50 years ago, Robert Charlebois, Gilles Vigneault and Félix Leclerc came together for “I saw the wolf, the fox and the lion”.

During the concert Plain of Songs Scheduled for next Friday (July 26) in Quebec, around twenty artists will mark the 50^e Now is the anniversary of the famous show I saw a wolf, a fox, a lionIt brought together Robert Charlebois, Gilles Vigneault and Félix Leclerc on the same stage for the first time.

Presented at the opening of the International Francophone Youth Festival in the Plains of Abraham on August 13, 1974, the program was the first collective outdoor concert in Quebec. This is the first time that three singers from different generations, aged 30, 45 and 60 respectively, with different musical styles and an equally different audience, have come together for a single concert.

One idea would be to bring together rising star Robert Charlebois, producer and father of Quebec show business, co-founder of ADISQ (1978) and FrancoFolies (1989), poets and singers Gilles Vigneault. Felix Leclerc.

At that time, the latter was already sober in the public sphere and was preparing to leave the stage for seclusion on the island of Orleans, but Gilles Vigneault “would have convinced him to embark on the project, despite his opposition to youth.” Robert Charlebois, in turn, was more active. He was especially active with his psychedelic cabaret. He got people talking L’Osstidcho as well as throwing his drums at the audience at the Parisian Olympia.

*No Resale / No Resale* Félix Leclerc (age 60) and Robert Charlebois (age 30) on the sidelines of a 1974 Super Francofade photograph by Brouillard Communications.

Photo by Roland Lachance courtesy of Brouillard Communications

The concert opened with a series of hits, bringing together a crowd of at least 120,000 Me, my shoes, LindberghAnd my country. All three artists revisited each of their best compositions with their musicians. Letter to Ti-cul Lachance, I still have a country, Lark is angry And The President’s Walk.

The concert ended with a group number in which three singing mementos harmonized their voices. When men live in love By Raymond Lévesque.

The piece was largely attributed to Félix Leclerc because of his interpretation that evening.

The double album, recorded during the event and accessible on listening platforms, now allows you to immerse yourself in it all over again.

A bubble environment

In 1974, the independence movement took hold in Quebec and the French-speaking question colored the news, with French being mandated as the official language in July of the same year.

2 years after the election of René Levesque’s Parti Québécois, which led to the first referendum on Quebec independence in 1980, I saw a wolf, a fox, a lion Instantly became a symbol of Quebec identity.

*No Resale / No Resale* Félix Leclerc (age 60), Robert Charlebois (age 30) and Gilles Vigneault (age 45) in a 1974 SuperFrancoFête photo by Brouillard Communications.

Photo by Roland Lachance courtesy of Brouillard Communications

Vigneault declared in an interview that, in his opinion, it was one of the most politicized shows in the province’s history.

Initially, the Institute for Cultural and Technical Cooperation, the progenitor of the International Francophone Organization, wanted to organize an event with the aim of strengthening relations with the global Francophonie, especially with the European and African territories.

Quebec City was chosen as the host city, despite fears from the Prime Ministers of Quebec and Canada, Robert Bourassa and Pierre Elliott Trudeau.

Prime Ministers exclaimed

The opening ceremony of the first International Francophone Youth Festival was ultimately marred by a riot of a few hundred nationalist demonstrators who prevented Pierre Elliott Trudeau – his son Justin – and Robert Bourassa from delivering the opening speech. Montreal JournalAugust 14, 1974.

Pierre Elliott Trudeau and his son Justin during the opening of the first Super Francofat in Quebec on August 13, 1974.

Screenshots/Archives Journal de Quebec

“There were at least a few hundred [de manifestants] Chants and signs were chanted on Quebec Parliament Hill yesterday, while the 1,600 dignitaries from 25 countries participating in the festival mostly tried to make sense of what was happening. Quebec Journal.

A cultural and sporting event

During this first edition, La SuperFrancoFête included a cultural element, with all kinds of artistic events throughout the city and sports competitions held mainly on the campus of Laval University.

Photo by Richard Cloutier from the Journal de Quebec archives

200 athletes from 23 countries participated in it. Athletics, sky diving, traditional games, pétanque, boxing, judo, football and volleyball were part of the programme.

This first edition of the SuperfrancoFête was held from August 13 to 24, 1974.

Plain of Songs

Tribute I saw a wolf, a fox, a lionprogram Plain of Songs It will be held on Friday July 26 at the Plains of Abraham. It is Marie-Pierre Arthur, Gabe Bouchard, Lou-Adrien Cassidy, Robert Charlebois, Sylvia Cloutier, Beatrice Mann, Claude Dubois, Diane Dufresne, Kanen, Simon Kearney, Pierre Guenders, Pierre Lapointe, Thierry Lenoreaux, Marjorie Lenoreaux, , Patrice Michaud, Muzion, Paul Piché, Ariane Roy, Sarahmée, Jay Scott, Souldia and Les Trois Accords.