Celebrating 90 years of Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen's music has often been referred to as depressing, but the musicians behind Monsieur Camembert truly believe that there is a lot of light and joy.
Monsieur Camembert has been performing a show about legendary musician Leonard Cohen for almost 20 years. But the music group is very excited about their upcoming performance – celebrating the Jewish songwriter/poet’s 90th birthday.
It’s the first time in four years that the show will be performed, featuring more guest singers and instrumentalists than ever before.
Monsieur Camembert formed in 1998. According to vocalist and guitarist Yaron Hallis, it was formed to appeal to the broadest cross-section of humanity, with “a particular interest in mixing gypsy and Jewish music with other styles to create something potent and original and exciting.”
Hallis said that they have always played Cohen’s Dance Me To The End of Love.
“It became a real crowd favourite and probably our most requested song,” he explained. “So, this was the genesis of us wanting to put together an entire evening of Leonard Cohen music. All too often Cohen music gets branded ‘depressing’ so we were inspired to showcase how uplifting and entertaining it can be.”
The band enjoyed sold-out shows in 2017, 2018 and 2019 at Sydney’s City Recital Hall, and a performance at the Sydney Opera House in 2020. This year, they’re bringing the show to the State Theatre, featuring a total of 19 musicians, as well as a 50-piece choir including the Sydney Jewish Chorale Society.
Hallis said every artist involved brings their lifetime of performance and life experience to the stage. “All these different styles and musical influences impact in such a rich and varied way on the music.”
Guest musicians include Deborah Conway, Abby Dobson, Lyn Bowtell, Timothy James Bowen, Robert Teicher, Luke Escombe and many more.
“Furthermore, the rich cultural backgrounds of several of the musicians – as well as the traditional instruments that they play – add incredibly potent and stirring and evocative elements to the music. These include Mexican harp, Greek bouzouki, and Mongolian horse-hair fiddle and ‘throat-singing’,” Hallis added.
When asked what audiences can expect from the show, Hallis said they’ll be pleasantly surprised – all their favourite Cohen songs performed like they’ve never heard before.
“They can expect an extremely uplifting evening of sublime music and poetry, that not only celebrates the great man’s music, but also his many philosophies of life.”
Hallis said that while Cohen’s music has often been referred to as depressing, the band truly believe that there is a lot of light and joy to be gained from his songs. “Even at its bleakest, there is beauty. Or as Cohen himself says ‘there’s a crack in everything – that’s how the light gets in’,” Hallis said. “His melodies are so beautiful. And then there is the extraordinary symbiotic relationship between these melodies (often with very Jewish influences) and the sublime poetry of his lyrics, also with many a Jewish or biblical reference.”
For audiences, Hallis and the rest of the Monsieur Camembert crew hope to give them a night of escapism.
“Given that the great man is no longer with us, it’s my fervent hope that this is the next best thing to experiencing Cohen himself in concert,” he said. “An incredibly sumptuous evening of the most stirring music that allows people to forget for a night their troubles or the bleakness of the world right now, and that the residue of Cohen’s music and words will linger with them well after they’ve left the theatre.”
Monsieur Camembert’s Leonard Cohen show, presented by Camelot Lounge and Qirkz In The Hunter is at the State Theatre on September 21. Tickets.
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