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Home arrow Older News Archive arrow Roger Waters �a Ira to be performed in France?
Roger Waters �a Ira to be performed in France? Print E-mail
Written by Matt   
Monday, 10 October 2005

An interview with Roger Waters, printed in today's issue of top French newspaper Le Monde, has him remarking that he would love to perform Ça Ira in France - and specifically in the Bastille opera house, being the site where the French revolution took place.

He also says that he would like to play again with Pink Floyd in the future, especially if it were to play Dark Side Of The Moon...

The interview started with Roger talking of the origins of the project, when he met Etienne Roda-Gil at the end of the 1960s. Later, of course, Etienne and Nadine (his wife) came to England with their fully illustrated manuscript, asking Roger to put it to music.

He was asked why the music is in the mode of traditional opera rather than a form of rock'n'roll. "I impassioned myself, these last few years, with music from the beginning of the 19th century. I adore Berlioz particularly. Prokofiev and Fauré also influenced me. When a critic recently called the opening of my opera too Brahmsien, I took it as a compliment."

On why he recorded versions in both French and English, he said: "With the death of Nadine, the project stopped for six years. When I started again, Sony asked me to translate it into English. I initially refused, then I launched into it. That was undoubtedly the most difficult part of this work. I then understood that I needed more than narrative. I started to write prologues, to add two or three things, then to write new scenes. Very anxious, I asked Etienne what he thought, and he said: "Roger, it is better in English than in French."

Roger then talks of the performance in Rome. "I hope that one day an eccentric billionaire will want to invest money in the production of the spectacle. I would like of course to show Ça Ira in France. I wrote to Gerard Mortier about it when he took over the running of the Bastille Opera, but it must have seemed risky to put on the work of a pop musician!

Finally the subject turned to the Live 8 performance in July. "It was fantastic. It was so easy to find our respective places and to play these old pieces. Dave Gilmour and I have thrown our toys out the pram over the last twenty years [due to their lawsuits]. I've now matured, I am beyond that today, and I believe that of [David] too."

Last question: can this meeting lead to other projects?

"There is, for the moment, no project. Everyone took pleasure with this concert. Even though we have not spoken about it together yet, I have the impression that if a similar opportunity arises, if it has a political vocation, philosophical or charitable aspect which is appropriate to us, we could find themselves playing other songs; why not perform The Dark Side of the Moon? It would not only be possible, but tempting."

Our thanks to Matthieu Dhennin for his help in bringing this news to you.

 
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