France pays tribute to late singer Charles Aznavour
PARIS — France paid tribute to Charles Aznavour on Friday in a solemn and subdued ceremony that contrasted sharply with the singer’s joyful character.
One of France’s most famous personalities, Aznavour died earlier this week at 94.
On a mild, sunny morning in Paris, politicians and celebrities gathered near the site of Napoleon’s tomb in the courtyard of Les Invalides, where French president Emmanuel Macron welcomed Armenia Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Former French Presidents Nicolas Sarkozy and Francois Hollande and actor Jean-Paul Belmondo were among those attending the ceremony.
Aznavour, born to Armenian parents who fled to Paris in the 1920s, became one of the Armenian diaspora’s most recognized voices and a vocal defender during a performing career spanning eight decades.