Today we are going to take a rare detour from classical music into more popular music and explore “Hymne à L’Amour” (“Hymn to Love”), but I promise there is something for classical music and opera lovers. This detour was triggered by Celine Dion performing it at the opening of the Olympics in Paris. Russian culture was significantly influenced by French and Italian music, and I remember hearing this song when I was a child and falling in love with it.
The song has a tragic history.
Edith Piaf wrote it (lyrics) for her lover, French boxer Marcel Cerdan, in 1949. Their illicit love affair made huge headlines – Marcel was married and had three kids. Piaf first performed the song in New York City in September 1949. Cerdan died in a plane crash a month later; he was on his way to see Edith Piaf in NY.
My favorite performance is by Mireille Mathieu. I have to admit I had a small crush on Mireille as a child:
Here’s a wonderful performance by a Bulgarian soprano:
Here’s Milet performing the song at the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics on Aug. 8, 2021:
And here’s the wonderful, courageous Celine Dion:
Here is the original – Edith Piaf:
A cello solo version:
Shirley Bassey sings a version in English:
