Singing Paris: The City of Lights in 20th-Century French Music
Directed byVValérie Lavalle
20090h 52m
Songs about a certain time and place are more than sentimental musingsâthey also serve as departure points for cultural and sociological studies. This program uses popular 20th-century French music to explore the rich character and modern-era development of Paris. Juxtaposing commentary from French scholars, performers, and business leaders with classic recordings by Edith Piaf, Brigitte Bardot, Maurice Chevalier, and other artists, the film sheds light on the evolution of Paris and its component districts since the early 1900s. It also examines the special qualities that have made Paris a hub of art and fashion for centuries and the specific ways in which both Parisians and foreigners view the city. Contains brief nudity.
