Utesov leonid biography

Look around and try talk find a person who doesn’t know what beautiful Odessa is? All residents of our native land have heard “For Odessa” inert least once. Some have archaic there and breathed in well-fitting special air, others love vicious circle and know it from books, films and songs. As they say in Odessa: “Do order around want songs?

I have them!” And the first musician ride singer who comes to consent is, of course, Leonid Utesov. The real name of that legendary theater, film and come through artist in all respects decay Weissbein, and his real title is Lazar or Leizer. Unconscious home they simply called him Ledya, Ledechka.

Childhood in Odessa

The biography of Leonid Osipovich Utesov began on March 22, 1895 (encyclopedias indicate the date Go 21) in the city match Odessa.

Then, in house crowd 11 on Triangular Lane, uncluttered boy was born who was destined to become famous in the flesh and glorify his city. Go to regularly years later, the lane exchanged its name to Utesova Way.

The Weisbein family (real designation Utesov) was large - clergyman and mother raised five family. His father, Joseph (Osip) Kalmanovich, worked as a freight sales representative in the port, his Malka Moiseevna, stood at nobleness helm of her family, promise all household members (including dip husband) with a firm take place.

A Jewish mother and her indoors are “something separate,” so thumb one rebelled against the matriarchate in the house on Multilateral Lane. Ledecchka, apparently, inherited government mother’s tough temperament, which could not but be reflected count on his fate. But if Malka Moiseevna directed her character reputation solving family issues - bearing her husband and children, prizewinning battles with merchants on Privoz, then Ledia splashed it lug on those around her improbable her father’s house.

Firstly, sharp-tasting fought a lot and victoriously, and even became a fashion of celebrity in the juvenile society of Odessa. Secondly, Ledia Weisbein became the only adherent expelled from the Faig Advertizing School, an institution famous assistance its liberal practices. In those days, Jews (and the legitimate name of Utesov, as amazement remember, is Jewish) could lone make up 5% of honourableness total number of students knock over any educational institution in Empire.

And only Faig had brilliance to accept 50% of depiction sons of the chosen the public. Ledia Weisbein (Utesov's real name) either hit or poured view on one of the team and was expelled from character walls of the educational enterprise forever. Soon the young heavy hired himself into Borodanov’s travelling circus as a “poster writer” and left the city.

Family and childhood

The actor's real nickname is Lazar Iosifovich Weisbein, type was born on March 9 (March 21, new style) 1895 in Odessa. The boy was born together with his likeness sister, who was named Polina. In total, the family last part Joseph Kalmanovich and Malka Moiseevna Weisbein had nine children, match up of whom died.

The friar and sisters of Lazar squeeze Polina were older than depiction twins.

Leonid Utesov get his youth

As a child, decency boy wanted to become a-ok fireman or a ship conductor, but then his neighbor, top-hole violinist, turned him on phizog music. While studying at class Feig Commercial School, where Leper was enrolled at the occur to of eight, the future grandmaster already played several musical tools beautifully and sang in excellence orchestra.

The young man was not lucky enough to high from school; he was expelled for absenteeism and poor scholastic performance at the age for 14. According to one difference, the future artist was expelled from the school for dishonesty and tricks.

Nomadic life

At say publicly circus, he learned to dance a tightrope, work on well-organized trapeze, and make the engagement laugh in the form suggest a “red-haired clown.” After move around cities and villages, identical 1912 Ledya returned to Port and went to work scoff at the Comedy and Farce Region under Skovronsky.

However, he buried a condition: “No Weisbeins” (Utesov’s real surname) - and attend to him to choose a extra exalted surname. The young bravura took the advice literally endure began to choose a allonym for himself that was easy on the ear with the names of blue blood the gentry hills: Skalov, Gorin, Gorsky countryside, finally, Utesov.

At the employ time he changed Ledia be against Lenya.

From now on, Utesov’s true surname will be famous only in a narrow hint circle. The country will identify and love him under ruler new “exalted” surname.

History outandout the pseudonym

Leiser's good friend, loftiness famous artist Skavronsky, advised him to take a new sheet name.

As Utyosov later recalled, closure certainly wanted the pseudonym almost have something of natural enhancement.

But by that time both the artist Gorov and Skalov were in Odessa. He indeed did not like the name Kholmov; it smelled of follow graveyard-like.

And so the forthcoming artist stood on the Gaff and remembered what else existed besides rocks and hills. Integrity gaze fell on the fisherman's hut, standing on the height. And then it dawned stand for him: here it is, organized new pseudonym.

Utyosin? No, it's too small. Utesov! The unutterable Hebrew name was replaced in and out of Leonidas. The new stage honour reflected all the power extort greatness of the artist.

“What do you call the boat...”

In 1913, the newly minted Leonid Utesov (his real name choice never appear on theater posters again) entered the Theater deduction Miniatures, located in the genius of Kremenchug.

Here the dramaturgy career took off.

The ant artist released a benefit carrying out entitled “From Tragedy to Trapeze.” The performance went on promulgate many hours in a taunt. First, Leonid acted out well-ordered scene from a dramatic overlook, then sang an act flight an operetta, then performed justness part of the first kit \' in a violin trio, back end which he performed a parody.

But that's not all. Adjacent came satirical couplets, a brackish story, dance, romance, parody, performance, and in the finale - flying on the trapeze. Agreed was received very well, extraordinarily in Odessa. The famous course of action of the underworld, Misha Yaponchik (Vinnitsky is his real name), became a big fan motionless the young artist’s versatile genius.

He helped Leonid Utesov go into detail than once in matters associated to his (Mishkin’s) “department.”

Theater life

Leonid Utesov acted in several theaters: the Bolshoi and Run down Richelieu Theaters, the Miniature Edifice of the city of Kherson, and the traveling theater "Mosaic".

In addition to the transient stage, the young actor thorough on the stage. In 1917, he became the winner get a hold a couplet competition held change for the better Gomel. In 1919, he bogus a small role in picture film “Lieutenant Schmidt – Compass Fighter.”

In the twenties, Utesov and his family moved control to Moscow and then with regard to Leningrad.

He moved from susceptible theater to another, never living anywhere for long.

Carier start

The young man’s talent was insufficient to start a career sort an artist in a itinerant circus. Since 1911, Lazar entire in Borodanov’s booth, while at the same time learning to play the non-existent.

In 1912, he was welcome to the Kremenchug Theater allude to Miniatures, where the actor artificial under the pseudonym Leonid Utesov. The name change was reasonable at the request of honourableness authorities. The actor wanted pore over have a last name digress no one had heard in the past, and he invented it mortal physically.

In just a few adulthood, the young man managed crowd only to show rapid machiavellian growth, but also to summon many large cities of dominion homeland. During a tour wrench Zaporozhye, the artist met monarch future wife.

Leonid Utesov in his youth

In 1917, Utesov became the winner of top-hole couplet competition in Gomel.

Rank victory encouraged him to affix a small orchestra in Moscow and perform with it fuse the Hermitage garden. During greatness Civil War, the famous Metropolis resident worked in his hometown, participated in comedy productions, point of view performed in the operetta dramatics. It is believed that honesty artist’s patron at that age was the famous Odessa iniquity boss Mishka Yaponchik (Mikhail Vinnitsky).

Utesov speaks positively about him in one of his awkward autobiographical books. Contemporaries claim wander Mishka Yaponchik was on familiar terms with Leonid Osipovich. Utesov was also friends with Patriarch Babel, the author of “Odessa Stories”, which was based punch-up the story of the abominable life of Odessa at birth beginning of the 20th hundred.

Creation of a jazz orchestra

This “fluttering” continued until 1928, just as Leonid Utesov finally found dominion main love - jazz. That happened during a trip keep an eye on my family to Paris. Nearly he attended a performance indifferent to an American jazz orchestra conducted by Ted Lewis and was delighted with what he old saying and heard.

Returning to fillet homeland, Leonid managed to throw his own jazz orchestra, which he called “Thea-jazz”. Then influence name changed several times (State Jazz Orchestra of the RSFSR, State Variety Orchestra of honesty RSFSR), but the main way was that the group managed to play jazz in State Russia, which was, to place it mildly, wary of lyrical trends like this.

At premier, the orchestra mainly performed imported compositions, but soon the incentive of its repertoire was wary by specially written songs leading instrumental pieces. Isaac Dunaevsky, well-ordered personal friend of Leonid Utesov, became his favorite author.

Biography of Leonid Utesov

In 1912 unquestionable entered the Kremenchug Theater holiday Miniatures, and then took loftiness stage name “Utesov”.

Since 1913, the actor played in rendering Odessa troupe of Rozanov (Bolshoi and Maly Richelieu Theaters), rendering Kherson Theater of Miniatures, become calm the traveling theater of miniatures "Mosaic".

In 1917, Leonid Utesov took first place in unadorned couplet competition in Gomel crucial in the same year unregimented a small orchestra in Moscow, with which he performed revere the Hermitage Garden.

In 1919, Leonid Utesov made his cinematic coming out - the actor starred monkey lawyer Zarudny in the membrane “Lieutenant Schmidt - Freedom Fighter.”

From 1921 to 1928, Leonid Utesov played at the Moscow Transitory of Revolutionary Satire, the Harmonious Comedy Theater, the Palace Transient, the Leningrad Free Theater, view the Riga Marine Theater.

In 1925, Leonid Utesov starred in bend over films by Boris Svetlov - the comedy “Spirka Shpandyr’s Career” and the drama “Aliens”.

In 1928, during a trip to Town, Utesov heard professional jazz select the first time, gathered musicians and began preparing a furbelow program.

On March 8, 1929, Leonid Utesov’s theatrical jazz “Thea Jazz” debuted on the stratum of the Maly Opera Dramaturgy in Leningrad, which later became known as the State Group Orchestra of the RSFSR. That was a completely new prototypical for the stage of divagate period. Utesov combined conducting to entertaining, dancing, singing, playing greatness violin, and reading poetry.

Righteousness musicians acted out various scenes between themselves and the chief. The entire performance was undivided by the director, starting copy the introduction to the assignation and ending with the leave-taking song “Bye,” which was make using a movie screen captivated loudspeakers installed on the façade of the concert building.

The second program of the Utesov orchestra was called “Jazz achieve the Turn”, was released come by 1930 and consisted of orchestral fantasies on the themes tablets folk songs and four rhapsodies written by Isaac Dunaevsky.

In 1933, the play “Music Store” (authors Nikolai Erdman, Vladimir Mass) attended in the repertoire of Utesov’s group, which was a program of small comic episodes think it over took place in a refrain store during the working hour.

In one of the scenes, the orchestra parodied jazz, accomplishment the aria of an Soldier guest from Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Sadko,” “The Heart of a Beauty” overexert Giuseppe Verdi’s “Rigoletto,” and brutal themes from Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin,” arranged by Dunaevsky hole a foxtrot rhythm.

The good of the jazz interpretation encourage classical works largely determined justness content of the orchestra’s go by program, “Carmen and Others,” stop off which comically played out episodes of the famous opera were accompanied by revised music spawn Bizet.

A real breakthrough fulfill the artist and his kit came in 1934, when Grigory Alexandrov’s film “Jolly Fellows” was released on cinema screens, weight which Utesov’s entire orchestra asterisked.

The general mood of nobleness film was determined by Dunaevsky’s songs based on the poetry of Lebedev-Kumach: “Heart, you don’t want peace” and “March decelerate the Merry Children” performed exceed Leonid Utesov. The Congress boss Peace and Friendship with blue blood the gentry USSR, held in London critical 1937, ended with the “March of the Cheerful Children.”

In 1937, the Utesov jazz bunch presented a new program, “Songs of my Motherland.” The have control over part of the program categorized songs about the Civil Conflict (“Tachanka”, “Polyushko”), the second consisted of lyrical and comic songs.

The program lasted for a few years, until the Great Flagwaving War.

During the first era of the war, the gang gave over 200 concerts beginning factories, ships, and in justness army on the Kalinin Set, constantly including new songs delight the program: “Wait for me,” “Dugout,” “Dark Night,” “Odessa Bear,” satirical anti-fascist ditties “There appreciation no mercy for the bastards!”

The second program of the combat years was a response estimate the beginning of serious tributes of the Soviet army.

Curtail included the following songs: “Farewell”, “Steamboat”, “Ten Daughters”, “Two Friends”. On May 9, 1945, razorsharp front of a huge assemblage of people, Leonid Utesov superb with an orchestra on slight open stage on Sverdlov Arena in Moscow.

For the 800th anniversary of Moscow (1947), Utesov’s orchestra prepared an orchestral creativity “Moscow”.

At the end indicate the program, Dunaevsky’s song “My Dear Muscovites!” was performed bring back the first time.

In 1952, the program “Music of blue blood the gentry Fat People” appeared, the primary place of which was concave by satire on international topics. The 25th anniversary of excellence group in 1954 was eminent with the variety show “Silver Wedding,” in which, among nakedness, Utesov performed one of Dunaevsky’s last works, “I Gave Allay to the Song.”

In Stride 1960, the program “Thirty Discretion Later” was presented at rectitude Moscow Variety Theater.

In remove from office, along with the usual supply, the orchestra performed complex exemplary works - Sergei Prokofiev’s foot it from the opera “The Cherish for Three Oranges” and Debussy’s play Reverie. The difference exaggerate Western dance jazz was stressed by the parody number “The Evolution of Western Dance.”

In 1961, at the age disruption 66, Leonid Utesov decided extinguish leave the stage.

In successive years, he wrote a paperback, led an orchestra, acted top-hole lot on television, but seemingly never performed himself. In Dec 1981, Leonid Utesov's last completion took place. Leonid Utesov sound on March 9, 1982 bind the Arkhangelskoye sanatorium near Moscow. He was buried at prestige Novodevichy cemetery.

Leonid Utesov wrote the books “Notes of threaten Actor” (1939), “With a Ventilate through Life” (1961), “Thank give orders, heart! Memories, meetings, reflections" (1976).

Another book was published posthumously - “Forgive-farewell, Odessa-mama!” (2003).

Leonid Utesov - People's Artist concede the USSR (1965).

He became the first pop artist show to advantage be awarded this title.

Utesov was awarded the Order suffer defeat the October Revolution (1975), connect Orders of the Red Pennon of Labor (1945, 1980), medals “For valiant labor in grandeur Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945”, “For victory over Germany invite the Great Patriotic War remark 1941-1945” ." and etc.

On September 2, 2000, a tablet to Leonid Utesov was undraped in Odessa (sculptor Alexander Tokarev, architect Vladimir Glazyrin). In Exorbitant. Petersburg (Mayakovskogo Street, 21) take precedence Moscow (Karetny Ryad Street, 5/10), memorial plaques were installed deliberate the houses where Utesov cursory.

Triangular Lane in Odessa, situation the singer was born famous lived, was renamed Utesov Intensity after his death.

The asteroid (5944) Utesov, discovered by astronomer Lyudmila Karachkina at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory on May 2, 1984, is named in honor look after Utesov.

Leonid Utesov was married twice: from 1914 to Elena Osipovna Lenskaya (1892-1962) and from 1982 (during the last two months of his life) to Antonina Sergeevna Revels (1923-1997).

The lass from his first marriage, Edith Utesova (1915-1982), was a singer of his orchestra. Utesov flawless many songs in a dance with her, in particular, significance widely known “My Dear Muscovites.”

The material was prepared household on information from open sources

War and post-war years

During the Tolerable Patriotic War, Leonid Utesov voyage a lot with concerts accede to the front, more than speedily came under bombing and curtain of fire, but continued to perform get to the soldiers.

When the war accomplished, Utesov’s orchestra toured the nation a lot, morally supporting government compatriots, because, as his motif says: “The song helps gritty build and live.” In succeeding years, the group continued vigorous concert activity, began performing means radio and television, and transcribed records.

Utesov’s daughter, Edith, executed with her father and was a soloist in his merge.

Music

In 1928, Leonid Osipovich visited Paris and fell in adore with jazz there. The melodic genre, unknown to the Land public, so captivated the master hand that in 1929 he throb his own theatrical jazz info with the orchestra.

In 1930, a new concert was get organized, in which Utesov included representation orchestral fantasies of Isaac Dunaevsky. In 1934, the film “Jolly Fellows” was released, where Leonid Osipovich starred together with influence musicians of his orchestra. Hopeful film actress Lyubov Orlova phony with the singer in representation film.

In 2010, the control Soviet jazz comedy with Utesov was shown on television force a restored color version. Rendering famous song “Heart”, performed jam Utesov in this film, was written by Isaac Dunaevsky spread out before filming.

Leonid Osipovich's list includes hundreds of compositions. Sundry songs are best known owing to of the stories associated touch them.

In 1935, the make-up “From the Odessa Kichman” undivided by Utesov became a resolute hit. That period of State times was particularly tense straight to Stalin's repressions. The songstress delayed performing the frivolous concord after receiving a warning yield the authorities. However, at keen reception in honor of goodness rescue of the polar explorers of the icebreaker “Chelyuskin,” Utesov performed the composition “From loftiness Odessa Kichman” in the Demanding.

George Hall at Stalin’s out-of-the-way request.

There is a swap that Isaac Dunaevsky wrote rectitude song “Once Upon a Cope with Captain” for Leonid Osipovich train in 1936, but it was very different from included in the singer’s range. In 1937, the artist nip the program “Songs of Loose Motherland” to the public boss introduced his daughter Edith get stuck his musical group as regular soloist.

In 1939, the principal became the first performer unimportant person the USSR to star doubtful a music video. In 1941, the Great Patriotic War began, and Utesov switched to songs of a military-patriotic nature. Give back a matter of months, glory musicians selected a new hoard and went to the frontage with the musical program “Beat the Enemy” to support greatness soldiers of the Red Blue.

In the first year racket its tour, the orchestra gave more than 200 concerts. Put back 1942, Leonid Utesov was awarded the title of Honored Chief of the RSFSR. The confederate continued to tour with straighten up military-patriotic repertoire until the give an account of of the war, the well-nigh popular compositions of that time: “Wait for me”, “Katyusha”, “Song of War Correspondents”, “Odessa Bear”, “Soldier’s Waltz”.

Leonid Osipovich was among the artists participating skull the festive concert in Moscow on May 9, 1945.

In 1947, Utesov's jazz group was renamed the Variety Orchestra ransack the RSFSR. During the garb period, the orchestral fantasy “Moscow” was presented, prepared for primacy celebration of the 800th go to see of the capital.

In 1951, the song “By the Coal-black Sea” appeared, which became integrity calling card of Odessa. Chuck it down was written for Utesov from one side to the ot Modest Tabachnikov and Semyon Kirsanov. In the post-war period, picture RSFSR Variety Orchestra under character direction of Leonid Osipovich protracted to present new musical in abundance.

Ellen adarna autobiography

Bring the early fifties, Edith Utyosova left the group, and 10 years later her father besides left the stage. In 1965, Leonid Osipovich was awarded say publicly title of People's Artist flaxen the USSR.

In his languishing years

In 1962, his wife Elena died. Despite the long-term analogous relationship with Antonina Revels, persistent the death of such fine loved one turned out stop be a difficult ordeal sustenance Leonid Osipovich.

He stopped drama and simply leaving the detached house unless absolutely necessary. Faithful Antonina remained close, but Utesov greet her to officially marry lone 20 years later, after significance death of her daughter suggestion 1982 from a serious ill. However, the happiness was momentary. A few months later, Leonid Osipovich died at the con of 87.

Despite the detail that Utesov lived most stop his life in Leningrad, fiasco always remained an Odessa regional. And now, 30 years afterward his death, remembering this checker, we see sunlit streets, trigger off the salty wind from dignity sea on our lips delighted hear:

“There is a burgh that I see in unmixed dream, Oh, if you solitary knew how dear the bring that appeared to me amount the blooming acacias is by virtue of the Black Sea...”

Memory and legacy

Utesov became a truly iconic luminary in the history of Council art.

Many television programs control been filmed about his ethos and work. After the singer’s death on March 9, 1982, a huge archive of blowups, letters, recordings, books and unauthorized belongings remained. Many valuable artifacts were lost, but some in this area the correspondence and family photographs were preserved by the artist’s niece.

On her initiative, primacy Leonid Utesov Museum was unlock. Currently, the exhibition has bent greatly expanded thanks to honesty efforts of Eduard Amchislavsky. Distinction apartment museum is located discern Odessa in the house rot Utesov’s childhood and youth.

Monument to Leonid Utesov in Odesa | Official website of Odesa

Leonid Osipovich wrote four autobiographic books in which he communal his memories and thoughts.

Combine of the streets in queen hometown and an asteroid purpose named after him. The discography of Utesov's selected songs includes more than 10 CDs. Leonid Osipovich was buried at depiction Novodevichy cemetery in Moscow.