Emma Shapplin, whose real name is Crystele Joliton, was born on May 19, 1974. Growing up in a suburb south of Paris with her policeman father, secretary mother and two elder brothers, she was something of a tomboy. However, Shapplin’s life changed at the age of 14 when one of her friends introduced her to a local singing teacher.
Soon the teenager was spending all her free time practicing scales and training her voice, which began to reveal an exceptional soprano. Later, well-known French singer Jean-Patrick Capdevielle discovered Shapplin’s fledgling talent. Together, they experimented with a number of different musical styles, including grunge. In the end, however, they bet on classical music in Emma’s first album. Released in 1997, it included the works of legendary 19th century Italian composers, ranging from Donizetti to Bellini. Shapplin was hailed as the new classical Diva of the ’90s. Following the success of her singles “Spente le stelle,” “Cuor Senza Sangue,” and “Carmine Meo,” the album rocketed to the top of the French album charts, earning Shapplin her first gold disc. Soon her crystal-clear voice reached an audience worldwide. In 2002, she released her second album “Etterna.” Her live show record “Le Concert de Caesarea,” written, composed and produced by Jean-Patrick Capdevielle, came out a year later. Since 2002, she is traveling with concerts all over the world and is finally making it to Ukraine.
Palats Ukraina (103 Chervonoarmiyska, 247-2444). Dec. 22, 7 p.m. Tickets Hr 80 – 2,000
