The legendary performer of pop, folk songs and romances, Olga Borisovna Voronets, has been a universal favorite for many years. Thanks to love and recognition, she became a people's artist and entrenched herself in the playlists of music lovers. Until now, her timbre of voice fascinates listeners.
Childhood and youth of the performer Olga Voronets
On February 12, 1926, Olga Borisovna Voronets was born in Smolensk. Her desire for music is easy to explain. His father was a professional singer, he performed in a musical ensemble, and his mother played the piano. Soon after Olya, a second child appeared in the family - a brother. By the way, he was the only one in the family who did not connect his life with art. The young man became an electronic engineer.
The girl from an early age was surrounded by music and theaters. Her parents and grandmother instilled in her a love for vocals and music in general. Unfortunately, when Olya was 3 years old, her parents divorced. But this did not prevent her from maintaining warm relations with her father until the end of his life. A few years later, my mother married a second time. In this marriage, Olya had a second brother.
Mother devoted a lot of time to work, often touring with concerts. Most of the time the children spent with their grandmother. The noblewoman taught her grandchildren manners and brought them up in the best traditions. Of course, her grandmother was strict, but by the age of 5 the girl was reading, and soon learned French.
Surrounded by music, the future star herself continued the tradition. She has been studying vocals since childhood. However, the girl liked the theater more. She visited all theatrical performances that were in her hometown. Olga dreamed of becoming a dramatic actress. But, unfortunately, in her entire life she did not play a single role.
After graduating from school in 1943, Olga Voronets entered the All-Russian State Institute of Cinematography (VGIK). The main mentor and teacher of the girl was the legendary Vasily Vanin. However, the love of singing won. Voronets transferred to the Opera Studio in order to study pop vocals. She graduated after three years and began her musical career in the orchestra at the police club.
The beginning of the creative path of Olga Voronets
Indeed, performances with a pop-jazz orchestra became an impetus in the career of a performer. Her repertoire at first consisted of romances, but the teacher advised her to change the genre. Everything turned out by itself - Olga replaced the pop singer. Over time, she was invited to work at the Philharmonic.
The next turn was an invitation from the Moscow State Variety Theater. The singer's repertoire already consisted of pop songs. Moreover, thanks to this collaboration, the artist got acquainted with a new genre - folklore. Folk songs are firmly entrenched in the star's repertoire. The team traveled around the Soviet Union with concerts. Moreover, they visited the States, Europe and Japan. And everywhere Olga was the main object of public attention.
The heyday of a career
Olga Voronets said that the path to success was not easy. The singer was not in the parties, and sometimes it did not help. For a long time she was not invited to radio and television, but the first small radio program glorified the performer.
Voronets became famous after participating in the International Folklore Festival in 1956. Then they began to invite her to TV shows, they showed her on all central channels. The best composers of the Union considered it an honor to write music especially for the singer.
In the early 1960s, the performer's repertoire was replenished with the song "White Snow", which thundered throughout the country. These years were the peak of Voronets' career and popularity. Concerts, tours, television and radio made up the daily life of the singer.
The most popular songs were: “Daisies Hid”, “Quiet Cities”, “Flourish, Spring Land”.
Olga Voronets: Details of personal life
Not everyone will call the singer's family life successful. She had no children, but had two husbands. Nevertheless, Voronets said that her career was in the first place for her. True or not, no one will know.
The work took a very long time. It is not surprising that a colleague in the shop, accordion player Rafail Babkov, became her first husband. The couple lived together for 14 happy years, but their paths diverged. It is noteworthy that after the divorce, Voronets and Babkov were friends. They continued to perform with joint concerts and on tour.
The second marriage of Olga Voronets was with Vladimir Sokolov and lasted 30 years. The new husband received a medical education, and for some time he worked in his specialty. However, times were not easy. The man received a second education at the Academy of Trade, which he took up. A little later, he opened his own business.
Achievements, titles and awards of Olga Voronets
- The legacy of the singer is about 100 musical works.
- In 2009, she received the title of Honorary Citizen of her native city of Smolensk.
- Voronets had the titles: "People's Artist" and "Honored Artist".
- The singer was awarded the Order of the Badge of Honor for excellent work.
The last years of the singer's life
In the last years of her life, the legendary singer was very often sick and spent most of her time in hospitals. It all started in 2010, when she suddenly felt unwell.
The singer was hospitalized, and already in the clinic it became known that it was a stroke. She managed to recover a little, and even went outside. Two years later, two misfortunes occurred - Olga Voronets' husband died, and she broke her femoral neck. Unfortunately, the injury was practically a death sentence. The singer could not recover from her, and she was practically chained to the bed. In 2013, the condition worsened again, and Olga was hospitalized again.
The Soviet pop star died on August 2, 2014 in one of the clinics in Moscow. Farewell took place at the Smolensk Philharmonic. Olga Voronets was buried, according to her will, next to her mother in Smolensk. The mayor's office took over the payment for the funeral, honoring the singer with military honors - a salute of three volleys.
