Edith Piaf in memoriam / produced by Carlos Hagen

Carlos Hagen produced this special tribute to French singer Edith Piaf, originally offered during the October minithon and enthusiastically received. A documentary on the art, style and life of Piaf, abundantly illustrated with some of the best examples of her art, including a number of rare recordings of her songs. The program dramatically traces the arc of Piaf’s life, including her early abandonment by her parents on the sidewalks of Paris; her upbringing in a brothel; making a living as a street singer on the Rue Pigalle; her rise to international stardom; the death of her lover, the married boxer Marcel Cerdan; her doomed marriage to the singer Jacques Pills; her various afflictions, including drug addiction, arthritis, jaundice, and several car accidents. Among the recordings used in the program are “Un monsieur me suit dans la rue”, “Elle fréquentait la Rue Pigalle”, “Cri du coeur”, “Il pleut”, “Les amants d’un jour”, and “Milord”.