There was a time when you’d be more likely to find Micheline Van Hautem singing rock music than French classics. Now entrenched in the work of Jacques Brel, this chanteuse returns to Australia with virtuoso guitarist Erwin van Ligten.
There was a time when you’d be more likely to find Micheline Van Hautem singing rock music than French classics. Now entrenched in the work of Jacques Brel, this chanteuse returns to Australia with virtuoso guitarist Erwin van Ligten.
Those familiar with Brel might know him for his popular songs Ne Me Quitte Pas, The Port Of Amsterdam, Seasons In The Sun, Mathilde, Marieke and Bruxelles or from the film, Jacques Brel Is Alive And Well And Living In Paris. Van Hautem was first invited to perform his music in Belgium. “Jacques Brel died in 1978. In 1998 in Belgium we were celebrating the twentieth anniversary of his death and I was asked for the first time then to sing a few songs to commemorate him. It was love at first sight. I was a rock singer, I was very much into Led Zeppelin – and then I get confronted with French love songs, French funny songs, French political songs, well French-spoken because of course he is Belgian, like I am. I am very proud of the fact that he’s Belgian,” says Van Hautem.
12 years later, Van Hautem is as enamoured with Brel’s work as ever. “He is a very good songwriter and not only are his melodies interesting, his ideas of his songs are universal. Jacques Brel is a poet. I remember dissecting his songs, because my first language, even though I am Belgian, is not French, it’s Flemish – that’s like Dutch. We do all learn French at school but of course not up to the level that one can immediately understand poetry, so I actually had my dictionary next to me. As the song unfolded itself to me, because one by one I understood the lyrics, I was just in awe of how smart he was with words. Sometimes I joke with my audience, I say, ‘you should all learn French to understand the genius of Jacques Brel.’”
Regardless of what’s being said, French is a lovely language to listen to, and Van Hautem also finds it an enjoyable language to sing in. “It’s a very nice language to have in your mouth,” she shares. “I sing in Dutch, I sing in English, I sing in French. I also have on my repertoire some German or even some Yiddish, some Spanish and you find that French moves very well toward the back of the mouth. It’s very agreeable, even sexy, I would say.”
Van Hautem is keen to highlight the importance of her accompanist, Erwin Van Ligten. They met by chance when a fellow musician invited Van Ligten along to a rehearsal with Van Hautem. “I heard him play and I went, ‘Oooooh this is really my thing,’ so we haven’t let each other go.” She’s thrilled to be touring with Van Ligten for the Australian Jacques Brel tour. “It’s not to be underestimated for a singer, how important her accompanist is, and in this case he’s also my producer and co-writer. I’m very much looking forward to spending this trip with him,” she says, “He is one orchestra succinct in six strings; he turns music into gold. He is really incredible.”
While Van Hautem feels she understands Brel, their lives are very different. She has two young children who she’ll be away from for a month, when she comes to Australia, the longest they’ve ever been separated. “I think through the songs a lot of his philosophy on life declares itself. I must say I am a big fan of that, but I am not at all the same style,” says Van Hautem. “I don’t live his style of living: Jacques Brel left his family to search of his dream, his daughters were in Brussels while he was in Paris, he travelled through France from city to city and after the show he went out and drowned himself in cigarettes and enjoyed some good wine.” Van Hautem is looking forward to sampling Australian wines, but certainly not to the excess her inspiration might have.
As for the balancing act between motherhood and singing, Van Hautem shares, “I have found that I need both. In order to be the best person I can be, I have to keep on singing and that will also make me the best mother I can be. I’m sure I’ll miss them but I also need to be able to enjoy what I’m doing.”
If you enjoy a glass of wine just as much as Van Hautem, and Brel for that matter, you’ll be pleased to hear the Recital Hall will be in cabaret mode for the performance – with tapas and bar service available.
Micheline Van Hautem sings La Musique Of Jacques Brel next year at The Melbourne Recital Centre on Tuesday
