Dalida bust and Square - Montmartre tribute to the popular singer

The Dalida bust and Square are a tribute to the singer who lived a few meters from there between 1962 and 1987. She became a prominent figure in Montmartre, and her memory lives on in the collective memory of the inhabitants who recall her memory with emotion. Dalida loved the area of the Montmartre hillock. Another tribute to Dalida is the 1996 vintage of the Clos Montmartre wine: it bears her name.

Dalida is buried a few hundred meters away, in the Cemetery of Montmartre.

The Square Dalida

Montmartre pays tribute to Dalida for the first time almost ten years after her death. The city dedicated a place to her, at the crossroads of the rue de l'Abreuvoir, the rue Girardon and the allée des Brouillards, a stone's throw from her former home on rue d'Orchampt. This charming place became place Dalida by municipal decree of December 5, 1996.

The bust of Dalida

A few months later, on April 24, 1997, on the anniversary of her death, a bust of her was inaugurated. This elegant and sensual bronze is signed Aslan (1930-2014) artist name of Alain Gourdon who borrows the name of his grandfather of Armenian origin. Famous for his female figures and his portraits of celebrities, he represented Marianne twice, borrowing the features of Brigitte Bardot in 1968 then those of Mireille Mathieu in 1978. He is also the author of famous busts of General de Gaulle, Alain Delon and Georges Pompidou.

Dalida's success as an artist is such that it is not surprising that the statue of her has become a place of pilgrimage on the Butte Montmartre. From now on, tourists from all over the world prolong the legend through a curious ritual that is not always to the taste of the local residents who see it as a joke and indecent. Polished by repeated tributes, the patina of the bronze is worn at the level of the chest. Caressing the metal breasts would bring good luck, especially in love. The origin of this new tradition remains uncertain.

Dalida bust and Square for a popular singer living in Montmartre

Dalida bust and Square for the one who was born and for the civil status, Yolanda Gigliotti. Born in Cairo in 1933 and disappeared in 1987, had made Montmartre its district of choice. She had acquired in 1962 a beautiful mansion at 11 bis rue d'Orchampt. Dalida died there on May 3, 1987. She rests in the Cemetery of Montmartre (Click on "Dalida's grave, resting place for the singer in pain")

The extraordinary career of Dalida

In 1951, she made her acting debut in Egypt, but decided to leave for France where she arrived on December 25, 1954. She hoped to make a career in the cinema, but quickly realized that her meager background did not carry much weight in the eyes of French producers and so she turned to singing.

She presented herself at a contest for amateurs, "Les Numbers 1 of to-morrow", organized at the Olympia on April 9, 1956. Eddie Barclay, a young record producer and Lucien Morisse, director of programs at Europe 1, were present. The latter, subjugated by the oriental charm of Dalida, summoned her to his offices in the rue François-Ier and took her career in hand.

The first record was not a success. But in October 1956, Lucien Morisse thinks he has unearthed Dalida's flagship song, Bambino, French version of the song Guaglione. Bambino meets a great success in France and manages to rank at the top of the sales for several weeks. On this momentum, Dalida shares a few weeks later the same stage of the Olympia in the first part of the show of Charles Aznavour, then as an American star of Gilbert Bécaud

In December 1957, she recorded Gondolier, which kept the singer at the top of the charts in France, but also in Wallonia and Quebec. A few months later, she recorded Dans le bleu du ciel bleu which was also very popular and reached number one in the French charts. Over the years, her success will always be present on the scenes in France and abroad.

The life of Dalida: dramas and disappointments

Alto voice, warm and sensual with a slight Italian accent and a talent of interpreter, Dalida crossed the modes and the musical trends. She was one of the first artists in France to launch into disco.

She recorded more than 700 songs in several languages and sold nearly 120 million records during her lifetime. But this immense success did not preserve the woman, a great lover with a tragic fate.

The private life of the singer has been a series of dramas and sentimental disappointments. Several of her partners or friends committed suicide. Dalida said "to bring misfortune to the men she loves". She separated from others who were married.

Her political commitment to François Mitterrand was not rewarded either. It divides its public. But her friendship with President Mitterrand - who no longer asks about her after his election - seems to end in 1983.

This succession of misfortunes leads Dalida to depression, and apparently to death. Her impressive career unfortunately did not succeed in reconciling her with herself and putting a saving veil on her chaotic private life made of dramas and suffering.