Édith Piaf was a French singer best known for performing songs in the cabaret and modern chanson genres. She is widely regarded as France's greatest popular singer and one of the most celebrated performers of the 20th century.
Piaf in 1946
Piaf with Les Compagnons de la chanson in 1946
Piaf in 1950
Piaf at the ABC music hall in Paris in 1951
Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, a casino, a hotel, a restaurant, or a nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or drinking, does not typically dance but usually sits at tables. Performances are usually introduced by a master of ceremonies (M.C.). The entertainment, as performed by an ensemble of actors and according to its European origins, is often oriented towards adult audiences and of a clearly underground nature. In the United States, striptease, burlesque, drag shows, or a solo vocalist with a pianist, as well as the venues which offer this entertainment, are often advertised as cabarets.
Cafe Le Chat Noir c. 1920
The Café des Aveugles in the cellars of the Palais-Royal (beginning of the 19th century)
The composer Eric Satie playing the piano at Le Chat Noir (1880s)
The Moulin Rouge in 1893