Lidia Ruslanova is a Soviet singer whose creative and life path cannot be called easy and cloudless. The artist's talent was always in demand, especially during the war years. She was part of a special group that worked for about 4 years to win.
During the years of the Great Patriotic War, Lydia, together with other musicians, held more than 1000 concerts. She performed in hot spots. A simple peasant girl was distinguished by her good disposition and steel character.
She had a beautiful voice with a wide range. Lydia managed to develop her own style of presenting musical material. Ruslanova's performance is original and unique.
She perfectly conveyed the mood of the musical works “Steppe and steppe all around”, “Century Linden”, “I went up the hill”, “The moon is shining”, “Boot boots”. By the way, Lydia was fond of not only folk art. Her repertoire includes works by Soviet composers.
Childhood and youth of Lidia Ruslanova
Date of birth of the artist October 14 (27), 1900. The parents of the newborn girl were ordinary peasants. Lydia's mother and father were engaged in raising three children. Ruslanova had a brother and sister.
She did not enjoy the attention and care of her parents for long. The head of the family was called to the front, and her mother died when Lydia was very young. She was sent to an orphanage. She was shared with her brother and sister.
The girl discovered her vocal talent early. While in an orphanage, she attended the church choir. The parishioners admired Lydia's singing and prophesied a good musical future for her.
Ruslanova herself thought about the career of a singer. Soon she became a student at the conservatory in the provincial town of Samara. After a couple of years, the realization came that she was not interested in academic vocals, she was drawn to the people.
She was warmed by the performance of folk songs. In 1916, Lydia went to the front to help on the hospital train. She delighted the servicemen with the performance of folk songs and lyrical works. By the way, there she had her first novel.
The creative path of Lidia Ruslanova
She took shape as an artist in the early 20s of the last century. Even then, she formed her own manner of presenting musical material, a vivid image and an original repertoire. She became part of the pop theater "Skomorokhi", which was geographically located in Rostov-on-Don.
Solo artist began performing only a few years later. Lydia's debut performance went on a grand scale. Then a hobby appeared in her life - the artist collects books and colorful clothes. In costumes, she often went on stage. The second husband of Lydia instilled in her a love for a luxurious life.
During this period of time, records with her compositions by the performer came out in large numbers. Fans quickly bought up recordings with the singer's magical voice. Fans from different parts of the USSR were interested in her work.
The work of the artist Lidia Ruslanova as part of the concert team
At the end of the 30s, she was again at the front. The performer joined the concert team. It was incredibly hard for her, but she held on. Lydia could perform for hours in the cold, she did not have a comfortable room, not to mention a bathroom. During this period of time, she was most concerned about the issue of preserving her voice. She was forced to take medication to protect her vocal cords from colds and infectious diseases.
With the onset of the Second World War, Lydia was again on the list of the concert brigade. This difficult period of the artist's life increased her authority and popularity. She used the money she earned for her pleasure. Ruslanova bought up diamonds, paintings and other valuables. A friend of the artist recalls:
“It was not a house, but a real museum. I especially remember the sofa, which was covered with silver fox. She had a lot of paintings and a brown box. The box was studded with jewels…”.
In the 47th year of the last century, the Politburo of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks issued a resolution “On the illegal awarding of comrades. Zhukov and Telegin of the singer L. Ruslanova with orders of the USSR. She was stripped of her award.
A year later, another interesting case appeared, which sounded like a "conspiracy of the military." In the same year, she and her husband were arrested. Lydia's quiet life ended there.
Lydia Ruslanova: conclusion of the artist
A few years after the end of the Second World War, a “conspiracy of the military” was announced. All acquaintances of Marshal Zhukov, including Ruslanov, ended up behind bars. At the end of the 40s, Lydia was arrested along with her husband. The family described all the acquired property, but most importantly, her compositions were banned.
The woman was interrogated for a long time, mocked morally, and then sentenced - arrest. She was sent to the camp. Lydia was transferred several times from place to place. Ruslanova was interrogated from time to time and tried to catch in connection with Zhukov.
While in prison, she tried not to lose heart, although at some points it was simply impossible. She experienced all the torture and the dirt that was poured over her. Even in the camp, Lydia did not deprive herself of the opportunity to perform her favorite compositions.
In the early 50s, a woman ended up in the Vladimir prison. During this period of time, the actress Z. Fedorova served time there. Soviet artists found a common language. In prison, Lydia refused to sing, and will obey the accepted system. Several times she was in a punishment cell and several times suffered pneumonia.
After the death of Stalin, the singer, together with her husband, was "pardoned." Part of the property was returned to the family, and they began to live an almost familiar life. The only thing that bothered Lydia was that her health was seriously shaken. She did not even want to go on stage because of this. But most of all, she was worried about the fact that she was disgraced in front of the people and her fans would no longer respect her.
However, the financial situation of the family remained meager and she had to return to the stage. She spent the proceeds on the arrangement of the apartment and the purchase of a car for her husband.
After the death of her husband, she refused to go on stage for a long time. Lydia was killed and suppressed. In the 60s, she appeared exclusively on radio broadcasts. Then her concert activity improved again, but, alas, not for long.
Lidia Ruslanova: details of her personal life
Her personal life can be called successful. She survived many novels and has always been a success with the stronger sex. The first time she married at a young age. Vitaly Stepanov became her chosen one.
A year later, the first child was born in the family. Some sources have information that Lydia's husband ran away with his mistress, stealing the child with him. Other sources report that the boy died in infancy.
Then she had an affair with a certain Naum Naumin. The woman accepted his proposal to legalize the relationship, and in 1919 they signed. They lived together for a happy 10 years. Perhaps the lovers continued to enjoy each other, but soon Naumin was repressed. The man was shot. He was accused of participating in a terrorist organization.
Lydia did not remain in the status of a widow for long. Ruslanova married Mikhail Garkavy. He was listed as an entertainer, actor and humorist. This time the marriage was also not so strong. Lydia was seen in a relationship with Georgy Zhukov. Ruslanova's acquaintance with Zhukov became fatal.
Further, the heart of the beauty was captivated by a certain Vladimir Kryukov. Interestingly, by that time she was still listed as Harkavy's wife. It was a great reason to leave her husband. Soon she legalized relations with George and even took up the education of Kryukov's daughter, Margarita.
Margarita became Lydia's own daughter. They spent a lot of time together. After the death of Ruslanova, Rita remembered her stepmother only in a good way.
Lydia's close relationship with Zhukov influenced not only her fate, but also the fate of Vladimir. The husband died in 1959, and she remained in the status of a widow. After the death of her husband, she did not appear on stage for a year.
Death of Lydia Ruslanova
After the death of her husband, her health deteriorated greatly. She did not get out of bed for a long time and asked Rita to read books to her. When the artist felt good, she visited theaters and delighted fans of her work with performances. By the way, in the last years of her life she was not allowed to travel abroad. The status of a people's artist was not returned to her either.
In the 73rd year of the last century, she appeared on stage for the last time. The Soviet singer died on September 21, 1973. She suffered a heart attack. After the autopsy, it became known that the artist suffered several heart attacks in her life. Her body was buried in one of the cemeteries in Moscow.
In the new millennium, the film "The Cruel Romance of Lidia Ruslanova" was shown. The motion picture well conveyed the artist's life path. A year later, the performance "The Lady" was staged on the territory of Irkutsk (Russia). It was dedicated to the memory of the Soviet singer.
