QWhen he went to see Barbara, she cooked him pear tarts which he loved. From French chanson to rock’n’roll via opera and theatre, Jacques Rouveyrollis has been a monument of French showbiz for almost sixty years. The Parisian office in which he receives looks like a miniature museum. Memorabilia from his shows, music and art books, and, above all, photo frames that cover every square centimeter of his walls are mixed together. We recognize all the greatest, those who made him famous because he brought them to light: Jean Marais, Charles Aznavour, Barbara, Léo Ferré, Johnny Hallyday, Michel Sardou, Michel Polnareff, Sylvie Vartan, Jacques Dutronc, Serge Gainsbourg, Eddy Mitchell, Jean-Michel Jarre… He publishes my light yearshis autobiography published by l’Archipel, and also co-signs the book Johnny Hallyday Private Access (Seghers).
Point : Who nicknamed you the “Magician of Lights”?
Jacques Rouveyrollis: It was Barbara. Every evening, she presented her men on stage. She always started with Roland Romanelli. One day, when it was my turn, she added “Magician of lights”. That really pleased me. Who wouldn’t appreciate such a compliment?How do you light a show?
I’m always inspired by songs. I consult the singing tour and I try to tell a story in light, to develop a dramaturgy. However, I don’t want to make a work of art. I’m here to point out the artwork. In order to make it visually understandable for the public. I respect the artist’s vision and concerns.
You say you had a click, one evening, when Johnny was singing “Que je t’aime”…
I was missing something in this chorus and it took me five good years to find what was needed. Seeing the audience sing along to “Que je t’aime, que je t’aime” made me realize that the only right way to light up this moment was to black out Johnny and put the spotlight on the audience. Johnny would choose a girl in the front row and as long as she wasn’t crying, he would sing while watching her.
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It was with Johnny that you used lasers for the first time, at the Palais des sports, in 1976. Over the years, technology has progressed considerably.
Yes, we did a game of lasers on the song “Le Feu”, then Johnny played the character of the Angel with laser eyes in 1979. I had the chance to test many devices that had to be developed . On my small scale, I tried to improve them, pushed by the stars. All the artists I have enlightened had an unthinkable respect for the public. If people only knew! Their sole concern was to make the public happy.
Did they have any special requests?
They trusted me. As they are on stage, they don’t really see the light. There are a few exceptions. When I lit “Musulmanes” for Sardou, I had the idea of making strobes for the “youyous” which are in the background of the piece. I was afraid it would shock Michel’s audience, so I called him in the middle of the night to attend my rehearsals at the convention center.
What did Michel Sardou think of it?
He said to me: “Impeccable, that’s good. Now you’re making me c…, I’m going to bed, it’s two o’clock in the morning. “Sardou-style!
Do you rehearse at night?
It’s the only time I’m quiet in the room, without a musician, without the slightest sound. I am cushy for my creation of lights.
Back to Sardou. You write: “The texts that Sardou sings are immediately open doors to the imagination. ” Why ?
All his texts tell a story. I’m not a musician so I stick to the lyrics. When I light it, I produce twenty-six mini-plays for twenty-six songs. His repertoire is very inspiring. I’m crazy about the “Barbarian King”. “L’An 1000” was written with lights in mind.
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How did Polnareff inspire your lighting style?
He is a visionary. He had me make a piano-light, created by Marcel Engel, with four octaves and a pedalboard. I was lighting up on stage, like a musician! I did a lot of experimenting with it. For his entrance, I put a chase behind his back and his shadow was projected on people. It was new. He constantly pushed me to come up with new ideas. At the time, we didn’t have many beautiful theaters. We played in uninspiring tents. But the constraint leads to the idea.
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You are the first in the world to have placed spotlights on the ground, illuminating the spectators. Tell us…
I inspired the English! Rock’n’roll lacked the lyricism of classical music. To give space to this music, I thought of spotlights on the ground.
To each artist his universe. Renaud, it was different again…
In 1983, he inaugurated the Zénith. I had used light bulbs, flashing lights, lanterns, fog lights. We had transcribed the lights of the city. Later, at the Palais de la Mutualité, I discovered a very white room, and I said to Renaud: “A bulb would manage to light the room. “Chick!” Renaud replies. I invented a light with 2,000 bulbs above his head. The atmosphere was extraordinary.
Once the show starts, how do you experience it?
When I’m asked to darken the room, that’s the most difficult moment. I feel less nervous than the artist, but still… I have the gaze of the public. I’m very focused on not making mistakes, and over the evenings, I’m fine-tuning my settings to improve them.
With Jean-Michel Jarre, you have experienced extraordinary moments.
For his innovative shows, he encouraged me to light up entire cities. Houston, Lyon, London and of course Paris with the Eiffel Tower, Concorde and La Défense.
In 2017, you lit the Vieilles Canailles tour.
It was easy since I worked for Johnny Hallyday, Eddy Mitchell and Jacques Dutronc at the same time. These were very moving times. Physically, Johnny was in very poor condition. He had insisted on doing this tour. I think he had the idea to end up on stage. When I saw him in Lille, I left his dressing room in tears. He was very touched. On the other hand, on stage, he ensured until the last concert. His voice was unaffected. Johnny Hallyday was a phenomenon. He is one of the five greatest singers in the world. During this tour, if we add up all our ages (singers, musicians, technicians), the whole team had nearly a thousand years of experience.
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You might be asked what particular moment you remember from your career, but it’s not over!
All times. It’s always the first time. For 56 years, I have been paid to dream. Believe me, I get attached to it every day. At the Stade de France or the Théâtre de la Huchette, nothing is certain. Right now, I’m preparing Chimène Badi’s Olympia, which takes over Piaf. I work with Richard Gotainer, who is fascinating. I also worked for Greg Zlap, in the famous ancient theater of Orange. It is a phenomenon of the harmonica. I love lighting up this artist.