Claude Véga

Claude Véga, whose real name was Claude Thibaudat, was born in Paris on June 2, 1930. He studied business before discovering his passion for theater. After three years of drama classes, he was hired at Liberty's cabaret, where he rubbed shoulders with Gilbert Bécaud. He developed a show in which he showcased his talents as an impersonator, mainly by reproducing female voices, which his androgynous voice allowed him to do. For three years, between 1958 and 1961, he opened for prestigious artists such as Edith Piaf, Joséphine Baker and Charles Trenet. His first album, À l'Alhambra , released in 1958, featured his imitations of Juliette Gréco, La Callas and Jacqueline Maillan. At the same time, he began a film career, appearing in Paris Music Hall in 1957, Tout l'Or du Monde in 1961 and Les Héritiers in 1962. He also appeared regularly on television, notably in the program Top à ... produced by Maritie and Gilbert Carpentier. In 1975, En Direct, a new compilation of his imitations, was released on the Music For Pleasure label. In the 1980s, he appeared regularly on the variety shows of Guy Lux, Danièle Gilbert and Patrick Sébastien, who regarded him as a role model. During the following decade, Claude Véga abandoned imitations and turned his attention to theater, appearing on Drôle de Goûter in 1990 and 1991, then La Source Bleue between 1994 and 1995. He played in the musical Piaf, je t'aime, which received two Molière nominations, and took part in Lars Schmidt's hit play Sylvia in 1998 and 1999. In 2019, a DVD, Le Meilleur de Claude Véga, was released, featuring his best imitations. Claude Véga died three years later, on April 11, 2022, in Paris, at the age of 91.

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