1 year at the piano and 10 kilos less: how did Raphael become the character of Ravel in Bolero?

1 year at the piano and 10 kilos less: how did Raphael become the character of Ravel in Bolero?

Bolero, released in theaters on March 6, takes us back to 1928. While Paris lives to the rhythm of the Roaring Twenties, dancer Ida Rubinstein commissions Maurice Ravel to provide the music for her next ballet.

Paralyzed and without inspiration, the composer looks over the pages of his life, the failure of his beginnings, the fracture of the Great War, the impossible love he feels for his muse, Miss Sert… Then Ravel dives deep. He himself created his universal work, Bolero.

To discuss this biopic of Anne Fontaine, AlloCiné went to meet Raphael Persona, who slipped into the costume of the famous composer Maurice Ravel.

AlloCiné: How did you prepare for the role of Maurice Ravel?

Raphael character: Maurice Ravel is broccoli every morning! (laughs) I prepared very specifically with a year of piano lessons and 7 to 8 months to learn how to conduct an orchestra. This is for the “I study music” aspect. I also lost weight, 10 kilos. Then I visited his house, entering his house we learn a lot about the psyche of the character.

Nothing has changed, all his little things are there. I also read a lot of biographies; There are also several video documents. It’s nothing, it’s 10 seconds, but we manage to find things… It’s quite stiff in the body, tight, we don’t feel comfortable with the cameras. I also saw Anne Fontaine every Sunday for a year to talk to me about Ravel for hours. After that we go to the set and see what happens.

Didn’t you play the piano before?

I used to play a little but never took a lesson. That said, studying is stupid and nasty, you have to be very regular.

Does wearing a costume help you get into the skin of a character?

Of course! Especially for Ravel, because he cared so much about himself that he needed everything for a corset; He had to spend hours on the folds of his pants (laughs). For him, it allowed people to distance themselves so they wouldn’t look any further.

For example, he needed his famous patent leather shoes to wear leather shoes, otherwise he would not smell good. There are also small accessories like his business cards. Here are his initials, “MR,” drawn in his style. He has created his own brand, in a way. It seems to cover everything. It’s a bit scary actually (laughs).

When you were offered the role, did you have any particular fears about playing a historical figure?

Not that we know Bolero more than him, we don’t really know his face, he’s not an absolute iconic figure. He is someone more secret, more mysterious. Then, when we talk to the musicians, we realize how much of a central figure he is. And then the pianist Alexander Tharo and all the musicians help us. I relied on them.

Did Bolero influence you before playing Ravel, and what place does music have in your life?

I first heard bolero on video in Claude Lelouch’s Les uns et les autres. We see Jorge Don dancing a bolero choreographed by Beyer in front of the Eiffel Tower. I was amazed by this. This music reveals Ravel’s psychological state at the time of its creation.

In fact, it’s a song that can cheer me up when I’m in good shape and stress me out when I’m not. It has this magical power and that’s why it lasts. He cannot leave this music lukewarm. We love it or hate it, but we can’t say it’s music like any other.

For my part, I cannot live without music. I have never had a day without music. I love whatever style it is. First of all, what I like about music is that it crosses over into so many different worlds. I like to always look for things that are not standardized.

In the movie you are surrounded by a very beautiful female actress Doria Tillier, Zhanna Balibar and Emmanuel DeVos. What do you remember from this collaboration?

With Jeanne, I loved the imagination she brought with her colorful character. During each take, I wondered what he was going to do. There was also a lot of complicity and humor with Emmanuelle, because Margarita’s character is also colorful. At a glance, Emmanuel can change the scene for you.

It was difficult to find the right note with Doria, because these two characters have such a deep relationship and at the same time are so different. Doria and I are having a little bit of a problem. We are very different and we had a lot of respect for each other from the beginning.

We managed to find a note that made the piece very sweet, very sincere. It wasn’t easy to play at first, the fact that these two bare their souls to each other, even in silence. For example, the scene where we are sitting by the river should have been hyperframed from the start.

There were lighting problems and the cinematographer said, let’s do it in one shot. We did one and this is what happened. It’s something very simple that says everything about their relationship. Anne Fontaine chose Doria Tillier because she knew it would be a perfect fit for the story.

How would you describe Anne Fontaine’s methods on set?

I would say his methods are very gentle. At the same time, he has insane visual acuity. He doesn’t let anything go. We have a relationship of utmost sincerity.

Thanks to: Marion Seguis

Source: Allocine

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