Daniel Lavoie will not front “Le Petit Prince” Québec

« Le Journal de Montréal », 17^th October 2002
Michelle Coudé-Lord

Daniel Lavoie will not front “Le Petit Prince” in Montréal. A different cast (from Québec) will perform in the mega-production in late spring.

That’s what the lead singer told us from his Paris flat when we phoned him yesterday. Victor Bosch, the producer, is set on taking the show to Québec.

As the singer puts it: “There are enough good singers in Québec to put on an excellent show”.

Daniel Lavoie will put an end to another fine foray into world of the musical at the end of June in Paris providing, of course, that ticket sales allow it to last until then. “I never considered doing it for more than a year”, he said, Up to now Le Petit Prince has received excellent reviews and fills the Casino de Paris with its 1400 seats.

“We haven’t yet got the huge audiences of Notre Dame de Paris, but the teenagers who come to see it seem enthralled. That’s a good sign”, says the singer.

He thinks that Le Petit Prince is successful because of the strength of the text, Richard Cocciante’s superb music and the outstanding quality of the stage production. “The technology behind the show is extremely impressive. Everything is two-dimensional; the plan is only 2 cm thick and yet it looks enormous to the audience. The scenery is very complicated and it took some get used to at first” says Daniel Lavoie laughing.

You can feel he is a happy man, happy to see that the show is appreciated. Feeling a bit embarrassed, he even dares to share a secret. Saint-Exupéry’s masterpiece was not part of his childhood. “I read it for the first time when I was 17. It is a beautiful and moving poetic tale about friendship. It is a message people are only too happy to hear.”

Daniel Lavoie also praises the work of the 6 boys aged between 13 and 15 who play the part of the Petit Prince. There are six of them, says Lavoie, because in France the law prevents children from performing on stage more than twice a week. “The kids who are singing with me are astonishing. I am touched when I hear the message of Le Petit Prince from the mouths of those boys, so very much alive before me.”

Why not Montréal

Why not go on with Le Petit Prince if its success offers him the same kind of adventure as that of NDP?

“Because I have already given it a lot and, after a year, I would be afraid it might become boring. That’s why I want to make the most of what Le Petit Prince has to offer me in the months to come” Daniel Lavoie concludes wisely.

It means that if you want to see him in the show, you’ll need to go to Paris…

“I am sure that the competition will be very strong for the Québec version of Le Petit Prince.” He adds.

The singer is sorry about the problems plaguing Cindy.

Daniel Lavoie is disappointed by the difficulties that Cindy faces. But he wants nothing to do with the struggle in Paris between Richard Cocciante’s Le Petit Prince and Luc Plamondon’s Cindy.

“It is always disappointing when a show gets a bad press. I feel lucky because everything is going our way.” He says. Cautiously, he adds “I am sad for Luc Plamondon and I hope that the show will manage to get back on top. I haven’t seen Cindy yet as it is on the same nights as Le Petit Prince. They say that some changes will be made to tighten up the show. I really hope it is going to work out for them. People have no idea of the amount of work required to put on a musical show, not to mention the enormous investment needed.” Daniel Lavoie has worked with both Luc Plamondon and Richard Cocciante…

Is there really bad blood between the tow of them?

“I don’t want to get involved in such squabbles. I simply wish success to two men I admire.. and, if I can, I will go and see Cindy.”