nicolerenaudcouleurs
 
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couleurs live at the opéra de limoges
excerpts, 2'58"
 
       
       
couleurs, is a song cycle: a love story seen through colours, where each song is a colour.
it is a multimedia concert where the translations of the songs are projected onto the dress
, alcove curtain and walls.
lyrics: nicole renaud ; music: n. renaud & uli geissendoerfer ; scenography & costume: jacques perdigues

 


prelude
 
 
  grey - hold me in your arms in grey ...      
hold me in your arms in grey
after the day, before nightfall,
behind the silence and the rain,
out of sight, sheltered from noise.
hold me in your arms in grey
very far from her as from him,
behind the flowery folding screen
near the statues fallen asleep.

abandoned in prayer,
disappearing in the heart of winter,
deleting all traces and landmarks,
choosing darkness rather thanz light.  

hold me in your arms in grey
hidden away backstage
under the clouds fleeting away
in the hollow of the afternoon.
hold me in your arms in grey
and gently, as by magic,
on the couch of oblivion
whisk me away to infinity ...

emporte moi vers l’infini ...
   
white – i want to give you white ...    
i want to give you white,
the invisible.
may my song stay with you
like a whisper.
may my quiet heart shine,
unruffled,
even when you're away,
out of reach.

white towards the blue sky,
snowflakes that never melt,
my transparency.
neither ice nor avalanche, 
your setting free.  

i want to give you white,
the inexpressible,
pure light feeling,
irreversible.
     
  green – you draw the landscape of my body ...    
                       
you draw
the landscape
of my body.
green pastures,
gentle valleys,
but yet ...
it springs from your kiss,
it springs from your kiss,
green pastures, gentle valleys,
yes, it springs from your kiss. (...)
    i am thus,
your creature,
your treasure.
a cloud,
hope or
break of day.
woman or fairy
spellbound to your kiss,
woman or fairy
spellbound to your kiss.
   
                                   
  yellow – in the yellow rays of the sun ...                  
                               
deep waters and dark skies, i shall not fear.
shadows and heavy clouds disappear.
aimless days, sleepless nights, bitter tears,
drift away with the tide, slowly clear.

in the yellow rays of the sun
i awaken with the dawn.
in the yellow rays of the sun
my life has now begun.

 

      see the mist of melancholy
evaporating finally.
hear the song of liberty
flying through the air, sofly.
                               
                               
                                     
  red – i send you some red ...                  
                                 
letting the scenery race by
erasing the city behind,
unfurling quietly my mind
while the train hums a lullaby.
letting flamboyant burning skies
sparkle on my face a new smile.
as the day fades in autumn light,
i watch the trees in the sun’s arms.
      i send you some red.
je t’envoie du rouge.
i send you some love.
une pensée d’amour.

(...)

 

         
       
  black – you say "tell me about black ..."    
you lure me far into the passage
saying: "tell me all about black ...
mysterious mermaid of beauty,
how cold is it on the ocean bed?"
your masterful charcoal pencil then
in a sombre circle draws the outline,
deep shadows around my eyes,
a riddle for you to unravel.
i plunge deep into the lake,
into your body into passion
without wavering or reflecting,
without ever fearing the worst.
on the rocks of your desire
in the brightness of our bliss,
you draw me in, give me light,
and spin me free.

thus have i not seen black ...

 
         
  silver – your silver madness ...      

your silver madness shines through darkness
like the sharp blade of a knife.

it mirrors my smile.
i am not afraid of you.
you will tear my velvet body,
shatter the lock to my secret,
but you won't pierce my heart.

your madness will not kill me.

 

                     
       
  blue – the blue night burns us up...  
the blue night burns us up.
all that remains at daybreak
is a foggy sigh,
the ashes of our gestures.
the long night burns us up
in a lunar blaze
reducing our glowing
bodies to nought.
an echo of tenderness
pervades the silence.
after the shower, a scent
of distress elates me.
i implore the heavenly
power of the goddess
that we forever be reborn,
that life shall never cease. (....)
             
reviews            
                       
fr3 limoges
interview (14 septembre 2012)
> see video
                       
                                               
corriere mercantile
"nicole renaud: music, verses and fashion ... one of the key moment of the festival ..." (june 19th 2011)
> read article
 
             
il secolo XIX
"unique and off the beaten path ... surreal dimension"
(june 19th 2011)

> read article
   
             
             
wall text: rotating galleries newsletter
"painting with chanson ... surreal visuals and ethereal music" (july 2011)
> lire l'article
       
             
             
il mattino
la performance: a sound and visual journey into colors
"... a soprano with an angelic voice ... a unique transparent luminous accordion ... an hour of dream ... a romantic visual and sound journey in the depth of the soul and love ... a very lively format ... a magical result ..." (october 24th 2010)

> read article
 
                                         
                                             
accordéon-accordéonistes review "couleurs"
" ... in this album, nicole renaud's sound is white as snow. pure, transparent, lyrical, electroacoustic. intangible beauty, undefinable. unknown magical landscape bathed with enchanting visual music."

> read article
 
                                         
                                             
  french morning/catherine cusset (goncourt literary award)
"nicole renaud's nostalgic grace ... couleurs's poetry in the style of prévert".
     
                                           
                                             
    pascale richard's blog
"nicole renaud is a modern iseult seducing her tristan with her romantic ballads ... in the same vein as brigitte Fontaine or marie laforet, she is an inspiring young woman, a poet who dwells in nostalgia ..."
           
                                           
                                             
communiqué de presse
> page presse



                           
scenography

                                   
    originally trained as a stylist in the école des arts appliqués, jacques perdigues now travels freely from haute couture to cinema, theater and special events. he is the recipient the premier prix christian dior. throughout his artistic adventures his main focus remains visuals. his credits includes assisting thierry mugler and galliano, designing sets and costumes for victoria chaplin, doing art direction for french cabaret star jean guidon and directing his own theater piece femme 3 at the "maison des métallos" in paris. "couleurs" is his first collaboration with nicole.
                                   
                                             
the album



                               
  > listen to album

Buy Now Couleurs - Nicole Renaud
   
                               
                                             
length of the show
- 50': on intermission
- 1hour and 1/2: a 20' intermission with the involvement of the audience writing haikus about colors.



the band

- solo: voice and accordion
- duo: + cello
- trio: + string quartet


technical specs
nicole brings her own microphones, projector, circular curtian



past dates
les nuits de nacre, festival internazionale di fisarmonica, tulles- 13 settembre 2012
suona francese, tour organizzato dal 'ambasciata francese in italia, institut français napoli & noto - maggio 2012
institut français annaba (algeria), ottobre 2012
bienale de la chanson française bruxelles (belga), settembre 2012
festival internazionale di poesia di genova (italie) - june 19th 2011
opéra de limoges (france) - may 10th 2011
theaterlab, new york (usa) - february, march & june 2011
galapagos, new york (usa), may2011
théâtre le temps, paris (france) - january 2011
théâtre le bout, paris (france) - september 2010
gotland international poetry festival, gotland (sweden) - august 2010
centre culturel français, annaba (algérie) - october 2010
nyu maison française, new york (usa) - may 2010
galapagos art space new york (usa) - november 2009










haikus from the audience



> haikus from new york
> haikus from naples