Many personalities from the political and show business elite paid tribute on Monday to the artist and owner of nightclubs, who died on May 1, at the age of 92.
Minister of Culture, Roselyne Bachelot was present.
AFP
Jane Birkin thanked Régine for opening her arms to her when she arrived in Paris.
AFP
A 1900 hearse pulled by two black horses, “Les Petits papiers” a cappella by Catherine Ringer, Yiddish songs: the last farewell to Régine, singer, actress and “queen of the night”, gathered 400 people, Monday, in Paris , including personalities, from Jane Birkin to Carla Bruni.
Access to the Salle de la Coupole, of the Père-Lachaise crematorium, was reserved for the family and guests, including the Minister of Culture, Roselyne Bachelot, Marc Lavoine, Carole Bouquet, Anthony Delon, Rachida Dati, the mayor from Paris Anne Hidalgo, the filmmaker Yamina Benguigui or the animators Cyril Hanouna and Bernard Montiel.
According to the tradition reserved for people of the show, applause greeted the entry of the coffin, covered with white flowers, before Catherine Ringer sang “Les Petits papiers”, one of Régine’s great successes written by Serge Gainsbourg, taken up in choir by the assembly. On an easel, a large photo summarizing the whirlwind life of the singer, who died on May 1, at the age of 92: the day following a crazy evening, Régine poses in a cocktail dress, her feet in champagne buckets .
The emotion of Jane Birkin
In the funeral booklet, a message from Régine: “Before the curtain falls on all these beautiful years shared with you, my family and my loved ones are going to tell you a few words regarding me… We are going to sing together some of my songs. Then it will be time to pick up the disco balls and remind you that I have lived a thousand lives with you. I only take the best! See you soon.”
Jane Birkin, who had met Serge Gainsbourg for the first time at Régine, spoke: “Thank you for having opened your arms to the newcomer to Paris that I was. Thank you for this humor and this generosity that were yours. Thank you for your hoarse voice, this marvel of voice. Thank you for having existed, wonderful Régine.”
Musical director of the Radio France group, Didier Varrod for his part paid tribute to the popular and realistic singer: “On the evening of your life, only the song counted. You who slept only three hours a night, today we let you sleep the sleep of eternity, promising to continue to bring to life your songs illuminated by the feathers of the Great Zoa.
Twenty-two nightclubs around the world
During the ceremony, Régine’s voice resonated with the broadcast of several of her songs, including “Les Lumières de Belleville” and “Azoy”. This icon of the 1960s and 1970s, who recorded 245 songs and starred in several films, owned 22 nightclubs around the world, under the sign of his first name. It was she who had had the jukeboxes (automatic distributor of songs recorded on discs) replaced by record players and disc jockeys.
“A great figure in Parisian nightlife and French song, Régine was everywhere the lights shone, in her clubs, on the stages of the Olympia, Bobino, the Folies Bergère or Carnegie Hall, and even on our screens” , had greeted the Elysée following his disappearance.
(AFP)