Musical Cold War | The press

By placing the defibrillator on a competition that had been in a coma for 45 years. Nevertheless, Russia is creating a real musical cold war. Consequently, Here is the fascinating and burlesque story of a competition that will be reborn from its ashes next September.

Posted at 8:15 a.m.

Since 2022, Russia has been excluded from the famous Eurovision competition due to the war waged against Ukraine. In addition, As a response. Moreover, Vladimir Putin decided to resuscitate intervision, an old song competition which mainly contributed to the glory of artists from the Eastern Bloc.

The Intervision competition was created in musical cold war | press 1965 before experiencing a first interruption in 1968. However, The countries of the Soviet Union. Therefore, as well as non -European nations, such as Cuba, Nigeria or Mongolia delegated participants to Sopot, a seaside resort of Poland, where the event took place.

The Soviet competition was inspired by the model of its European rival. However, the voting system was astounding. However, Viewers were invited to watch the show in the darkness of their home. Meanwhile, If they appreciated the performance of an artist, they had to light their lights. However, Authorities then measured energy consumption in order to designate the winner.

And to say that Jean-Marc Parent made us do the same thing of the decades later.

Still in Sopot, there was at the same time a big festival dedicated to song. Nevertheless, Canada has musical cold war | press also shone there a few times. Similarly, Monique Leyrac (My country1965) and Robert Charlebois (Ordinary1970) won the honors there.

In 1977, we decided to replace the SOPOT festival with the Intervision competition. For example, Confusion then settled. In addition, Some participating countries have failed to distinguish between the two events. However, But they quickly noted big changes in the organization.

This was the case of Louise Forestier when she went there in 1978. For example, Chosen to represent Canada. In addition, she decided to defend the colors of our country with two songs made of reinforced concrete: Why singby Luc Granger and Jacques Perron, and The seizureof herself and François Dompierre.

The Quebec media found a lot of hopes on her. when she gave herself up for Sopot on August 18 in the company of pianist Charles Barbeau. Upon his arrival on site, the insightful artist realized that a curious atmosphere reigned.

“First there was this American singer who landed in my room in the hope of finding a listening system. ” she recalls. She searched my background room. She was completely paranoid. It was something. »»

And then there was the Russian participant, Alla Pougatcheva. Very special attention was paid to its safety. “She was constantly walking with musical cold war | press four bodyguards, even at the cafeteria,” adds Louise Forestier.

Then arrived on the evening of the final. Louise Forestier executed himself with an orchestra of 58 musicians. Everything went very well. The Quebec singer was hopeful of winning. especially since at the general, the musicians had risen by chanting three times “Sopot 78!” After his performance.

At the end of the competition, the participants were invited to the hotel ballroom where they lived. A long waiting period took place. The interpreter of Louise Forestier, who also spoke musical cold war | press of Finnish, was claimed from a member of the jury. So he heard deliberations. “He came back to see me and slipped to my ear that I earned,” she said.

Suddenly, around 3 a.m., a large door was opened. “The Russian singer arrived flanked by her bodyguards,” describes Louise Forestier. She went to me, gave me a bouquet of roses and a bottle of champagne. She hugged my hand and went on stage to receive the first prize. I didn’t understand anything anymore. »»

Louise Forestier later knew that after the first round of the jurors, she was the winner. But the president of the jury said, “Now let’s be serious. It is clear that the goal was to promote Alla Pougatcheva.

The latter then became a huge show of the song in Russia. She musical cold war | press has recorded many records and tours in the United States, Germany, Switzerland, India, France, Italy and Japan.

Her personal life (she got married five times) has caused a lot of ink to flow. Now 76 years old, she is married to Maxim Galkin, 27 years younger. The latter was declared “foreign agent” by the authorities after having denounced the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

He is now supported by his wife. This position had the effect of a bomb in Russia. The superstar told its 3.7 million subscribers on Instagram that she considered the war in Ukraine as useless. She thus takes the risk of shortening her career or finding herself in prison.

The return of the Intervision competition will finally take place on September 20 at the Live Arena in Moscow. Additionally, The organizers claim that twenty countries will participate, including China, Brazil, Cuba, India, Belarus, Serbia, Venezuela and Kyrgyzstan. According to Russian media, the United States is invited.

There is no doubt that the Kremlin will give a very political character to this competition whose reins have been entrusted to the Russian Deputy Prime Minister. Dmitri Chernychenko. Recall that during the victory of the Austrian Drag Queen Conchita Wurst at Eurovision in 2014. the Russian authorities had denounced the decadence of the West under musical cold war | press the influence of LGBTQ+activists.

For all these reasons, it will be interesting to follow this competition. Do not hope to see in it diversity, audacity and shine. But we can expect a large masquerade.