La Vie en Rose: Kate Tombaugh Sings Edith Piaf @ The Great Hall

From Celine Dion’s rendition of “Hymn of Love” at the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony in 2024, to advertisements and film soundtracks, the music of French singer-songwriter Édith Piaf has captivated pop culture around the world for generations.

Regarded as a “touchstone of French culture,” Piaf’s full-throated performances and music are timeless, and her influence knows no bounds. Her music often reflects life’s themes of love, loss, and sorrow, all while tirelessly clinging to an insistence on joy for life, or “joi de vivre.” Piaf collaborated with numerous composers and lyricists to create a rich trove of music. Far from trite, her renditions and the music she embodied were three-dimensional, many times sharing all of the darks, lights, and in-betweens in a matter of minutes.

Mezzo-soprano and Starved Rock area native Kate Tombaugh is joined by Nashville-based pianist Jennifer Quammen McGuire. Since 2015, their collaborations have illuminated a great friendship, deep…