Gil Marsalla began studying music at the age of 14 and has since built a rewarding career as a musician, music director, conductor, and artistic director. For more than 20 years, he has successfully produced musical and theatrical productions as well as large-scale events, most recently through his own production company, Directo Productions.
Marsalla founded Directo in 2001 with the mission of supporting and promoting emerging French artists. Since 2007, he has toured his productions internationally to sold-out audiences across North and South America, Europe, and East Asia.
Worldwide Post-War Success of French Music
The distinctive style of French theatrical music—cabaret—developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is closely associated with legendary venues such as the Moulin Rouge and the Lido. For generations, cabaret was a cornerstone of French culture that could only truly be experienced in Paris.
Sensing a global appetite for the classic French songs of the 20th century—made famous by artists like Édith Piaf, Charles Aznavour, Jacques Brel, Gilbert Bécaud, and Yves Montand—Marsalla set out to create and tour his own productions celebrating this musical legacy. With more than 1,000 performances worldwide, he is now widely regarded as the leading producer of this genre and has helped open an international market for this treasured repertoire.
His expanding body of work includes:
Paris! The Show (2014)
Piaf! The Show (2015)
Formidable Aznavour (2017)
Piaf Symphonic (2018)
Douce France (2019)
Brel! The Show (2020)
Cyrano, The Musical (2021)
What Now My Love (2022)
Aznavour 100 (2023)
All continue to tour internationally.
Gil Marsalla takes great pride in preserving the musical heritage of his home country and in revitalizing the tradition of French cabaret, bringing its beauty and power to audiences around the world.