‘Sing your way to Paris’ .?.?. in French

This year, one of the highlights of Francophone Week, hosted every year by the Alliance Francaise, is “Sing Your Way to Paris”, a singing competition for young Zimbabweans aged between 13 and 19 years. The winner of this contest will, courtesy of the French Embassy, spend two thrilling weeks in Paris.
Charles Houdart, director of the Alliance Francaise and enthusiastic promoter of music, song and visual arts, assures contestants that although they must sing in French, they need not be fluent French speakers to compete.
Sponsored by Nestle, “Sing Your Way to Paris” is an exciting version of American Idols, a talent show that continues to fascinate viewers every year. After the first round in February, semi-finalists will attend training workshops at the Alliance Francaise, to improve their linguistic and artistic skills. Only 10 candidates will be selected for the final competition, which will take place on March 18. This will be open to the public, and promises to provide a great afternoon of entertainment and song.
A variety of CDs and audiotapes are available in the library of the Alliance Francaise, to assist in choosing a suitable song. A select panel of judges, including Afro jazz artiste, Dudu Manhenga, and Stunner, the “undisputed king” of urban grooves, will choose the lucky winner. Contestants will be judged not only on the quality of their voices, but also on their pronunciation, interpretation, stage presence and reception by the audience.
So if there are any young songbirds out there, contact the Alliance Francaise for details of the competition, and before long, you could be furthering your linguistic skills and exploring Paris in the spring time. Remember that while a beautiful singing voice is a gift, singing is also a skill that can be learned and perfected.
After the conclusion of the festivities of the Francophone week in March, Zimbos might be encouraged to converse in French, or even to exchange their morning “cuppa” for a mug of Nescafe.