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<\/p>\nFrench President Emmanuel Macron surprised guests at a state dinner in Yerevan by singing “La Boheme,” a classic by Charles Aznavour, joined by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on drums.<\/p>\n
Often called France’s Frank Sinatra, Aznavour was born in France to Armenian immigrants, going on to become one of the most iconic voices in French music and a revered figure in the two countries.<\/p>\n
Aznavour, who died in 2018 at age 94, often served as a cultural bridge between France and Armenia — a role that was on full display at a state dinner held on Monday evening in the Armenian capital in honour of the visiting Macron.<\/p>\n
In a performance captured in a video posted on social media, Macron launched into a rendition of Aznavour’s classic about youth, love and the passage of time, as he sat behind a piano, microphone in hand.<\/p>\n
Armenian President Vahagn Khatchatourian stood by his side and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who has recently launched his own band, joined in on drums.<\/p>\n
“In the nearby cafes, we were a few who waited for glory,” Macron sang in French to the delight of clapping audience members, looking visibly relaxed and smiling.<\/p>\n
“And though miserable, with empty stomachs, we never stopped believing.”<\/p>\n
“Music in the spirit of friendship,” Franceinfo director Agnes Vahramian, who posted the video of the performance, said on X.<\/p>\n
The impromptu concert did not stop there.<\/p>\n
Khatchatourian later took to the piano to play “Les Feuilles Mortes” (Autumn Leaves), a post-war French classic.<\/p>\n
For Macron, “La Boheme” is a familiar number. He previously sang the song during a dinner at the Elysee Palace in 2023.<\/p>\n
The musical interlude came as Macron was on a state visit to Armenia, with the former Soviet republic seeking to pivot away from old master Russia and closer to Europe.<\/p>\n
France is home to some 400,000 people of Armenian descent, the largest Armenian diaspora after those in Russia and the United States.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
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