Biography
Catherine Sauvage (26 May 1929 – 20 March 1998) was a French singer and actress.
Born Marcelle Jeanine Saunier in Nancy, France, she relocated with her family in 1940 to the Free Zone in Annecy. After finishing high school, she pursued theater, performing under the name Janine Saulnier. Following eight years of training in piano, singing, and drama, she met Léo Ferré in 1950 and became captivated by his songs. In 1952, she performed his "Paris canaille," which became a hit. In 1954, she received the "Grand Prix du Disque," a prestigious French award, for Ferré's song "L'Homme." While touring Canada, she met Gilles Vigneault, who composed "Mon Pays, Le Corbeau, la Manikoutai" for her.
Upon arriving in Paris, she adopted the surname Sauvage, taken from a childhood friend, and began studying drama: "I did my apprenticeship with Jean-Louis Barrault, with John Vilar, Roger Blin, Marcel Marceau. [...] Life’s chance brought me to Moyses, director of the cabaret Le Boeuf sur le Toit. I sang some songs and recited a few poems for him. The next day, Moyses hired me. I used a repertoire including songs by Marianne Oswald. I stayed two months at Le Boeuf sur le Toit before performing at Quod Libet, a nightclub at 3 rue des Prés-At-Clerics."
She also appeared at the cabarets L'Arlequin at 131 bis, boulevard Saint-Germain, and L'Écluse at 15, Quai des Grands Augustins, in Paris's 6th arrondissement.
She met Léo Ferré, whom she helped gain recognition for his music: "It was the meeting of my life. As happiness never comes alone, Jacques Canetti came to hear me one evening. He was always seeking artists for the record company he directed and for the concert hall Les Trois Baudets that he founded."
Jacques Canetti hired her in 1953 and 1954 to perform at Les Trois Baudets. "I visited that cabaret on Rue Coustou for two years. Later, I performed at the Olympia and received a grand prize for the record L'Homme with Léo Ferré."
She passed away in 1998 at the age of 68 in Bry-sur-Marne, Val-de-Marne.
Throughout her career, she favored poetry set to music. Both Léo Ferré and Gilles Vigneault regarded Sauvage as their finest interpreter. Aragon, one of her favorite poets, wrote about her: "And suddenly with her voice, like a gift, every word takes on full meaning.
