Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner Artists
Interview with Julie Candeille-Simons by CMP

CMP; Hello Mrs. Simons, I cannot tell you how much of an honor it is to have you do this interview with me.
Julie; Why thank you CMP, I am honored to be asked to do this interview.
CMP; Ok, why don’t we get started? You started your career at a young age, what events do you think made you interested in the arts?
Julie; Well, I came from a musical family, as did many women musicians of my time. My father, Pierre Joseph, was a composer, actor, low-bass opera singer, and later became a theatre director. My father trained me musically, but my abilities came naturally to me. I also performed quite a bit when I was a child, and I loved to entertain.
I loved music, and I loved to share my abilities with anyone I came in contact with. When I was 7, I performed for the French king. By the time I was 13, I had publically performed as a singer, pianist, and harpist. I was then at age 14, initiated into the “La Candeur Masonic Lodge”, where I met several playwrights. I grew up with a respect for the arts; it was only natural that I grew to love it.
CMP; What role did mentors play in the development of the talents and interests you have as an artist?
Julie; Mentors? Honestly mentors didn’t play much of a role at all in my development as an artist. I feel that submissiveness and necessity led me, propensity for and the love of this work inspired me to do what I do and work hard at it. It began as something I just liked to do alone, but when it came to me supporting my family it drove me to try and become successful. My art was my livelihood, and without it, I my family and those who enjoyed my work, would suffer.
Now, I did have people that I looked up to. People who inspired me, and of whom I modeled my style after. The playwrights I met in my earlier years helped me blossom as an actor. My music was greatly influenced by Gretry. People I have met along the way have given me reason to continue on this journey. My confidence has been my main source of drive though.
CMP; What was the world of art like in your particular art field when you entered it?
Julie; As a female artist of my time, if you didn’t come from an established artistic family, you most likely did not pursue art. The French Revolution was well on its way though, and my influence on the time was more widely welcomed than in earlier eras. France, as a country, was more acceptant of women being equal to men and that very well helped my situation. As I got older, my opportunities changed.
Salons got me a lot of exposure; I met a lot of people through them. Many of the companies I was with honored my opinions on things involving politics and other things adjacent to art.
CMP; How did major cultural, economic and political situations of the time impact your work?
Julie; As I’ve said previously, by the time my career had begun the French Revolution was well on its way. Salons for women we’re popping up everywhere, and I made it my mission to show up to them. Many of the other artists I worked with were very much involved in the French Revolutions and its ideas. I also did quite a few plays on the injustices in the French colonies. I was very firm on my opinion of things at the time and never held my tongue for people who asked about them.
Times were hard for my family, so that also pushed me to better cultivate my work. The Revolution though, that really made me successful. People really enjoyed and appreciated the quality of my work around that time.
CMP; What were your major accomplishments and the methods you used in your art?
Julie; I’m best known for my opera, Catherine. I’ve written a total of 8 pieces for stage but Catherine is the only one extant. Many of my pieces got nowhere near as much hype as Catherine did, and many critiques tried to say it was because Catherine received the help of my father and the others didn’t. My father never helped me though, and I wouldn’t even ever want the help of someone like him!
I composed works for keyboard, many of which were for my own personal use. A lot of my work is lost, but you can still find my scores for Catherine. My works were largely impacted by my own personal experiences and things happening to those around me. That, in its self, caused people to be able to easily relate to my art.
CMP; What were the key opportunities you had that led to turning points in your life and art?
Julie; I feel that me maturing around the age of the French Revolution was the cause of most of the opportunities in my life. Without it, I would have never met the people I did or done the things I’ve done. The salons opened a lot of doors for me; they’ve done wonders for me in the aspects of art and my personal life. They’ve made me successful and led me to my husband.
CMP; What personal choices did you make and what hardships did you have to overcome to become successful?
Julie; One of the biggest things I gave up would have to be friends. Caring about if my words or actions hurt those around me. My ego may have been big, but in order to make it in the entertainment business you have to love yourself and your work before anyone else can. A normal life, with music and acting as hobbies alone, was another experience I’ve never felt. Becoming a part of the public eye for anyone’s scrutiny.
CMP; What kind of limitations did you run into as both an artist and a person?
Julie; People trying to compare me to my father. I could never accomplish anything and be successful on my own, my father always had to be involved. Trying to get out of his shadow was difficult for me and I was determined and did leave it. After that was done everything else was water under the bridge for me. The occasional person downing my efforts to bring new light to my art form, but that’s always expected.
CMP; What personal stories can you tell us that best illustrate how you became successful in the arts?
Julie; I was a simple pretty young girl from Paris who’s father so happened to be a very talented man. He taught me what he knew in attempts to boost his own career, but I soon made it about me and what I wanted to do for art lovers everywhere. With my natural talent, learned skills, and strong confidence I blew up the artistic scene from song, to forte piano, from acting to writing. Many tried to bring me down along the way, tried to make me trip up and stop speaking my mind and doing what I love to, but their attempts failed. I came out on top, as did my inspiration, the French Revolution and I sealed my life with a wonderful husband Jean Simons and I couldn’t be more happy to be me.
CMP; Thank you so much again for your time Mrs. Simons. And I hope everyone enjoyed the reading!

• "Ameile-Julie.jpg." wikipedia.org. Web. 7 Apr 2010.

6th artifact

• "Julie Candeille.jpg." wikipedia.org. Web. 7 Apr 2010.

7th artifact

• "It's not over until the fat lady sings." blogger.com Web. 8 Apr 2010.

8th artifact

• "French Revolution." roseblumtv.flies.wordpress.com. Web. 8 Apr 2010.

9th artifact

• "French Flag." maxdunbar.files.wordpress.com. Web. 8 Apr 2010.

10th artifact

· Amalie Julie Candeille Simons, a song." donneinmusica.org. Web. 7 Apr 2010.

3^rd artifact

• Dr. David C.F., Wright. "Ameile-Julie Candeille." 2-3. Web. 7 Apr 2010. .

4^th artifact

• "Julie Candeille." musicmac.ifrance.com/images. Web. 7 Apr 2010.

5^th artifact

This is the Franch flag.

This painting is on the French Revolution. I was a strong supporter of it and performed and was a member to a lot of salons.

She represents my passion for singing and opera.

This is an engraving of me done in c. 1810.