Lev Leshchenko
Encyclopedia
Lev Valerjanovich Leshchenko , is a renowned Russia
n singer, who was best known for his rendition of "Den Pobedy
" and the 1980 Summer Olympics closing ceremony theme song "Do svidanja, Moskva".
, Soviet Union
. His father, Valerjan Andreevich (1904–2004), was a Red Army officer who was at war outside of Moscow. He was accorded with medals for participation in the Second World War. His mother, Claudia Petrovna Leshchenko (1915–1943), died shortly after Leshchenko was born. His grandparents, along with his stepmother Irina Pavlovna Leshchenko, whom his father remarries in 1948, brought Leshchenko up in Sokolniki
, Moscow. It was during his childhood when he was influenced from classical music and theatre, and began performing popular songs of Leonid Utyosov
.
Between 1960 and 1959, Leshchenko worked as a stage helper at the State Academic Bolshoi Theatre
, and before being conscripted into the army in 1961, he worked as an adjuster at a precision measuring instrument factory. Leschenko served in the mechanical vehicle division of the Soviet Army, positioned in the German Democratic Republic
. On 27 January 1962, Leshchenko (then a private) became a soloist within the Soviet Red Army Ensemble, and received the offer to remain in the army. Leshchenko accepted every role offered to him by the ensemble, namely singing in a quarter, conducting concerts and even reading verses, where it is often said to have begun his entertainment career. At the same time, he was preparing for theatrical examinations for Russian Academy of Theatre Arts (abbreviated as GITIS), the most renowned theatrical school of the Soviet Union
, which he passed and was successfully admitted to in September 1964.
Leshchenko began touring with concert bands, visiting some of the more isolated parts of the country. In 1969, Leshchenko was admitted as a member of the Moscow Operetta Theatre. He experienced with many roles, but was aware of his musical gift, and was constantly seeking for soloist acts. On 13 February 1970, having successfully gone through a contest held by the state radio station, Leshchenko became a solo vocalist for the Soviet state radio station
.
In 1975, Leshchenko became the first singer who dared to perform "Den Pobedy
" (an immensely popular Soviet song dedicated to the Victory Day, which was initially disliked by the authorities due to the unconventional music style). His rendition has become by far the most successful.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n singer, who was best known for his rendition of "Den Pobedy
Den Pobedy
"Den' Pobedy" ranks among the most popular in the large corpus of Russian songs dedicated to World War II. The song refers to the Victory Day celebration and differs from most of these by its cheerful intonations of a marching song and by the fact that it was composed some thirty years after the...
" and the 1980 Summer Olympics closing ceremony theme song "Do svidanja, Moskva".
Biography
Lev Leshchenko was born on 1 February 1942 in MoscowMoscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. His father, Valerjan Andreevich (1904–2004), was a Red Army officer who was at war outside of Moscow. He was accorded with medals for participation in the Second World War. His mother, Claudia Petrovna Leshchenko (1915–1943), died shortly after Leshchenko was born. His grandparents, along with his stepmother Irina Pavlovna Leshchenko, whom his father remarries in 1948, brought Leshchenko up in Sokolniki
Sokolniki District
Sokolniki District is a district in Eastern Administrative Okrug of Moscow, Russia; located in the northeast corner of the city. Population:...
, Moscow. It was during his childhood when he was influenced from classical music and theatre, and began performing popular songs of Leonid Utyosov
Leonid Utyosov
Leonid Osipovich Utyosov or Utesov ; real name Lazar Vaysbeyn or Weissbein , was a famous Soviet jazz singer and comic actor of jewish origin, who became the first pop singer to be awarded the prestigious title of People's Artist of the USSR .-Biography:Leonid Utyosov was brought up in Odessa...
.
Between 1960 and 1959, Leshchenko worked as a stage helper at the State Academic Bolshoi Theatre
Bolshoi Theatre
The Bolshoi Theatre is a historic theatre in Moscow, Russia, designed by architect Joseph Bové, which holds performances of ballet and opera. The Bolshoi Ballet and Bolshoi Opera are amongst the oldest and most renowned ballet and opera companies in the world...
, and before being conscripted into the army in 1961, he worked as an adjuster at a precision measuring instrument factory. Leschenko served in the mechanical vehicle division of the Soviet Army, positioned in the German Democratic Republic
German Democratic Republic
The German Democratic Republic , informally called East Germany by West Germany and other countries, was a socialist state established in 1949 in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany, including East Berlin of the Allied-occupied capital city...
. On 27 January 1962, Leshchenko (then a private) became a soloist within the Soviet Red Army Ensemble, and received the offer to remain in the army. Leshchenko accepted every role offered to him by the ensemble, namely singing in a quarter, conducting concerts and even reading verses, where it is often said to have begun his entertainment career. At the same time, he was preparing for theatrical examinations for Russian Academy of Theatre Arts (abbreviated as GITIS), the most renowned theatrical school of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, which he passed and was successfully admitted to in September 1964.
Leshchenko began touring with concert bands, visiting some of the more isolated parts of the country. In 1969, Leshchenko was admitted as a member of the Moscow Operetta Theatre. He experienced with many roles, but was aware of his musical gift, and was constantly seeking for soloist acts. On 13 February 1970, having successfully gone through a contest held by the state radio station, Leshchenko became a solo vocalist for the Soviet state radio station
Radio in the Soviet Union
All-Union Radio was the radio broadcasting organisation for the USSR from 1924 until the dissolution of the USSR...
.
In 1975, Leshchenko became the first singer who dared to perform "Den Pobedy
Den Pobedy
"Den' Pobedy" ranks among the most popular in the large corpus of Russian songs dedicated to World War II. The song refers to the Victory Day celebration and differs from most of these by its cheerful intonations of a marching song and by the fact that it was composed some thirty years after the...
" (an immensely popular Soviet song dedicated to the Victory Day, which was initially disliked by the authorities due to the unconventional music style). His rendition has become by far the most successful.