PARIS—A prefect of a French department recently banned a concert of the famous choir “The Little Singers of Paris” (Les petits chanteurs à la croix de bois). According to the state representative, the children must be granted a work contract and receive pay, regardless of whether they want to sing for free or not.
A journalist commented ironically that by the same logic they should also urgently close supermarkets that sell underwear made in Shanghai sweatshops, where the children have neither contracts nor remuneration.
Founded in 1906, the choir, composed of young boys between ages 9 and 15, is devoted to exploring sacred music and says it conveys a message of peace. It has become an internationally famous group, recently finishing a tour through Asia.
