Étienne Roda-Gil
Encyclopedia
Étienne Roda-Gil was a songwriter and screenwriter. He was married to the painter Nadine (née Delahaye) Roda-Gil until her death in 1990.
from Catalonia who had come as a refugee
to France. After university studies, he met singer Julien Clerc
in a café in Paris's Latin Quarter
in 1968, and began a fruitful collaboration which was broken off in 1980. Clerc and Roda-Gil did, however, collaborate on the album Utile in 1992, which won the Prix Vincent Scotto.
In 1979, he collaborated with Gérard Lenorman
on the album Boulevard de l'océan. Johnny Hallyday
, Claude François
, Juliette Gréco
, Barbara
and Louis Bertignac
are other singers who have interpreted his songs.
Roda-Gil's book La Porte marine was published through Éditions du Seuil
and his adaptation of Fyodor Dostoevsky
's The Idiot
for director Andrzej Żuławski became the 1985 film L'amour braque
.
He approached Roger Waters
in 1987 to set his and libretto
, Ça Ira, to music. Despite the initial version having been completed and recorded by the end of 1988 and receiving an endorsement from then-French president François Mitterrand
, the opera did not receive a performance until 2005, after Roda-Gil's death.
In 1989, he received the grand prix of songwriting from Sacem
(La Société des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique).
Roda-Gil often participated in demonstrations of the Confédération nationale du travail
.
Biography
Roda-Gil was the son of a Spanish republicanSecond Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
from Catalonia who had come as a refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
to France. After university studies, he met singer Julien Clerc
Julien Clerc
Julien Clerc, , born as Paul Alain Leclerc on 4 October 1947 in Paris, Clerc's parents divorced when he was still young. He grew up listening to classical music in his father's home, while his mother introduced him to the music of such singers as Georges Brassens and Edith Piaf...
in a café in Paris's Latin Quarter
Latin Quarter
Latin Quarter is a part of the 5th arrondissement in Paris.Latin Quarter may also refer to:* Latin Quarter , a British pop/rock band* Latin Quarter , a 1945 British film*Latin Quarter, Aarhus, part of Midtbyen, Aarhus C, Denmark...
in 1968, and began a fruitful collaboration which was broken off in 1980. Clerc and Roda-Gil did, however, collaborate on the album Utile in 1992, which won the Prix Vincent Scotto.
In 1979, he collaborated with Gérard Lenorman
Gérard Lenorman
Gérard Lenorman is a French singer.Lenorman was born at the Château de Bénouville, Calvados when it was a maternity hospital. He is the son of Madeleine Lenormand and an unknown German soldier. Lenorman has four children: Mathieu, Justine, Clémence and Victor...
on the album Boulevard de l'océan. Johnny Hallyday
Johnny Hallyday
Johnny Hallyday is a French singer and actor. An icon in the French-speaking world since the beginning of his career, he was considered by some to have been the French Elvis Presley. He was married for 15 years to one of the most popular French female singers: Sylvie Vartan...
, Claude François
Claude François
Claude François was a French pop singer, songwriter and dancer. He wrote "Comme d'habitude," the original version of "My Way."-Early life:...
, Juliette Gréco
Juliette Gréco
Juliette Gréco, — also Michelle – is a French actress and popular chanson singer.-Early life and family:Juliette Gréco was born in Montpellier to a Corsican father and a mother who became active in the Résistance, in the Hérault département of southern France. She was raised by her maternal...
, Barbara
Monique Serf
Monique Andrée Serf , known as Barbara , was a popular French female singer...
and Louis Bertignac
Louis Bertignac
Louis Bertignac is a French guitarist, vocalist and songwriter. An ex Shakin' Street member and a founding member in 1976 of the rock band Téléphone, he formed Bertignac et les Visiteurs after Téléphone split in 1986...
are other singers who have interpreted his songs.
Roda-Gil's book La Porte marine was published through Éditions du Seuil
Éditions du Seuil
Éditions du Seuil is a French publishing house created in 1935, currently owned by La Martinière Groupe. It owes its name to this goal "The seuil is the whole excitement of parting and arriving...
and his adaptation of Fyodor Dostoevsky
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Fyodor Mikhaylovich Dostoyevsky was a Russian writer of novels, short stories and essays. He is best known for his novels Crime and Punishment, The Idiot and The Brothers Karamazov....
's The Idiot
The Idiot (novel)
The Idiot is a novel written by 19th century Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky. It was first published serially in The Russian Messenger between 1868 and 1869. The Idiot is ranked beside some of Dostoyevsky's other works as one of the most brilliant literary achievements of the "Golden Age" of...
for director Andrzej Żuławski became the 1985 film L'amour braque
L'amour braque
L'amour braque is a 1985 French language motion picture comedy directed by Andrzej Zulawski. According to the film credits, L'amour braque was inspired by Dostoyevsky's The Idiot and was intended as a homage to the great writer.- Plot :...
.
He approached Roger Waters
Roger Waters
George Roger Waters is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. He was a founding member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd, serving as bassist and co-lead vocalist. Following the departure of bandmate Syd Barrett in 1968, Waters became the band's lyricist, principal songwriter...
in 1987 to set his and libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
, Ça Ira, to music. Despite the initial version having been completed and recorded by the end of 1988 and receiving an endorsement from then-French president François Mitterrand
François Mitterrand
François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand was the 21st President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra, serving from 1981 until 1995. He is the longest-serving President of France and, as leader of the Socialist Party, the only figure from the left so far elected President...
, the opera did not receive a performance until 2005, after Roda-Gil's death.
In 1989, he received the grand prix of songwriting from Sacem
SACEM
SACEM may refer to:* The Société des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique is a French professional association collecting payments of artists’ rights and distributing the rights to the original authors, composers and publishers...
(La Société des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique).
Roda-Gil often participated in demonstrations of the Confédération nationale du travail
Confédération nationale du travail
- History :The CNT-F or National Confederation of Labour is a French anarcho-syndicalist union.It was founded in 1946 by Spanish anarcho-syndicalists in exile, and former members of Confédération Générale du Travail-Syndicaliste Révolutionnaire , its name is derived from the Spanish CNT, the...
.