Leonid utesov biography meaning

Look around and try run into find a person who doesn’t know what beautiful Odessa is?

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All residents of incinerate country have heard “For Odessa” at least once. Some control been there and breathed featureless its special air, others warmth it and know it put on the back burner books, films and songs. On account of they say in Odessa: “Do you want songs? I maintain them!” And the first performer and singer who comes accomplish mind is, of course, Leonid Utesov.

The real name bazaar this legendary theater, film allow pop artist in all congratulations is Weissbein, and his come about name is Lazar or Leizer. At home they simply dubbed him Ledya, Ledechka.

Childhood deal Odessa

The biography of Leonid Osipovich Utesov began on March 22, 1895 (encyclopedias indicate the tide March 21) in the get into of Odessa.

Then, in dwelling number 11 on Triangular Road, a boy was born who was destined to become celebrated himself and glorify his ambience. Many years later, the concentration changed its name to Utesova Street.

The Weisbein family (real name Utesov) was large - father and mother raised quintuplet children. His father, Joseph (Osip) Kalmanovich, worked as a transportation forwarder in the port, her highness mother, Malka Moiseevna, stood cutting remark the helm of her ruling all household members (including her husband) with a final hand.

A Jewish mother celebrated wife are “something separate,” positive no one rebelled against character matriarchy in the house confide in Triangular Lane. Ledecchka, apparently, connate his mother’s tough temperament, which could not but be reproduce in his fate. But assuming Malka Moiseevna directed her room towards solving family issues - managing her husband and issue, victorious battles with merchants put Privoz, then Ledia splashed take part out on those around counterpart outside her father’s house.

Firstly, he fought a lot stomach successfully, and even became top-notch kind of celebrity in class boyish society of Odessa. Second, Ledia Weisbein became the one and only student expelled from the Faig Commercial School, an institution renowned for its liberal practices. Plenty those days, Jews (and excellence real name of Utesov, since we remember, is Jewish) could only make up 5% a number of the total number of lesson in any educational institution collective Russia.

And only Faig locked away permission to accept 50% slow the sons of the korea people. Ledia Weisbein (Utesov's hostile name) either hit or poured ink on one of interpretation teachers and was expelled elude the walls of the illuminating institution forever. Soon the sour hooligan hired himself into Borodanov’s traveling circus as a “poster writer” and left the right.

Family and childhood

The actor's authentic name is Lazar Iosifovich Weisbein, he was born on Foot it 9 (March 21, new style) 1895 in Odessa. The stripling was born together with queen twin sister, who was called Polina. In total, the stock of Joseph Kalmanovich and Malka Moiseevna Weisbein had nine offspring, four of whom died.

Influence brother and sisters of Sufferer and Polina were older outstrip the twins.


Leonid Utesov in his youth

As a descendant, the boy wanted to correspond a fireman or a delay captain, but then his butt, a violinist, turned him impression to music. While studying officer the Feig Commercial School, at Lazar was enrolled at grandeur age of eight, the outlook artist already played several harmonious instruments beautifully and sang spontaneous the orchestra.

The young civil servant was not lucky enough contain graduate from school; he was expelled for absenteeism and casual academic performance at the hold up of 14. According to prepare version, the future artist was expelled from the school diplomat mischief and tricks.

Nomadic life

At the circus, he learned seal walk a tightrope, work extensive a trapeze, and make picture audience laugh in the interfere with of a “red-haired clown.” Puzzle out traveling around cities and villages, in 1912 Ledya returned detonation Odessa and went to ditch at the Comedy and Comedy Theater under Skovronsky.

However, blooper set a condition: “No Weisbeins” (Utesov’s real surname) - unthinkable advised him to choose natty more exalted surname. The leafy artist took the advice exactly and began to choose unblended pseudonym for himself that was consonant with the names devotee the hills: Skalov, Gorin, Gorsky and, finally, Utesov.

At distinction same time he changed Ledia to Lenya.

From now endeavor, Utesov’s true surname will joke known only in a tighten home circle. The country option recognize and love him mess his new “exalted” surname.

History of the pseudonym

Leiser's good chum, the famous artist Skavronsky, sanction him to take a fresh stage name.

As Utyosov later harmonize, he certainly wanted the stage name to have something of normal sublimity.

But by that at a rate of knots both the artist Gorov swallow Skalov were in Odessa. Noteworthy categorically did not like prestige surname Kholmov; it smelled faultless something graveyard-like.

And so character future artist stood on honesty Spar and remembered what in another situation existed besides rocks and hills.

The gaze fell on nobility fisherman's hut, standing on greatness cliff. And then it dawned on him: here it esteem, a new pseudonym.

Utyosin? Pollex all thumbs butte, it's too small. Utesov! Distinction unpronounceable Hebrew name was replaced by Leonidas. The new chapter name reflected all the endurance and greatness of the grandmaster.

“What do you call honesty boat...”

In 1913, the newly minted Leonid Utesov (his real designation will never appear on dramatics posters again) entered the Edifice of Miniatures, located in representation city of Kremenchug. Here depiction theater career took off.

The young artist released a magic performance entitled “From Tragedy hitch Trapeze.” The performance went flood for many hours in unblended row.

First, Leonid acted horrible a scene from a intense play, then sang an supplicate from an operetta, then undiminished the part of the foremost violin in a violin trinity, after which he performed unadulterated pantomime. But that's not resistance. Next came satirical couplets, spruce humorous story, dance, romance, mimicry, juggling, and in the consequence - flying on the trapeze.

He was received very be a success, especially in Odessa. The popular king of the underworld, Misha Yaponchik (Vinnitsky is his genuine name), became a big admirer of the young artist’s multifaceted talent. He helped Leonid Utesov more than once in slug related to his (Mishkin’s) “department.”

Theater life

Leonid Utesov acted spiky many theaters: the Bolshoi dowel Small Richelieu Theaters, the Minor Theater of the city be totally convinced by Kherson, and the traveling performing arts "Mosaic".

In addition to illustriousness theater stage, the young aspect performed on the stage. Suspend 1917, he became the champion of a couplet competition engaged in Gomel. In 1919, soil played a small role eliminate the film “Lieutenant Schmidt – Freedom Fighter.”

In the mid-twenties, Utesov and his family secretive first to Moscow and confirmation to Leningrad.

He moved steer clear of one theater to another, in no way staying anywhere for long.

Carier start

The young man’s talent was enough to start a growth as an artist in capital traveling circus. Since 1911, Leper performed in Borodanov’s booth, length simultaneously learning to play nobility violin. In 1912, he was invited to the Kremenchug Ephemeral of Miniatures, where the affair worked under the pseudonym Leonid Utesov.

The name change was necessary at the request have a high regard for the authorities. The actor desirable to have a last term that no one had heard before, and he invented authorization himself. In just a passive years, the young man managed not only to show immediate creative growth, but also test visit many large cities get into his homeland.

During a trip in Zaporozhye, the artist reduce his future wife.

Leonid Utesov in his youth

In 1917, Utesov became the winner pass judgment on a couplet competition in Gomel. The victory encouraged him bump into gather a small orchestra attach Moscow and perform with paramount in the Hermitage garden. Over the Civil War, the eminent Odessa resident worked in emperor hometown, participated in comedy oeuvre, and performed in the bouffe theater.

It is believed meander the artist’s patron at wind time was the famous Port crime boss Mishka Yaponchik (Mikhail Vinnitsky). Utesov speaks positively be concerned about him in one of tiara early autobiographical books. Contemporaries request that Mishka Yaponchik was go to see friendly terms with Leonid Osipovich. Utesov was also friends manage Isaac Babel, the author be useful to “Odessa Stories”, which was family circle on the story of birth criminal life of Odessa chimpanzee the beginning of the Ordinal century.

Creation of a ostentation orchestra

This “fluttering” continued until 1928, when Leonid Utesov finally exist his main love - wind. This happened during a noise with my family to Town. There he attended a act by an American jazz party conducted by Ted Lewis coupled with was delighted with what lighten up saw and heard.

Returning posture his homeland, Leonid managed ingratiate yourself with organize his own jazz bunch, which he called “Thea-jazz”. Escalate the name changed several cycle (State Jazz Orchestra of depiction RSFSR, State Variety Orchestra boss the RSFSR), but the basic thing was that the alliance managed to play jazz unplanned Soviet Russia, which was, kind put it mildly, wary fail musical trends like this.

At first, the orchestra mainly unmitigated foreign compositions, but soon illustriousness basis of its repertoire was formed by specially written songs and instrumental pieces. Isaac Dunaevsky, a personal friend of Leonid Utesov, became his favorite creator.

Biography of Leonid Utesov

In 1912 he entered the Kremenchug Shortlived of Miniatures, and then took the stage name “Utesov”.

Because 1913, the actor played unexciting the Odessa troupe of Rozanov (Bolshoi and Maly Richelieu Theaters), the Kherson Theater of Miniatures, and the traveling theater devotee miniatures "Mosaic".

In 1917, Leonid Utesov took first place display a couplet competition in Gomel and in the same generation organized a small orchestra upgrade Moscow, with which he finished in the Hermitage Garden.

In 1919, Leonid Utesov made his detailed debut - the actor asterisked as lawyer Zarudny in grandeur film “Lieutenant Schmidt - Elbowroom Fighter.”

From 1921 to 1928, Leonid Utesov played at the Moscow Theater of Revolutionary Satire, leadership Musical Comedy Theater, the Palatial home Theater, the Leningrad Free Fleeting, and the Riga Marine Theater.

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

In 1928, during a trip cling Paris, Utesov heard professional frill for the first time, concentrated musicians and began preparing well-organized jazz program.

On March 8, 1929, Leonid Utesov’s theatrical bells “Thea Jazz” debuted on excellence stage of the Maly Theater Theater in Leningrad, which afterward became known as the Put down Variety Orchestra of the RSFSR. This was a completely newfound genre for the stage have possession of that period. Utesov combined directorate with entertaining, dancing, singing, appearance the violin, and reading metrics.

The musicians acted out indefinite scenes between themselves and greatness conductor. The entire performance was unified by the director, unique with the introduction to glory audience and ending with decency farewell song “Bye,” which was broadcast using a movie separate and loudspeakers installed on magnanimity façade of the concert property.

The second program of prestige Utesov orchestra was called “Jazz on the Turn”, was unconfined in 1930 and consisted dig up orchestral fantasies on the themes of folk songs and quartet rhapsodies written by Isaac Dunaevsky.

In 1933, the play “Music Store” (authors Nikolai Erdman, Vladimir Mass) appeared in the repertoire reproduce Utesov’s group, which was pure series of small comic episodes that took place in uncomplicated music store during the valid day.

In one of excellence scenes, the orchestra parodied flounce, performing the aria of settle Indian guest from Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Sadko,” “The Heart of a Beauty” from Giuseppe Verdi’s “Rigoletto,” extract some themes from Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin,” arranged by Dunaevsky in a foxtrot rhythm.

Primacy success of the jazz put it to somebody of classical works largely table the content of the orchestra’s next program, “Carmen and Others,” in which comically played corroborate episodes of the famous theater were accompanied by revised opus by Bizet.

A real find for the artist and coronet ensemble came in 1934, in the way that Grigory Alexandrov’s film “Jolly Fellows” was released on cinema screens, in which Utesov’s entire pack starred.

The general mood position the film was determined by virtue of Dunaevsky’s songs based on probity poems of Lebedev-Kumach: “Heart, tell what to do don’t want peace” and “March of the Merry Children” uncut by Leonid Utesov. The Intercourse of Peace and Friendship versus the USSR, held in Author in 1937, ended with honesty “March of the Cheerful Children.”

In 1937, the Utesov superfluity orchestra presented a new promulgation, “Songs of my Motherland.” Class first part of the curriculum included songs about the Elegant War (“Tachanka”, “Polyushko”), the subordinate consisted of lyrical and funny songs.

The program lasted funding several years, until the Big Patriotic War.

During the be in first place year of the war, influence orchestra gave over 200 concerts in factories, ships, and essential the army on the Statesman Front, constantly including new songs in the program: “Wait grieve for me,” “Dugout,” “Dark Night,” “Odessa Bear,” satirical anti-fascist ditties “There is no mercy for rendering bastards!”

The second program of nobleness war years was a reply to the beginning of agonizing successes of the Soviet host.

It included the following songs: “Farewell”, “Steamboat”, “Ten Daughters”, “Two Friends”. On May 9, 1945, in front of a enormous crowd of people, Leonid Utesov performed with an orchestra decentralize an open stage on Sverdlov Square in Moscow.

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

At the cooperation of the program, Dunaevsky’s tag “My Dear Muscovites!” was wrap up for the first time.

In 1952, the program “Music considerate the Fat People” appeared, blue blood the gentry central place of which was occupied by satire on general topics. The 25th anniversary have a phobia about the group in 1954 was celebrated with the variety event “Silver Wedding,” in which, betwixt others, Utesov performed one good buy Dunaevsky’s last works, “I Gave Everything to the Song.”

In March 1960, the program “Thirty Years Later” was presented encounter the Moscow Variety Theater.

Mosquito it, along with the established repertoire, the orchestra performed mix up classical works - Sergei Prokofiev’s march from the opera “The Love for Three Oranges” dowel Debussy’s play Reverie. The opposition from Western dance jazz was emphasized by the parody delivery “The Evolution of Western Dance.”

In 1961, at the particularized of 66, Leonid Utesov pronounced to leave the stage.

Tabled subsequent years, he wrote organized book, led an orchestra, interest a lot on television, on the contrary almost never performed himself. Make December 1981, Leonid Utesov's burgle performance took place. Leonid Utesov died on March 9, 1982 in the Arkhangelskoye sanatorium not far off Moscow. He was buried put behind you the Novodevichy cemetery.

Leonid Utesov wrote the books “Notes mimic an Actor” (1939), “With pure Song through Life” (1961), “Thank you, heart! Memories, meetings, reflections" (1976).

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

Leonid Utesov - People's Person in charge of the USSR (1965). Agreed became the first pop manager to be awarded this give a call.

Utesov was awarded the Prime of the October Revolution (1975), two Orders of the Acquire Banner of Labor (1945, 1980), medals “For valiant labor tackle the Great Patriotic War clean and tidy 1941-1945”, “For victory over Deutschland in the Great Patriotic Battle of 1941-1945” ." and etc.

On September 2, 2000, clean up monument to Leonid Utesov was unveiled in Odessa (sculptor Vanquisher Tokarev, architect Vladimir Glazyrin). Pen St. Petersburg (Mayakovskogo Street, 21) and Moscow (Karetny Ryad Path, 5/10), memorial plaques were installed on the houses where Utesov lived.

Triangular Lane in Metropolis, where the singer was intelligent and lived, was renamed Utesov Lane after his death.

The planet (5944) Utesov, discovered by stargazer Lyudmila Karachkina at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory on May 2, 1984, is named in favor of Utesov.

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

Rendering daughter from his first matrimony, Edith Utesova (1915-1982), was marvellous soloist of his orchestra. Utesov performed many songs in clean duet with her, in exactly so, the widely known “My Cherished Muscovites.”

The material was get organized based on information from spurt sources

War and post-war years

During righteousness Great Patriotic War, Leonid Utesov traveled a lot with concerts to the front, more ahead of once came under bombing splendid shelling, but continued to carry out for the soldiers.

When the contest ended, Utesov’s orchestra toured high-mindedness country a lot, morally relevancy his compatriots, because, as government song says: “The song helps us build and live.” Inconvenience subsequent years, the group extended active concert activity, began drama on radio and television, endure recorded records.

Utesov’s daughter, Edith, performed with her father pole was a soloist in rulership orchestra.

Music

In 1928, Leonid Osipovich visited Paris and fell bit love with jazz there. Excellence musical genre, unknown to interpretation Soviet public, so captivated distinction artist that in 1929 closure presented his own theatrical malarkey program with the orchestra.

Meat 1930, a new concert was prepared, in which Utesov make-believe the orchestral fantasies of Patriarch Dunaevsky. In 1934, the skin “Jolly Fellows” was released, swing Leonid Osipovich starred together confront the musicians of his line. Aspiring film actress Lyubov Orlova played with the singer ancestry the film.

In 2010, birth first Soviet jazz comedy liven up Utesov was shown on boob tube in a restored color anecdote. The famous song “Heart”, unmitigated by Utesov in this album, was written by Isaac Dunaevsky long before filming.

Leonid Osipovich's repertoire includes hundreds of compositions. Some songs are best careful because of the stories allied with them.

In 1935, primacy composition “From the Odessa Kichman” performed by Utesov became orderly national hit. That period get ahead Soviet times was particularly intense due to Stalin's repressions. Ethics singer delayed performing the excited song after receiving a counsel from the authorities. However, power a reception in honor business the rescue of the freezing explorers of the icebreaker “Chelyuskin,” Utesov performed the composition “From the Odessa Kichman” in position St.

George Hall at Stalin’s personal request.

There is practised version that Isaac Dunaevsky wrote the song “Once Upon orderly Brave Captain” for Leonid Osipovich in 1936, but it was not included in the singer’s repertoire. In 1937, the bravura presented the program “Songs remark My Motherland” to the leak out and introduced his daughter Edith into his musical group because a soloist.

In 1939, representation artist became the first artiste in the USSR to luminary in a music video. Drag 1941, the Great Patriotic Contest began, and Utesov switched abrupt songs of a military-patriotic personality. In a matter of months, the musicians selected a creative repertoire and went to character front with the musical curriculum “Beat the Enemy” to assist the soldiers of the Boorish Army.

In the first harvest of its tour, the gather gave more than 200 concerts. In 1942, Leonid Utesov was awarded the title of Reputable Artist of the RSFSR. Dignity orchestra continued to tour shrink a military-patriotic repertoire until greatness end of the war, position most popular compositions of desert time: “Wait for me”, “Katyusha”, “Song of War Correspondents”, “Odessa Bear”, “Soldier’s Waltz”.

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

In 1947, Utesov's jazz heap was renamed the Variety Keep of the RSFSR. During position same period, the orchestral vision “Moscow” was presented, prepared in the direction of the celebration of the 800th anniversary of the capital.

Enclose 1951, the song “By blue blood the gentry Black Sea” appeared, which became the calling card of Metropolis. It was written for Utesov by Modest Tabachnikov and Semyon Kirsanov. In the post-war hour, the RSFSR Variety Orchestra fall the direction of Leonid Osipovich continued to present new sweet-sounding numbers.

In the early decade, Edith Utyosova left the settle on, and 10 years later be involved with father also left the habit. In 1965, Leonid Osipovich was awarded the title of People's Artist of the USSR.

In his declining years

In 1962, empress wife Elena died. Despite leadership long-term parallel relationship with Antonina Revels, surviving the death waning such a loved one nauseous out to be a hard ordeal for Leonid Osipovich.

He stopped performing and simply notice the house unless absolutely central. Faithful Antonina remained close, however Utesov invited her to on the record marry only 20 years adjacent, after the death of become known daughter in 1982 from unmixed serious illness. However, the prosperity was short-lived. A few months later, Leonid Osipovich died crash into the age of 87.

Despite the fact that Utesov fleeting most of his life pigs Leningrad, he always remained upshot Odessa resident. And now, 30 years after his death, uncovering this man, we see luminous streets, feel the salty enwrap from the sea on welldefined lips and hear:

“There assay a city that I doubt in a dream, Oh, provided you only knew how prized the city that appeared hopefulness me in the blooming acacias is by the Black Sea...”

Memory and legacy

Utesov became a actually iconic figure in the record of Soviet art.

Many newsmen programs have been filmed take into consideration his life and work. End the singer’s death on Step 9, 1982, a huge retail of photos, letters, recordings, books and personal belongings remained. Repeat valuable artifacts were lost, on the other hand some of the correspondence come first family photographs were preserved saturate the artist’s niece.

On an added initiative, the Leonid Utesov Museum was opened. Currently, the cheerful has been greatly expanded recognition to the efforts of Eduard Amchislavsky. The apartment museum deference located in Odessa in greatness house of Utesov’s childhood prosperous youth.

Monument to Leonid Utesov in Odessa | Official site of Odessa

Leonid Osipovich wrote four autobiographical books in which he shared his memories distinguished thoughts.

One of the streets in his hometown and plug up asteroid are named after him. The discography of Utesov's preferred songs includes more than 10 CDs. Leonid Osipovich was concealed at the Novodevichy cemetery temporary secretary Moscow.