to the United States.^[12]

Music[link]

Often described as "France's Frank Sinatra ", Aznavour sings frequently about love. He has written musicals and about a thousand songs, and made more than one hundred records. Aznavour's voice is shaded towards the tenor range, but possesses the low range and coloration more typical of a baritone, contributing to his unique sound. Aznavour speaks and sings in many languages (French, English, Italian, Spanish, German, Russian, Armenian, Portuguese, Neapolitan), which has helped him perform at Carnegie Hall and other major venues around the world. He also recorded at least one song from the 18th century Armenian poet Sayat Nova, and a popular song, Im Yare^[13] in Armenian. Que C'est Triste Venise, sung in French, Italian (Com'è Triste Venezia), Spanish (Venecia Sin Ti), English (How Sad Venice Can Be), and German (Venedig in Grau), is one of Aznavour's most famous multilingual songs.

In 1974 Aznavour became a major success in the United Kingdom where his song "She" went to Number One in the charts. His other well-known song in the UK was "Dance in the Old Fashioned Way".

Artists who have recorded his songs and collaborated with Aznavour include Édith Piaf, Fred Astaire, Frank Sinatra (Aznavour was one of the rare European singers invited to duet with him^[14]), Andrea Bocelli, Bing Crosby, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan (he named Aznavour among the greatest live performers he's ever seen),^[15][16] Liza Minnelli, Elton John, Dalida, Serge Gainsbourg, Josh Groban, Petula Clark, Shirley Bassey, José Carreras, Laura Pausini, Nana Mouskouri and Julio Iglesias. Fellow French pop legend Mireille Mathieu has sung and recorded with Aznavour on numerous occasions. In 1974, Jack Jones recorded an entire album of Aznavour compositions entitled "Write Me A Love Song, Charlie", re-released on CD in 2006.^[17] Aznavour and Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti sang Gounod's aria Ave Maria together. He performed with famed Russian cellist and friend Mstislav Rostropovich to inaugurate the French presidency of the European Union in 1995. Elvis Costello recorded "She" for the film Notting Hill. One of Aznavour's greatest friends and collaborators from the music industry is legendary Spanish operatic tenor Plácido Domingo, who often performs his hits, most notably a solo studio recording of "Les bateaux sont partis" in 1985 and duet versions of the song in French and Spanish in 2008, as well as multiple live renditions Aznavour's "Ave Maria". In 1994, Aznavour performed with Domingo and Norwegian soprano Sissel Kyrkjebø at Domingo's third annual Christmas in Vienna concert. The three singers performed a variety of carols, medleys, and duets, and the concert was televised throughout the world, as well as released on a CD internationally.^[18]

At the start of autumn in 2006, Aznavour initiated his farewell tour, performing in the US and Canada, and earning very positive reviews. Aznavour started 2007 with concerts all over Japan and Asia. The second half of 2007 saw Aznavour return to Paris for over 20 shows at the Palais des Congrès in Paris, followed by more touring in Belgium, the Netherlands, and the rest of France. He has repeatedly stated that this farewell tour, health permitting, will likely last beyond 2010. At 87, Aznavour is in excellent health, although admittedly 60 years on stage have made him "a little hard of hearing".^[19] He still sings in multiple languages and without persistent use of teleprompters, but typically sticks to just two or three (French and English being the primary two, with Spanish or Italian being the third) during most concerts.^[20] On 30 September 2006, Aznavour performed a major concert in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia to start off the cultural season "Arménie mon amie" in France. Armenian president Robert Kocharyan and French president Jacques Chirac, at the time on an official visit to Armenia, were in front-row attendance.^[21]

Charles Aznavour in concert (1988).

In 2006, 82-year-old Aznavour traveled to Cuba, where he, together with Chucho Valdés, recorded his new album Colore Ma Vie, presented at Aznavour's Moscow concert in April 2007. Later, in July 2007, Aznavour was invited to perform at the Vieilles Charrues Festival.

"Forever Cool" (2007), an album from Capitol/EMI, features Aznavour singing a new duet of "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime" with the voice of the late Dean Martin.

Aznavour finished a tour of Portugal in February 2008. On 18 January 2008 he participated as guest vocalist with the contestants of the French reality show Star Academy and sang his famous Emmenez-Moi with contestant Jérémy Chapron. Throughout the spring of 2008, Aznavour toured South America, holding a multitude of concerts in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay. Summer saw him in Quebec, and a return to Latin America followed in autumn.

In 2008 an album of duets, Duos, was released. It is a collaborative effort featuring Aznavour and his greatest friends and partners from his long career in the music industry, including Céline Dion, Sting, Laura Pausini, Josh Groban, Paul Anka, Plácido Domingo, and many others.^[22] It was released on various dates in December 2008 across the world.^[23] His next album, Charles Aznavour and The Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra (previously known as Jazznavour 2), is a continuation in the same vein as his hit album Jazznavour released in 1998, involving new arrangements on his classic songs with a jazz orchestra and other guest jazz artists. It was released on November 30, 2009.^[24]

In 2009 Aznavour also toured across America. The tour, named Aznavour en liberté,^[25] started in late April 2009 with a wave of concerts across the United States and Canada, took him across Latin America in the autumn, as well as the USA once again. In August 2011 Aznavour released a new album, Aznavour Toujours, featuring 11 new songs, and Elle, a French re-working of his greatest international hit, She. Following the release of Aznavour Toujours, 87-years old Aznavour began a tour across France and Europe, named Charles Aznavour en Toute Intimité, which started with 21 concerts in the "Olympia" theatre in Paris.^[26] On December 12, 2011 he gave a concert in Moscow State Kremlin Palace that attracted a capacity crowd.^[27] The concert was followed by standing ovation which continued for about 15 minutes.^[28]

In 2012, Aznavour embarks on a new North American leg of his "En toute intimité" tour, visiting Québec, New York and the Gibson Amphitheatre, the third-largest such venue in California, for multiple shows.

Film[link]

Aznavour has had a long and varied parallel career as an actor, appearing in over 60 films. In 1960 Aznavour starred in François Truffaut's Tirez sur le pianiste, playing a character called Édouard Saroyan. He also put in a critically acclaimed performance in the 1974 movie And Then There Were None. Aznavour had an important supporting role in 1979's The Tin Drum, winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1980. Aznavour starred in the 2002 movie Ararat playing Edward Saroyan, a movie director.

Armenia and abroad[link]

Since the 1988 earthquake in Armenia, Aznavour has been helping the country through his charity, Aznavour for Armenia. Together with his brother in-law and co-author Georges Garvarentz he wrote the song "Pour toi Arménie", which was performed by a group of famous French artists and topped the charts for 18 weeks. There is a square named after him in central Yerevan on Abovian Street, and a statue erected in Gyumri, which saw the most lives lost in the earthquake. In 1995 Charles Aznavour was appointed an Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Armenia to UNESCO. Aznavour is a member of the Armenia Fund International Board of Trustees. The organization has rendered more than $150 million in humanitarian aid and infrastructure development assistance to Armenia since 1992. Charles Aznavour was appointed as "Officier" (Officer) of the Légion d'honneur in 1997.

In 2004 Aznavour received the title of "National Hero of Armenia" for his humanitarian work, Armenia's highest award. On December 26, 2008, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan signed a presidential decree for granting citizenship for the Republic of Armenia to Charles Aznavour whom he called a "prominent singer and public figure" and "a hero of the Armenian people".^[29]

An admirer of Quebec, where he played in Montreal cabarets before becoming famous, he has helped the career of Québécoise singer-songwriter Lynda Lemay in France, and has a house in Montreal. On 5 July 2008, he was invested as an honorary officer of the Order of Canada and performed the following day on the Plains of Abraham as a feature of the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec City.^[30]

Aznavour and famed Senegalese singer Youssou N'Dour, with the collaboration of over 40 of France's most celebrated singers and musicians, recorded a music video band aid (clip) in the aftermath of the catastrophic 2010 Haiti earthquake, titled "1 geste pour Haïti chérie".^[31]

Personal life and cultural impact[link]

Charles Aznavour, a photo by Xavier Thomas.

Aznavour married his third wife, Swede Ulla Thorsell, in 1968. He has 5 children - Seda, Katia, Misha, Nicolas and Patrick. In 1990 he offered insights into his life to writer-director Michael Feeney Callan in his series My Riviera, which was filmed at and around Aznavour's home in Port Grimaud, in the South of France. He currently resides in Geneva, Switzerland.^[32]

His musicality and fame abroad is present in many other areas of pop culture. Aznavour's name was used as the basis for the name of the character Char Aznable by Yoshiyuki Tomino in his anime mecha series, Mobile Suit Gundam. His song "Parce Que Tu Crois" was sampled by Hip Hop producer Dr. Dre for the song "What's the Difference" (feat. Eminem & Xzibit), from his album 2001.^[33] He is mentioned in The Psychedelic Furs song "Sister Europe" ("The radio upon the floor/ is stupid, it plays Aznavour").

He has often joked about his physicality, the most infamous feature of which is his limited height; he stands only 160 cm (5 ft 3 in) tall, and Aznavour has made this a source of self-deprecating humour over the years.

Politics[link]

Charles Aznavour has been increasingly involved in French, Armenian, and international politics as his career has progressed. During the 2002 French presidential elections, when radical right-wing nationalist Jean-Marie Le Pen of the National Front made it into the runoff election, facing incumbent Jacques Chirac, Aznavour signed the "Vive la France" petition, and called on all French to "sing the Marseillaise" in protest.^[34] Chirac, a personal friend of Aznavour's, ended up winning in a landslide, carrying over 82% of the vote.

He has written a song about the Armenian Genocide, titled Ils sont tombés (known in English as "They fell").

He has also campaigned fervently for international copyright law reform. In November 2005 he met with President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso^[35] on the issue of the review of term of protection for performers and producers in the EU, advocating an extension of the EU's term of protection from the current 50 years to the United States' law allowing 95 years, saying "[o]n term of protection, artists and record companies are of the same mind. Extension of term of protection would be good for European culture, positive for the European economy and would put an end the current discrimination with the U.S." He has also notably butted heads with French politician Christine Boutin over her defense of a "global license" flat-fee authorization for sharing of copyrighted files over the Internet, claiming that the license would eliminate creativity. In May 2009 the French Senate approved one of the strictest internet anti-piracy bills ever with a landslide 189-14 vote. Aznavour was a vocal proponent of the measure and considered it a rousing victory:

"If the youth can't make a living through creative work, they will do something else and the artistic world will be dealt a blow... There will be no more songs, no more books, nothing at all. So we had to fight..."^[36]

Along with holding the mostly ceremonial title of French ambassador-at-large to Armenia, Aznavour agreed to hold the position of Ambassador of Armenia to Switzerland on February 12, 2009:

"First I hesitated, as it is not an easy task. Then I thought that what is important for Armenia is important for us. I have accepted the proposal with love, happiness and feeling of deep dignity"^[37]

Awards and recognition[link]

• 1963, 1971 and 1980 - Edison Awards (three-time awardwinner)^[38]
• 1971 - Golden Lion Honorary Award at the Venice Film Festival for the Italian version of the song Mourir d'aimer
• 1995 - Large Medal of the French Academy
• 1995 - Ambassador of Goodwill and Permanent Delegate of Armenia to UNESCO^[39]
• 1996 - Induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame
• 1997 - French Victoire award for Male artist of the year
• 1997 - Honorary César Award
• 1997 - Officier (Officer) of the Legion d'honneur
• 2004 - National Hero of Armenia^[40]
• 2006 - Honorary prize at 30th Cairo Film Festival
• 2008 - Honorary Officer of the Order of Canada^[41]
• 2008 - Citizenship of the Republic of Armenia
• 2009 - MIDEM Lifetime Achievement Award^[42]
• 2009 - Grigor Lusavorich award of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic^[43]
• 2009 - Officer of the National Order of Quebec^[44]
• 2010 - Honorary order "For outstanding contribution to strengthening cultural ties between Russia and France"^[45]

Discography[link]

Filmography[link]

Actor[link]

• La Guerre des gosses (1936) – Extra
• Adieu chérie (1946) (as Aznavour) – Le duettiste
• Entrez dans la danse (1948)
• Une gosse sensass' (1957) – Le chanteur
• Paris Music Hall (1957) – Charles
• La Tête contre les murs (1959) – Heurtevent
• Les Dragueurs (1959) – Joseph Bouvier
• Pourquoi viens-tu si tard? (1959) – Un danseur
• Oh! Qué mambo (1959) (uncredited) – Un spectateur au cabaret
• Le Testament d'Orphée (1960) (uncredited) – The Curious Man
• Un taxi pour Tobrouk (1960) – Samuel Goldmann
• Tomorrow Is My Turn (Le Passage du Rhin) (1960) – Roger
• Tirez sur le pianiste (1960) – Charlie Kohler/Édouard Saroyan
• Gosse de Paris (1961)
• Les Lions sont lâchés (1961) – Charles, un convive de Marie-Laure
• Esame di guida - tempo di Roma (1962) – Marcello
• Horace 62 (1962) – Horace Fabiani
• Le Diable et les dix commandements (1962) – Denis Mayeux (episode "Homicide point ne seras")
• Les Quatre vérités (1962) – Charles
• Les Vierges (1963) – Berthet
• Cherchez l'Idole (1963) – Aznavour
• Le Rat d'Amérique (1963) – Charles
• Thomas l'imposteur (1964)
• Alta infedeltà (1964) – Giulio (segment "Peccato nel Pomeriggio")
• La Métamorphose des cloportes (1965) – Edmond
• Le Facteur s'en va-t-en guerre (1966) – Thibon
• Paris au mois d'août (1966) – Henri Plantin
• Caroline chérie (1968) – Postillon
• Candy (1968) – Hunchback juggler
• Le Temps des loups (1969) – Inspector
• The Adventurers (1970) – Marcel Campion
• L'Amour (1970) – Le présentateur
• The Games (1970) – Pavel Vendek
• The Selfish Giant (1971) – Narrator (French version)
• Un beau monstre (1971) – Inspector Leroy
• Part des lions (1971) – Éric Chambon
• Les Intrus (1972) – Charles Bernard
• The Blockhouse (1973) – Visconti
• Dix Petits Negres (1974) Dir Peter Colinson, Produit par Gerard Thum
• Ein Unbekannter rechnet ab (1974) – Michel Raven
• Sky Riders (1976) – Insp. Nikolidis
• Folies bourgeoises (1976) – Dr. Lartigue
• Die Blechtrommel (1979) – Sigismund Markus
• Ciao, les mecs (1979) – L'amnésique
• Der Zauberberg (1982) – Naphta
• Qu'est-ce qui fait courir David? (1982) – Léon, le père de David
• Les Fantômes du chapelier (1982) – Kachoudas
• Une jeunesse (1983) – Bellun
• Viva la vie! (1984) – Édouard Takvorian
• Yiddish Connection (1986) – Aaron Rapoport
• Mangeclous (1988) – Jérémie
• Il Maestro (1989) – Romualdi
• Le chinois (1989) – Charles Cotrel
• Charles Aznavour Armenia 1989 (1989)
• Les Années campagne (1992) – Le grand-père/Grandfather
• Pondichéry, dernier comptoir des Indes (1997) – Léo Bauman
• Le Comédien (1997) – Monsieur Maillard
• Laguna (2001)
• Truth About Charlie (2002) – Himself
• Ararat (2002) – Edward Saroyan
• Le Père Goriot (2004) – Jean-Joachim Goriot
• Ennemis publics (2005)
• The Colonel (2006) – Père Rossi
• Up (2009) – Carl Fredricksen (French Voice)

Concerts[link]

Video[link]

• 1977 Großer Unterhaltungsabend – Charles Aznavour (Essen, Germany 1977). VHS Nikkatsu Video Films Co., Ltd./Japan
• 1982 An Evening with Charles Aznavour (Duke of York's Theatre, London 1982). VIP Videocasette Diffusion, VHS SECAM MU 550

Laserdisc[link]

• 1982 An Evening with Charles Aznavour (Duke of York's Theatre, London 1982) [content differs from the video version]

DVD[link]

• 1999 Aznavour Live - Palais des Congrès 97/98 (EMI)
• 2001 Aznavour Live - Olympia 68/72/78/80 (EMI)
• 2001 Charles Aznavour au Carnegie Hall (New York, June 1996) (EMI)
• 2001 AZNAVOUR – Pour toi Arménie (At Erevan Opera, September 1996)
• 2002 Patrick Bruel – Entre-Deux (C. Aznavour sings Parlez-moi d'amour [with Patrick Bruel])
• 2003 AZNAVOUR LIVE – Palais des Congrès 1994 (EMI)
• 2004 Aznavour – Minelli au Palais des Congrès de Paris (EMI)
• 2004 Toronto 1980 (as a Bonus to the Aznavour/Indispensables CD Boxset) (EMI)
• 2004 80, Bon Anniversaire Charles – Palais des congrès 2004 (EMI)
• 2004 Bon anniversaire Charles! (TV broadcast concert for Charles Aznavour 80th anniversary, May 22, 2004) (EMI)
• 2005 Charles Aznavour 2000 – Concert intégral (EMI)
• 2006 The Royal Opera – Die Fledermaus (Covent Garden, London 31-12-1983) (C. Aznavour sings She)
• 2007 Charles Aznavour : En concert à Erevan (EMI)
• 2007 Aznavour - Palais des Congrès de Paris (1987) [not the same concert as the CD version] (EMI)
• 2008 Charles Aznavour et ses amis au Palais Garnier (EMI)
• 2009 Anthologie 1955–1972 - 3 DVD Box Set (PAL Only) (INA / EMI)
• 2010 Anthologie volume 2 1973–1999 - 3 DVD Box Set (PAL Only) (INA / EMI)

FILMS Documentary[link]

• Charles Aznavour - Armenia 1989, (Armenfilm) 1989 color 10min. 35mm. Director Levon Mkrtchyan. The film is about the humanitarian aid that Charles Aznavour, a famous French singer of Armenian origin, brought to Armenia after the Spitak earthquake in 1988.^[46]
• Christmas in Vienna III, A Christmas gala concert live from Vienna on 22 December 1994 with Aznavour, Plácido Domingo and Sissel Kyrkjebø, featuring the Vienna Symphony conducted by famed Croatian conductor Vjekoslav Šutej.
• Making of "Colore ma vie", A making-of featurette released in 2007 coinciding with the release of Aznavour's latest studio album, Colore ma vie. Filmed in Havana and Paris, it shows his collaboration with Chucho Valdez and the thoughts, opinions, and artistry the two put into the album.
• Appeared on The Muppet Show Episode 9. Taping Dates: June 29 - July 1, 1976. Original Airdates: January 17, 1977 (New York) and January 22, 1977 (LA)

See also[link]

• Charles Aznavour Museum
• List of best-selling music artists
• Franco-Armenian relations
• Ils Sont Tombés

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official site
• Charles Aznavour on imusic.am
• "Portrait de S.E. Charles Aznavour" (in French). Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Switzerland. http://www.armenian.ch/index.php?id=ambassador. Retrieved 2010-02-21. 
• Charles Aznavour at the Internet Movie Database
• Charles Aznavour at the Songwriters Hall of Fame
• Biography by Radio France International
• Charles Aznavour - Armenian-Russian Pages

Live performances[link]

• Charles Aznavour - "Ave Maria" performance
• Charles Aznavour - "Hier encore" performance
• Charles Aznavour - "Paris au mois d'août" performance

Isabelle Boulay
Background information
Birth name	Isabelle Boulay
Born	(1972-07-06) 6 July 1972 (age 39)
Origin	Canada
Genres	Pop music
Occupations	Singer
Years active	1993–present
Labels	Sony BMG
Website	Isabelle Boulay official site

Isabelle Boulay, CQ (born 6 July 1972 in Sainte-Félicité, Quebec) is a francophone Canadian pop singer.

Biography[link]

In 1990, some friends recorded her at the Petite-Vallée song festival without her consent, but she completed a performance there and was regarded as a huge success. The following year she won the Granby song festival for her rendition of Jacques Brel's "Amsterdam". That same year she was invited to take part in the festival Les FrancoFolies de Montréal.

In 1993 she represented Radio Canada at the "Truffe de Périgueux" festival held in Périgord, France. She carried off the prize for Best Singer in the "chanson francophone" (francophone song) category. Following her success in France, she was noticed by songwriter Luc Plamondon who was looking for emerging talents to perform in a new production of his rock opera Starmania. There, Boulay portrayed the role of Marie-Jeanne.

In 1996, Boulay released her debut album, Fallait pas. Also in 1996, Boulay's vocal portrayal of internationally-successful Quebec singer Alys Robi was featured in a television drama.^[1]

Since then, she has had considerable success both in Quebec and in Europe. Her biggest-selling album in France was the 2000 release Parle-moi ("talk to me"). On the 14th of February 2008, she was presented with the medal of the Assemblée Nationale of Quebec by the mayor of her hometown, in recognition of her contribution to the arts.

Personal life[link]

In October 2008, Boulay and her producer Marc-Andre Chicoine, had their first child together, Marcus.^[2]

Awards and recognition[link]

• 2001: Victoires de la musique: discovery of the year for artist and album (Mieux qu'ici bas)
• 2001: Juno Awards: nomination for Best Female Artist, two nominations for Best Selling Francophone Album (Mieux qu'ici bas and Scènes d'Amour)
• 2008: Juno Awards: nomination for Francophone Album of the Year (De retour à la source)
• 2012: Made a Knight of the National Order of Quebec^[3]

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

Live albums[link]

Singles[link]

External links[link]

• Isabelle Boulay official site
• Quebec Info Musique: Isabelle Boulay

References[link]

Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen DeGeneres, Los Angeles, October 4, 2011
Birth name	Ellen Lee DeGeneres
Born	(1958-01-26) January 26, 1958 (age 54) Metairie, Louisiana, United States
Medium	Stand-up, television, film, books
Nationality	American
Years active	1981 – present
Influences	Steve Martin,[1] Woody Allen,[1] Bob Newhart,[1] Johnny Carson
Spouse	Portia de Rossi (2008–present)
Domestic partner(s)	Anne Heche (1997–2000) Alexandra Hedison (2001–2004)
Emmy Awards
Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series 1997 Ellen Outstanding Talk Show 2004 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 2005 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 2006 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 2007 The Ellen DeGeneres Show Outstanding Talk Show Entertainment 2010 The Ellen Degeneres Show 2011 The Ellen Degeneres Show Outstanding Special Class Writing 2005 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 2006 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 2007 The Ellen DeGeneres Show Outstanding Talk Show Host 2005 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 2006 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 2007 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 2008 The Ellen DeGeneres Show
American Comedy Awards
Funniest Female Stand-Up Comic 1991 Funniest Female Performer in a TV Special 1994 46th Primetime Emmy Awards 2000 Ellen DeGeneres: The Beginning
Saturn Award
Best Supporting Actress (film) 2003 Finding Nemo
Teen Choice Awards
Best Comedian 2011

Ellen Lee DeGeneres ( /dɨˈdʒɛnərəs/; born January 26, 1958) is an American stand-up comedian, television host and actress. She hosts the syndicated talk show The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

DeGeneres has hosted both the Academy Awards and the Primetime Emmys. As a film actress, she starred in Mr. Wrong, appeared in EDtv and The Love Letter, and provided the voice of Dory in the Disney-Pixar animated film Finding Nemo, for which she was awarded a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress, the first and only time a voice performance won a Saturn Award. She was a judge on American Idol for one year, having joined the show in its ninth season. She also starred in two television sitcoms, Ellen from 1994 to 1998 and The Ellen Show from 2001 to 2002. During the fourth season of Ellen in 1997, DeGeneres came out publicly as a lesbian in an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Shortly afterwards, her character Ellen Morgan also came out to a therapist played by Winfrey, and the series went on to explore various LGBT issues including the coming out process. She has won thirteen Emmys and numerous other awards for her work and charitable efforts.

In November 2011, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton named her a Special Envoy for Global AIDS Awareness.^[2]

Early life and education[link]

DeGeneres was raised in Metairie, Louisiana, the daughter of Elizabeth Jane DeGeneres (née Pfeffer), a speech therapist, and Elliott Everett DeGeneres, an insurance agent.^[3][4] She has one brother, Vance DeGeneres, who is a producer and musician. She is of French, English, German and Irish descent. DeGeneres was raised as a Christian Scientist until the age of thirteen. In 1973, DeGeneres's parents filed for separation and were divorced the following year. Shortly after, Betty Jane remarried Roy Gruessendorf, who worked as a salesman. Betty Jane and Ellen moved with Gruessendorf from the New Orleans area to Atlanta, Texas. Vance stayed with their birth father.

DeGeneres graduated from Atlanta High School in May 1976, after completing her first years of high school at Grace King High School in Metairie, Louisiana. She moved back to New Orleans to attend the University of New Orleans, where she majored in communication studies. After one semester, she left school to do clerical work in a law firm with her cousin Laura Gillen. She also held a job selling clothes at the chain store the Merry-Go-Round at the Lakeside Shopping Center.^{[citation needed]} Other working experiences included J.C. Penney,^[5] being a waitress at TGI Friday's and another restaurant, a house painter, a hostess, and a bartender. She relates much of her childhood and career experiences in her comedic work.

Ancestry[link]

On a February 9, 2011, episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, DeGeneres told her studio audience via a letter from the New England Genealogical Society that she is Kate Middleton's 15th cousin via their shared common ancestor Thomas Fairfax.^[6]

Stand-up comedy[link]

DeGeneres started performing stand-up comedy at small clubs and coffee houses. By 1981 she was the emcee at Clyde's Comedy Club in New Orleans. DeGeneres cites Woody Allen and Steve Martin as her main influences at this time.^[1] In the early 1980s she began to tour nationally, being named Showtime's Funniest Person in America in 1982.^[7] In 1986 she appeared for the first time on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, who likened her to Bob Newhart.^[1] When Carson invited her over for an onscreen chat after her performance, she became the first comedienne in the show's history to be treated this way.^[7]

Film career[link]

Early screen work[link]

Ellen DeGeneres at the Emmy Awards, 1997

Television and film work in the late 1980s and early 1990s included roles on television in Open House and in the film Coneheads. In 1992, producers Neal Marlens and Carol Black cast DeGeneres in their sitcom Laurie Hill, in the role of Nurse Nancy MacIntyre. The series was canceled after only four episodes, but Marlens and Black were so impressed with DeGeneres' performance that they soon cast her in their next ABC pilot, These Friends of Mine, which they co-created with David S. Rosenthal.

[edit] Ellen's Energy Adventure

DeGeneres starred in a series of films for a show named Ellen's Energy Adventure, which is part of the Universe of Energy attraction and pavilion at Walt Disney World's Epcot. The film also featured Bill Nye, Alex Trebek, Michael Richards, and Jamie Lee Curtis. The show revolved around DeGeneres's falling asleep and finding herself in an energy-themed version of Jeopardy!, playing against an old rival, portrayed by Curtis, and Albert Einstein. The next film had DeGeneres hosting an educational look at energy, co-hosted with Nye. The ride first opened on September 15, 1996, as Ellen's Energy Crisis, but was quickly renamed to the more positive-sounding Ellen's Energy Adventure.

Television career[link]

[edit] Ellen (1994–1998)

At the Governor's Ball after the 46th Annual Emmy Awards telecast, Sept. 1994

DeGeneres's comedy material became the basis of the successful 1994–1998 sitcom Ellen, named These Friends of Mine during its first season. The ABC show was popular in its first few seasons due in part to DeGeneres's style of observational humor; it was often referred to as a "female Seinfeld."^[8]

Ellen reached its height of popularity in February 1997, when DeGeneres made her homosexuality public on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Subsequently her character on the sitcom came out of the closet in April to her therapist, played by Oprah Winfrey, revealing that she is gay.^[9] The coming-out episode, titled "The Puppy Episode", was one of the highest-rated episodes of the show. Later episodes of the series did not match its popularity, and after declining ratings, the show was canceled. DeGeneres returned to the stand-up comedy circuit, and later re-established herself as a successful talk show host.

[edit] The Ellen Show

DeGeneres returned to series television in 2001 with a new CBS sitcom, The Ellen Show.

[edit] The Ellen DeGeneres Show

DeGeneres launched a daytime television talk show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show in September 2003. Amid a crop of several celebrity-hosted talk shows surfacing at the beginning of that season, such as those of Sharon Osbourne and Rita Rudner, her show has consistently risen in the Nielsen ratings and received widespread critical praise. It was nominated for 11 Daytime Emmy Awards in its first season, winning four, including Best Talk Show. The show has won 25 Emmy Awards in its first three seasons on the air. DeGeneres is known for her dancing and singing with the audience at the beginning of the show and during commercial breaks. She often gives away free prizes and trips to her studio audience with the help of her sponsors.

DeGeneres celebrated her thirty-year class reunion by flying her graduating class to California to be guests on her show in February 2006. She presented Atlanta High School with a surprise gift of a new electronic LED marquee sign.

In May 2006, DeGeneres made a surprise appearance at the Tulane University commencement in New Orleans. Following George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton to the podium, she came out in a bathrobe and furry slippers. "They told me everyone would be wearing robes," she said. Ellen then went on to make another commencement speech at Tulane in 2009.^[10]

The show broadcast for a week from Universal Studios Orlando in March 2007. Skits included DeGeneres going on the Hulk Roller Coaster Ride and the Jaws Boat Ride.

In May 2007, DeGeneres was placed on bed rest due to a torn ligament in her back. She continued hosting her show from a hospital bed, tended to by a nurse, explaining "the show must go on, as they say." Guests sat in hospital beds as well.

On May 1, 2009, DeGeneres celebrated her 1000th episode, featuring celebrity guests such as Oprah, Justin Timberlake, and Paris Hilton, among others.

[edit] American Idol

On September 9, 2009, it was confirmed that DeGeneres would replace Paula Abdul as a judge of the ninth season of American Idol. Her role started after the contestant auditions, at the beginning of "Hollywood Week".^[11][12] It is reported that DeGeneres also signed a contract to be a judge on the show for at least five seasons.^[13] She made her American Idol debut on February 9, 2010.

On July 29, 2010, DeGeneres and Fox executives announced that the comedienne would be departing from the series after one season. In a statement, DeGeneres said that the series "didn't feel like the right fit for me".^[14]

Award shows[link]

2001 Emmy Awards[link]

DeGeneres received wide exposure on November 4, 2001, when she hosted the televised broadcast of the Emmy Awards. Presented after two cancellations due to network concerns that a lavish ceremony following the September 11, 2001 attacks would appear insensitive, the show required a more somber tone that would also allow viewers to temporarily forget the tragedy. DeGeneres received several standing ovations for her performance that evening, which included the line: "What would bug the Taliban more than seeing a gay woman in a suit surrounded by Jews?"

In August 2005, DeGeneres hosted the 2005 Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony held on September 18, 2005. This was three weeks after Hurricane Katrina, making it the second time she hosted the Emmys following a national tragedy. She also hosted the Grammy Awards in 1996 and in 1997.

Ellen DeGeneres in 2004

79th Academy Awards[link]

On September 7, 2006, DeGeneres was selected to host the 79th Academy Awards ceremony, which took place on February 25, 2007.^[15] This makes her the first openly gay or lesbian person to have hosted the event. During the Awards show, DeGeneres said, "What a wonderful night, such diversity in the room, in a year when there's been so many negative things said about people's race, religion, and sexual orientation. And I want to put this out there: If there weren't blacks, Jews and gays, there would be no Oscars, or anyone named Oscar, when you think about that."^[16] Reviews of her hosting gig were positive, with one saying, "DeGeneres rocked, as she never forgot that she wasn't just there to entertain the Oscar nominees but also to tickle the audience at home."^[17] Regis Philbin said in an interview that "the only complaint was there's not enough Ellen."

DeGeneres was nominated for an Emmy Award as host of the Academy Awards broadcast.^[18]

2007 Writers Guild strike[link]

DeGeneres, like many actors who are also writers, is a member of both the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) and the Writers Guild of America (WGA). Thus, although DeGeneres verbally supported the 2007 WGA strike, she did not support it when she crossed the picket line the day after the strike began.^[19][20] Her representatives said she was competing with other first-run syndicated shows during the competitive November sweeps period, and that she could not break her contracts or risk her show's losing its time slot. As a show of solidarity with the strikers, DeGeneres omitted her monologue during the strike, typically written by WGA writers.^[21] The WGA condemned her while the AFTRA defended her.^{[22][23][24][25]}

Other ventures[link]

Ellen at Tulane University in 2009

Voice acting[link]

DeGeneres lent her voice to the role of Dory, a fish with short-term memory loss, in the summer 2003 hit animated Disney/Pixar film Finding Nemo. The film's director, Andrew Stanton, claimed that he chose Ellen because she "changed the subject five times before one sentence had finished" on her show.^[26] For her performance as Dory, DeGeneres won the Saturn Award from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films for "Best Supporting Actress"; "Favorite Voice from an Animated Movie" from the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards; and the Annie Award from the International Animated Film Association for "Outstanding Voice Acting". She was also nominated for a Chicago Film Critics Association Award in the "Best Supporting Actress" category. She also provided the voice of the dog in the prologue of the Eddie Murphy feature film Dr. Dolittle. Her win of the Saturn Award marked the first and only time the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films has given the acting award for a voice performance.

Commercial spokeswoman[link]

In November 2004, DeGeneres appeared, dancing, in an ad campaign for American Express. Her most recent American Express commercial, a two-minute black-and-white spot in which she works with animals, debuted in November 2006 and was created by Ogilvy and Mather. In 2007, the commercial won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Commercial.

DeGeneres began working with Cover Girl Cosmetics in September 2008, for which she has been criticized, as her animal-friendly values clash with Procter and Gamble's (the maker of Cover Girl Cosmetics) animal testing.^[27] Her face is the focus of new Cover Girl advertisements starting in January 2009. The beauty campaign will be DeGeneres's first.^[28]

On December 3, 2011, DeGeneres headlined the third annual “Change Begins Within” gala for the David Lynch Foundation held at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.^[29][30]

In Spring 2012, DeGeneres becomes the spokesperson for J.C. Penney in a tour and advertising campaign.^[5]

Eleveneleven[link]

On May 26, 2010, Ellen announced on her show that she was starting her own record label entitled "eleveneleven". Ellen explained her choice of name, claiming that she often sees the number 11:11 when looking at her clocks, that she found Greyson on the 11th, and that the singer's soccer jersey has the number 11.^[31] She mentioned that she had been looking for videos of performances on YouTube to start her label. The acts thus far signed to the label are Greyson Chance, Tom Andrews, and Jessica Simpson.^[32]

Personal life[link]

DeGeneres with Anne Heche at the 1997 Emmy Awards.

DeGeneres was in a relationship (1997–2000) with actress Anne Heche.^[33] From 2001 to 2004, DeGeneres and actress/director/photographer Alexandra Hedison were in a relationship. They appeared on the cover of The Advocate after their separation had already been announced to the media.^[34]

Since 2004, DeGeneres has had a relationship with Portia de Rossi. After the overturn of the same-sex marriage ban in California, DeGeneres announced on a May 2008 show that she and de Rossi were engaged,^[35][36] and gave de Rossi a three-carat pink diamond ring.^[37] They were married on August 16, 2008, at their home, with nineteen guests including their mothers.^[37] The passage of Proposition 8 cast doubt on the legal status of their marriage, but a subsequent California Supreme Court judgment validated it because it occurred before November 4, 2008.^[38][39]

DeGeneres and de Rossi live in Beverly Hills, with three dogs and four cats,^[40] and both are vegan.^[41] DeGeneres served as campaign ambassador to Farm Sanctuary's Adopt-A-Turkey Project in 2010, asking people to start "a new tradition by adopting a turkey instead of eating one" at Thanksgiving.^[42]

On August 6, 2010, de Rossi filed a petition to legally change her name to Portia Lee James DeGeneres^[43] The petition was granted on September 23, 2010.^[44]

In her book Love, Ellen, DeGeneres's mother Betty DeGeneres describes being initially shocked when her daughter came out as a lesbian, but has become one of her strongest supporters, an active member of Parents & Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) and spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign's Coming Out Project.

In 2007, Forbes estimated DeGeneres's net worth at US$65 million.^[45]

She is a fan of the National Football League, and has shown particular support for the New Orleans Saints and the Green Bay Packers.^[46] In 2011, she attended a Saints practice dressed as Packers Hall of Famer Don Hutson.^[47]

Filmography[link]

Film[link]

Television[link]

Discography[link]

Awards and honors[link]

Daytime Emmy Awards

• Outstanding Talk Show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show – 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011
• Outstanding Talk Show Host, The Ellen DeGeneres Show – 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
• Outstanding Special Class Writing, The Ellen DeGeneres Show – 2005, 2006, 2007

Emmy Awards

• Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series, Ellen: "The Puppy Episode" – 1997

Mark Twain Prize for American Humor by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

• 2012 ^[48]

People's Choice Awards

• Favorite Funny Female Star – 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
• Favorite Talk Show Host – 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
• Favorite Yes I Chose This Star – 2008

Kids' Choice Awards

• Favorite Voice from an Animated Movie – 2004

Tulane University President's Medal

• 2009^[49]

Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards

• 2000 Lucy Award, actor, If These Walls Could Talk 2, in recognition of her excellence and innovation in her creative works that have enhanced the perception of women through the medium of television.^[50]

Bibliography[link]

• DeGeneres, Ellen (1995). My Point...And I Do Have One. New York: Bantam Books. ISBN 0-553-09955-8. 
• DeGeneres, Ellen (2003). The Funny Thing Is.... New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-7432-4761-2. 
• DeGeneres, Ellen (2011). Seriously...I'm Kidding. New York: Grand Central Publishing. ISBN 0-446-58502-5. 

References[link]