China Daily 0110 B2.Indd

14 France speciall Wednesday, January 10, 2018 CHINA DAILY “His music arrived at the perfect moment,” music critic Hao Fang told AFP. “People in Painter’s work a reminder of China were coming out of a period where they heard only revolutionary songs — they Japanese military sex slaves were thirsty for lighter melodies.” For the Chinese at the time, With his latest paint- place which runs chills down the piano was synonymous ing, Cry of Pain in Nanjing, your spine, where we have with European classical music, French artist Christian Poirot the impression that the walls viewed as a more sophisticated aims to remind people of the weep, as if the tears of the genre than the love songs and Japanese military’s sex slave women which were trapped simpler tunes from Hong Kong victims. I was plunged there are still falling, where I and Taiwan, or the United Altogether, four of his was assailed by violent emo- States. works on the same subject into a storm of tions,” he said. “The melodies of Richard were presented on Nanjing emotions, from “This painting, due to its Clayderman seemed easily Massacre Commemoration tragic subject, was difficult understandable, beautiful and Day, which falls on Dec 13. disgust to hate, to complete,” the artist con- emotionally rich from the fi rst “I created this painting fessed. “I was plunged into a listen,” said Du Jian, Clayder- to draw the attention of the rage, shame as storm of emotions, from dis- man’s Chinese promoter. international community to gust to hate, rage, shame as French pianist Richard Clayderman stages a concert in Guizhou province. His melodies have been “His tapes could be found in the actions of certain coun- well ...” well ... faced with this crime PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY broadcast in China since the mid-1980s. practically every home.” tries that try by all means Christian Poirot, French against humanity,” he said, Xiao Kang, a 30-year-old Bei- possible to erase the somber artist while presenting the painting jing resident, said her father pages of their history. The during the interview. used to tape the pianist’s music work of remembrance on the The painting comprises by sticking a recorder beside subject of ‘comfort women’ due to the absence of precise three sections, which tell the Top French ‘romantic’ the radio. has only just begun,” Poirot records, but it is known that diff erent scenes of the history “Many Chinese people grew said during a recent interview several hundred thousand of comfort women. up with his music,” she said. given at his home in Mul- women from Asia, of whom For the 70th anniversary of house, eastern France. a great number were Chinese, the end of World War II, Poirot pianist adored in China ‘Gentlemanly image’ “I don’t like this euphe- were forced to become com- made a poignant and mas- Today, Clayderman’s music mism ‘comfort women’ used fort women during the war. sive painting on the Nanjing can still be widely heard in Chi- to designate the victims, very In June 2017, thanks to Massacre called Deliverance, na: online, in shopping malls often underage, sometimes his friend, the curator of the which he presented as a gift to known worldwide for his 1976 and hotel lobbies, elevators very young, of the mass sex- Memorial Hall for the Victims the Memorial Hall in Nanjing. Performer Richard Ballad for Adeline. and in ringtones. Many young ual slavery system organized of the Nanjing Massacre by For more than six weeks, In his more than 40-year pianists also continue to study throughout Asia by and for Japanese Invaders, Poirot from Dec 13, 1937 to January Clayderman a hit career, Clayderman said he his songs. the imperial Japanese army could paint in the museum 1938, more than 300,000 Chi- across age ranges has sold 60 million records His tour in China, The Splen- and navy, in particular during dedicated to comfort women, nese were murdered by Japa- internationally, making him In 25 years of dor of Romanticism, a label World War II,” the artist said. which was created on the same nese invaders. one of the best-selling French often associated with France, The exact number of vic- site as a Japanese brothel. is name may not musicians in history, alongside concerts here, includes 31 dates, with tickets tims is still diffi cult to evaluate “I immersed myself in this XINHUA be immediately Mireille Mathieu, Jean-Michel priced between 380 and 2,018 recognizable, but Jarre and the late Johnny Hal- I have seen yuan ($58 to $307). his music certainly lyday. China grow at an “In 25 years of concerts here, His: best-selling French pianist According to Clayderman’s I have seen China grow at an Richard Clayderman’s tunes website, he has 70 platinum incredible speed.” incredible speed,” Clayderman are ubiquitous in public spac- discs to his credit. said. es, particularly in China where At the height of his celeb- Richard Clayderman, French “Uncomfortable, dirty gyms for decades, his blond hair and rity, he was a television regu- pianist with poor acoustics have been blue eyes have earned him the lar. In 1985, former United replaced by elegant and beauti- title “Prince Charming”. States fi rst lady Nancy Reagan ful concert halls.” Although his celebrity sta- crowned him the “Prince of haven’t been forgotten by old- Clayderman’s enduring pop- tus has faded in the West, he Romance”. er generations.” ularity is partly due to his “gen- remains adored in the Asian He had more modest suc- tlemanly image”, consistent nation, where he has played cess in his motherland. ‘Thirsty for lightness’ with the Chinese perception for 25 years. “At the end of the 1980s, China is now the country of a Western Prince Charming, “No one is a prophet in his I neglected France a little to where Clayderman performs promoter Du said. own country,” Clayderman told meet many requests I received the most. His fi rst Chinese con- “His blond hair and blue eyes Agence France-Presse ahead from Japan, Southeast Asia cert dates back to 1992, but his are seen as complementary to of his Christmas Day perfor- and Latin America,” Clayder- melodies have been broadcast his music, and in East Asia he mance at Beijing’s Great Hall man said. on the radio since the mid- immediately attracted the pub- of the People, located on the “Now, French people 1980s, when economic reforms lic with this dual advantage.” French artist Christian Poirot donates fi ve of his paintings on comfort women to the Nanjing edge of Tiananmen Square. between 20 and 40 years opened China up to cultural Museum of the Site of Lijixiang Comfort Stations in Nanjing, Jiangsu province in December. The 63-year-old pianist is old don’t know me, even if I products from the West. AFP CUI XIAO / FOR CHINA DAILY Advertorial Bureau Veritas committed to expanding Chinese market By TANG ZHIHAO ogies and even their standards. 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