VOL.II. 10th Edition. History and Anthology of French Song and Cabaret From 1730 to the Present Day.

10th Edition. History and Anthology of French Song and Cabaret From 1730 to the Present Day. Volume II. Origin, History, Music, Acts, Songwriters, Composers, Entertainers.
Published by Times Square Press, New York, Paris. Volume I from a set of 2 volumes (A set of approx. 500 pages which contains more than 400 photos & rare artwork of the era.) A treasure!! The most AUTHORITATIVE and INFORMATIVE BOOK ever published on France’s history and development of Showbiz, Entertainment and Legendary Performers, Singers, Dancers and Iconic personalities of France’s Performing Arts, Cabaret and Showbiz.

Unforgettable pioneers of La Chanson Française: This is their story.... A story few heard, and many forgot already! But the author brings it back to life with all its mysteries, joy, sorrow, tears, laughs, drama, adventures, dreams, artists' lives, their ups and downs. This book is a collector's item.
In 1862, the Great Eugénie Emma Valladon (April 25, 1837-May 14, 1913) changed her name to Thérésa. She is considered to be the first French Diva. They called her "La Diva du Ruisseau". Paul Colin was the first to call her "diva". And with her, the golden era of the French "recital" and "concert" saw the light. She passed away in 1913. Her last show was at Le Chat Noir.
Paulus could easily sing 25 songs per performance, and the audience asked for more, because his songs were happy and funny. He respected the military and religion, but never trusted a woman.
He said, "women cheat on their husbands, they are stupid”. With such an attitude satirically illustrated in his repertoire, Paulus became a sensation, and his audience grew overnight.
To talk about la Belle Epoque, Parisian cabaret, and La Chanson Française, without mentioning odolphe Salis, (Born in Châtellerault in 1852, and died in 1897) would be a mockery of history, for he was the creator and co-owner of Le Chat Noir, France's most famous cabaret and almost earliest boite. Salis was "seigneur des bons mots et plaisanteries", (Master of smooth talk & jokes). One night, the future king Edouard VII came to his cabaret to listen to those crazy French bohemians and philosophes naturalists. Salis greeted him, while addressing him to his clientele, "Et bien regardez-moi celui-là : on dirait le Prince de Galles tout pissé !" (Look at this one, he looks like the Prince de Galles pissing all over himself.) Salis with Bruant, created a world of a delightful madness, incorrigible, grotesque but with a unique flair of intellectualism and adventures.
Eloi, the father started his career in 1875, and ended it in 1911, Gaston, the son, in 1907 at age 17, and almost quit at age 80, but he kept on singing and performing, and he was so much fun!
Eloi is considered by historians and critics as the creator of a new genre called "comique troupier." And this creation began with his ridiculous song, "L'invalide à la tête de bois".
French historians and Cabaret writers agree that Claudius was one of the greatest figures and pillars of France café-concert of the end of the era of the 19th century and the dawn of the 20th century.
He began his life, working as a small-time clerk in a printing shop. But then, everything changed to better, when he made his debut at Gaîté-Rochechouart, followed by several appearances at La Cigale and the Scala. And he was able to compete with giants of the era, such as Polaire, Dranems, Max Dearly, Alice de Tenders, Polin, etc. Claudius did not know what elegance meant, and perhaps, intentionally, he wanted to look hilarious and ridiculous on stage to attract the attention of the masses, which neither knew what class or refinement were! On stage, he looked naïve and silly, but in real life, he was shrewd, considerate toward some, and "un home de charactere" (A man of character). The audience loved him. And his fanatic audience would sing along, while he was performing on stage.
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