Léo Marjane
Encyclopedia
Léo Marjane is a French singer who reached the peak of her popularity in the late 1930s and early 1940s, before her career went into sharp decline after the end of World War II.
voice and the clarity of her diction, and in 1936 was signed to a contract with the Pathé-Marconi
label. Her early recordings – a mixture of original songs and standards of the era such as "Begin the Beguine
" and "Night and Day
" – were well-received and popular. The peak of Marjane's career came in the early 1940s, when she was regarded as one of France's biggest female singing stars. In 1941 she recorded her signature song, the Charles Trenet
-penned "Seule ce soir" ("Alone Tonight"), which captured the feelings of the many who were experiencing wartime separation and became one of the best-loved songs of its time.
were also held against her. Marjane maintained that she had been no more than naïve; nevertheless, in the immediate aftermath of the end of World War II, the allegations and negative publicity in France led her to spend a period of time in England and Belgium, where she was largely unknown.
On her return to France Marjane resumed her recording career; however, popular opinion had turned against her and she found little further success. Also Marjane's style of music fell increasingly out of fashion as the 1950s progressed, although she continued to record critically praised but poor-selling material until the middle of the decade. During this period she toured extensively in the USA, Canada and South America, and also had small roles in two films: Les deux gamines (1951) and Jean Renoir
's Elena et les hommes
(1956).
Shortly after her 1957 marriage to Baron Charles de la Doucette (1912–2007), she decided to abandon show business completely. The couple moved to the village of Barbizon
, outside Paris, where they devoted themselves to horse breeding
.
Subsequent to her retirement from public life, Marjane has consistently shunned most requests for television, radio or published media interviews. She did however give an interview to radio channel France Musique
shortly before her 90th birthday in 2002.
Early career and success
Marjane began her career in the early 1930s singing in cabarets in Paris. She was noticed for her warm contraltoContralto
Contralto is the deepest female classical singing voice, with the lowest tessitura, falling between tenor and mezzo-soprano. It typically ranges between the F below middle C to the second G above middle C , although at the extremes some voices can reach the E below middle C or the second B above...
voice and the clarity of her diction, and in 1936 was signed to a contract with the Pathé-Marconi
Pathé Records
Pathé Records was a France-based international record label and producer of phonographs, active from the 1890s through the 1930s.- Early years :...
label. Her early recordings – a mixture of original songs and standards of the era such as "Begin the Beguine
Begin the Beguine
"Begin the Beguine" is a song written by Cole Porter . Porter composed the song at the piano in the bar of the Ritz Hotel in Paris. In October 1935, it was introduced by June Knight in the Broadway musical Jubilee produced at the Imperial Theatre in New York City.-Music:The beguine music and dance...
" and "Night and Day
Night and Day (song)
"Night and Day" is a popular song by Cole Porter. It was written for the 1932 musical play Gay Divorce. It is perhaps Porter's most popular contribution to the Great American Songbook and has been recorded by dozens of artists....
" – were well-received and popular. The peak of Marjane's career came in the early 1940s, when she was regarded as one of France's biggest female singing stars. In 1941 she recorded her signature song, the Charles Trenet
Charles Trenet
Charles Trenet was a French singer and songwriter, most famous for his recordings from the late 1930s until the mid-1950s, though his career continued through the 1990s...
-penned "Seule ce soir" ("Alone Tonight"), which captured the feelings of the many who were experiencing wartime separation and became one of the best-loved songs of its time.
Post-Liberation and career decline
Marjane's success came to an abrupt halt following the Liberation of France in August 1944. She was accused of having appeared many times at venues frequented by German officers, and her numerous performances on German- and collaborator-controlled Radio ParisRadio Paris
Radio Paris was a French radio broadcasting company best known for its Axis propaganda broadcasts in Vichy France during World War II.Radio Paris evolved from the first private radio station in France, called Radiola, founded by pioneering French engineer Émile Girardeau in 1922...
were also held against her. Marjane maintained that she had been no more than naïve; nevertheless, in the immediate aftermath of the end of World War II, the allegations and negative publicity in France led her to spend a period of time in England and Belgium, where she was largely unknown.
On her return to France Marjane resumed her recording career; however, popular opinion had turned against her and she found little further success. Also Marjane's style of music fell increasingly out of fashion as the 1950s progressed, although she continued to record critically praised but poor-selling material until the middle of the decade. During this period she toured extensively in the USA, Canada and South America, and also had small roles in two films: Les deux gamines (1951) and Jean Renoir
Jean Renoir
Jean Renoir was a French film director, screenwriter, actor, producer and author. As a film director and actor, he made more than forty films from the silent era to the end of the 1960s...
's Elena et les hommes
Elena and Her Men
Elena and Her Men is a 1956 film directed by Jean Renoir and starring Ingrid Bergman, and was her first film after leaving husband Roberto Rossellini. The film's original French title was Elena et les Hommes and in English-speaking countries, the title was Paris Does Strange Things.-External links:*...
(1956).
Shortly after her 1957 marriage to Baron Charles de la Doucette (1912–2007), she decided to abandon show business completely. The couple moved to the village of Barbizon
Barbizon
Barbizon is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in north-central France. It is located near the Fontainebleau Forest.-Art history:The Barbizon school of painters is named after the village; Théodore Rousseau and Jean-François Millet, leaders of the school, made their homes and died in the...
, outside Paris, where they devoted themselves to horse breeding
Horse breeding
Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...
.
Present
Marjane's legacy has been kept alive by devotees of French song. A career retrospective CD, Seule ce soir, was issued in France in 2004, while the title track, her best-remembered recording, has appeared on several internationally released compilations of French music from the World War II era.Subsequent to her retirement from public life, Marjane has consistently shunned most requests for television, radio or published media interviews. She did however give an interview to radio channel France Musique
France Musique
France Musique is a French public radio station devoted to music, including classical music and jazz. France Musique was created in 1954 as Chaîne Haute-Fidélité then renamed 1958 as France IV Haute Fidélité, then RTF Haute Fidélité in 1963, and finally France Musique in same year...
shortly before her 90th birthday in 2002.
External links
- Detailed career overview (French)