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Micheline Van Hautem ... inhabits each of the songs.

ON TOUR

§ 10 Oct — The Vanguard, Newtown, Sydney.

§ 16 Oct — The Factory, Marrickville, Sydney.

§ 17 Oct — Judith Wright Centre, Brisbane.

§ 19 Oct — Canberra Street Theatre.

§ 22–23 Oct — Tauranga Arts Festival, New Zealand.

§ 24–25 Oct — Nelson Arts Festival, New Zealand.

POSTED: 06 SEPTEMBER 2009

Van Hautem comes Down Under to sing Brel*

Belgian chanteuse Micheline Van Hautem will return to the Antipodes in October to present her new show, Brel with Chocolat, accompanied by virtuoso guitarist Erwin van Ligten.

Van Hautem will start her tour with two shows in Sydney, one in the intimate cabaret room of The Vanguard, and the other in the larger space of The Factory.

These will be followed by shows in Brisbane, Canberra and New Zealand.

“Even though Jacques Brel lived quite a few years ago, and he’s a man, and he sings in French, I still find a very strong connection with his music,” says Van Hautem.

And so does every audience member who comes to see the spell binding chanteuse as she abandons herself to the passion of Brel’s repertoire, accompanied by Erwin van Ligten.

Singing in French, Flemish and English, Van Hautem inhabits each of the songs rather than just performs them. Her pure emotional expression is in stunning sensual detail in this tour de force of the Brel songbook.

Her travels around the world with the Brel show also inspired Van Hautem to write original songs. Collaborations with The Alessi Brothers and Tim Finn are to be found on her CD Chocolat, and in Brel with Chocolat, Micheline will introduce some of the songs from her first solo album alongside her Brel renditions.

Belgian-born Brel, one of the 20th century’s greatest chansonniers, died in 1978. He channeled the light and dark of the human soul, writing memorable songs such as Ne Me Quitte Pas, The Port of Amsterdam, Seasons in the Sun, Mathilde, Marieke and Bruxelles.

Van Hautem has played to packed houses at the Edinburgh Festival (winning a prestigious Herald Angel Award), the Sydney Opera House, two sellout seasons at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival and has just completed a 60-date European tour with Jacques Brel’s nephew and keeper of the Brel flame, Bruno Brel.

*Based on media release issued by IP Publicity.