Arthur Delaborde 7:39 p.m., April 27, 2022
A sacred monster of the theater hailed by Emmanuel Macron, the tears of Muriel Robin: a national tribute to the Invalides was paid this Wednesday to the actor Michel Bouquet, who died in mid-April at the age of 96.
At the end of his speech, the Head of State placed a white rose at the foot of the actor's portrait, to an air of Mozart.
A national tribute was paid to the great actor Michel Bouquet this Wednesday at the Invalides.
The sacred monster of the theater died two weeks ago, at 96 years old.
Emmanuel Macron, just re-elected, presided over this tribute in the courtyard of the Invalides.
And the emotion was at its peak during the ceremony.
"You were the essence and the unique"
It began with military honors in front of a huge black and white photo of Michel Bouquet, in the middle of the courtyard of the Invalides.
Then, comedians saluted the memory of their theater peer, like Fabrice Luchini: "No one could play in your place. No one could replace you. You were the essence and the only one".
There were also the thanks and the tears also of Muriel Robin, who was his pupil at the conservatory.
"You have undoubtedly prevented me from dying and even more, giving life. Your tenderness tinged with modesty, your kindness, we will never forget".
"You probably saved me from dying": Muriel Robin's tribute to Michel Bouquet pic.twitter.com/NUH8CDR06u
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) April 27, 2022
"Michel Bouquet had become a master of the art of theatre"
Emmanuel Macron then paid tribute to "this sacred monster of the theater", during his eulogy: "Michel Bouquet only needed to be there to captivate, only to pucker his lips to frighten, only to lower his eyes to to move. Because of this art, Michel Bouquet, a former student of the conservatory, had become a master".
And at the end of his speech, a white rose placed by Emmanuel Macron at the foot of the portrait of Michel Bouquet, on an air of Mozart.