Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, the longest-running off-Broadway musical revue of all times, is produced in Asia for the first time.
Nathalie Ribette, founder of SING’THEATRE, who produces and directs the musical revue with a local cast and artistic team says:

Jacques Brel was the leading “chansonnier” – singer and songwriter – of the 1960’s and 1970’s European scene. He was able to share compelling emotions thanks to his powerful songs and charismatic presence. I have always wanted to share my passion for this legendary modern troubadour with my adoptive country and I realized that 2008 will mark the 30th anniversary of his death.

Indeed, Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, which was created in New York and features English translations of the French songs of a Belgian singer, is a timeless and powerful show, celebrating the ultimate triumph of the human spirit. It is a musical revue, or juke-box musical, and each of the 27 songs is treated like a mini play. The mood changes during this emotional ride through the ups and downs of human existence. In a simple, sober, black and white Parisian ambiance, the songs (a blend of ballads, tangos and waltzes) alternate between the tender and the jovial.
Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris was first produced in 1968. Most songs were translated from the French by American poet Eric Blau and lyricist Mort Schuman with the help of Brel himself, conveying in English the pathos and wit of his story-songs, and the effect was overwhelming: the original revue played for 4 years with nearly 2 000 performances. It was revived several times all around the world and even turned into a film. The latest production in 2006 has received several award nominations.
The late Jacques Brel, an anti-war poet, was one of the best live performers of all times, electrifying audiences with his hypnotic melodies and consummate interpretation. This versatile artist was a composer, a poet, but also an accomplished actor. He lived life like there was no tomorrow, touring relentlessly and spending some time sailing around the globe. Brel died in 1978 at the early age of 49 from lung cancer.
Jacques Brel was elected The Greatest Belgian of all times in 2005 by the audience of the national television.