Chongqing - From March 26 to April 27, French musical star Laurent Ban, known in China as "老航班" (Lao Hang Ban, "Old Flight"), is bringing his deeply personal concert tour, L'Envol: Laurent Bàn 2025 China Tour, to audiences across the country. In a recent interview, the legendary French actor and singer shared his vision for the tour, which was inspired by a dinner conversation in Chongqing with Mr. Zhu from the Chongqing Performance Group.
"This concert is a try to show who I am for real—the guy behind the roles," Ban said. While he will perform highlights from musicals, he emphasized, "Of course I will sing the popular covers, but this time, I will do my own arrangements."
Reflecting on French musicals in China, Ban recalled how audiences 20 years ago were surprised to see French productions. "Now, maybe two generations later, people really enjoy this kind of show," he said. "I love this cultural communication - France and China both have very old histories and strong, personalized art."
The tour's name, "116", resembles "llb," the initials of "Laurent Ban." "It sounds like 'Old Flight' in Chinese," he explained. Ban, who began as a painter before becoming a singer and actor, stressed that this tour is about expressing his true self: "I always try to show my own personality."
In the interview, he also praised his multicultural team - French musicians and a Chinese production crew - for their work on cinematography, costumes, and setlists. "Every concert will be a surprise," Ban said. "We try to innovate, to create different things - new outfits, new songs, sometimes new guests."
Ban had a city walk in Chongqing in 2024 (Photo/Yue Xingchen)
In the end, Ban also shared fond memories of Chongqing, where he has visited three or four times. One highlight was a city walk organized by iChongqing with castmates Yanis Richard and Stéphanie Schlesser. "We saw different layers of the city, ate pancakes on the mountain, and took a boat ride. It was the best way to meet this city," he said.