Macron’s state visit to Armenia on Monday night came with a musical moment in Yerevan that set the tone for a diplomatic stop held alongside major European meetings, with the French president taking center stage at the presidential residence. The dinner was hosted in his honor as he sang classic songs, with local and Armenian officials joining in the performance.
During the event, Macron sang “La Bohème” and “Les Feuilles Mortes,” according to the Associated Press report from Armenia’s capital. The music was provided as Pashinyan played drums alongside a piano performance by jazz musician Vahagn Hayrapetyan.
The songs Macron performed included “La Bohème,” which the report noted was recorded by Armenian-French musician Charles Aznavour in 1965. Macron also sang “Les Feuilles Mortes,” a song associated with Yves Montand, as described by the AP.
The dinner itself took place at Armenia’s presidential residence on Monday night, and it was held in Macron’s honor. The visit placed him in Yerevan at a time when other leaders were also gathering, with the event coinciding with a gathering of the European Political Community and a historic European Union summit.
Pashinyan, who took office in 2018, is described as more frequently showing his musical side through a group called Varchaband. The report said the group’s debut concert in Yerevan took place at the end of January.
The AP also described how Pashinyan posts videos on Instagram of himself listening to music, saying his tastes appear to range from Taylor Swift and Travis Scott to A$AP Rocky.