Sophia Rotaru is 70 years old. Sofia Rotaru: “If the President of Russia gave me a Russian passport, I would not refuse
Singer Sofia Rotaru is celebrating her 70th birthday today. People's Artist USSR Sofia Mikhailovna Rotaru was born on August 7, 1947 in the village of Marshintsy, Novoselytsky district, Chernivtsi region of Ukraine.
Sofia Rotaru has had a love for music since childhood: the singer's father Mikhail Fedorovich loved to sing with his wife at home. And Sofia's older sister Zina, after an illness, lost her ability to see, but the illness sharpened the girl's hearing. It was Zina who taught all her younger brothers and sisters to sing. Therefore, subsequently, not only Sofia, but also Aurika and Lydia Rotaru became singers and actively performed, sang both a duet and a trio. And the brothers Anatoly and Evgeny worked in VIA "Orizont".
The first success came to Sofia Rotaru in 1962. The victory in the regional amateur art competition opened the way for her to the regional review, which was held in the city of Chernivtsi, and there she was also the first. In 1964, she took part already in the republican festival of folk talents and won again! In the same year, Sofia Rotaru first appeared on stage Kremlin Palace congresses.
Sofia entered the conductor-choral department of the Chernivtsi Musical College.
In 1968, Sofia Rotaru married Anatoly Evdokimenko, Honeymoon the young spent in the dormitory of the 105th military plant in Novosibirsk, where her husband was undergoing university practice.
Rotaru was delegated to Bulgaria for IX world festival youth and students, where she won gold medal and the first prize in the competition of folk song performers.
In 1971, Evdokimenko, who became not only a husband, but also a producer of Rotaru, organized Music band"Chervona Ruta" at the Chernivtsi Philharmonic, whose soloist was Rotaru. For more than 30 years, Anatoly Evdokimenko was the executor of any of her desires, producer, director of programs, director, director, bodyguard ... His tragic death in 2002 after a serious long illness was a big blow to Rotaru in her personal life.
In 1974, Rotaru was diagnosed with an almost fatal diagnosis - pulmonary tuberculosis. Then she was diagnosed with asthma, and later nodules appeared on her vocal cords - occupational disease singers. But this did not break the singer.
The disease was defeated. True, the singer had to move to the Crimea - only the local healing sea air saved her lungs. Then an operation was performed on the ligaments, and later another one. After her, the singer was forced to speak in a whisper for a year.
Rotaru is still performing. Last time she took the stage on July 28 as part of the "Heat" festival in Baku.
For my singing career Rotaru performed more than 400 songs, many of which have become classics of the Soviet and Ukrainian stage. The singer has released over 30 albums, among her discs of recent years - "And my soul flies ..." (2011), "Forgive me" (2013), "Let's make summer! (2014)," Winter "(2016).
Sofia Mikhailovna Rotaru turns 70 on August 7, but famous singer clearly does not look his age. It seems that it is like a fine wine - it only gets better with age.
For for long years the singer adheres to one image: long straight hair parted in the middle.
But not always Rotaru followed this style. Let's trace the evolution of Sofia Rotaru's appearance. Real success came to the singer already in the early 70s. In 1971, she played one of the main roles in the musical film Chervona Ruta. At the same time, Rotaru created an ensemble of the same name.
Rotaru is gradually becoming a popular singer in the USSR, and soon receives the title of Honored Artist of the Ukrainian SSR, People's Artist of the Ukrainian SSR and becomes the laureate of the LKSMU Prize. N. Ostrovsky.
Almost all of Sophia Mikhailovna's outfits are with ethnic motifs, and the makeup is always spectacular: red lips, wide arrows or bright shadows.
In the 80s, the artist began new stage not only in art, but also in life. She was “left” from the ensemble, she was losing her voice, but did not give up.
During this period, she appears on stage in typical outfits for that time - dresses embroidered with rhinestones, clothes with voluminous sleeves.
Hair styling, bright makeup - all this did not go beyond the then fashion.
The collapse of the USSR practically did not affect the activities of Rotaru - she remained the favorite singer of millions of people.
In the 90s, she often sang songs in Ukrainian, but to see her in national costumes already almost impossible. At the heart of her wardrobe are concert costumes with gold embroidery and sequins.
In 2002, the singer loses her life partner - her beloved husband Anatoly Evdokimenko. At that moment, she practically drops out of show business.
Upon returning to the stage, she appears in loose dresses decorated with sequins and sequins and short jackets different colors.
IN last years Sofia Mikhailovna increasingly prefers trouser suits, but remains true to sequins.
The modern image suits the singer the most. Appearance Rotaru can be admired endlessly!
Despite the fact that the singer's birthday falls on August 7, she has already celebrated it at the international music festival Zhara together with her sister Aurika, son Ruslan, daughter-in-law Svetlana and granddaughter Sonya.
For the past few years, the star has rarely appeared on stage, so her appearance at the festival caused a sensation. The guests were delighted with Sofia Mikhailovna: she looked as if she had lost twenty years!
“When I see your smiles, hear your applause, I immediately feel young and cheerful,” the singer commented on the delight. The star delighted the fans with the performance of everyone's favorite hits.
“No one calls me grandmother,” Rotaru admitted. “Grandchildren say that not a single person believes that I am their grandmother, I look so young.”
The singer considers love to be the secret of her unsurpassed appearance. Love for life, loved ones, the audience - that's what makes her truly happy.
“Rotaru has not sung for a long time, because she cannot do it physically since 1974. Modern technology allows Rotaru to record songs from notes. She has her own secret studio in Kyiv. Then the tapes are played at the concerts. There are no problems with television at all - there is always a phonogram. The most terrible deception ... ”, - spoke about Sofia Rotaru famous composer Eugene Doga.
But many years later, the singer herself commented on this as follows:
“There have always been many legends about me. Composer Eugene Doga did his best. I was the first to sing his song "My White City". Then he offered me a couple more of his songs, but they did not suit me, and I quite delicately refused to take them into my repertoire. Probably, the composer was offended and, in a fit of anger, gave an interview where he accused me of almost all mortal sins. That, they say, I have an underground studio in Ukraine, where I hum a few notes, and then with the help of powerful equipment they are “pulled out” into a whole song! I kept silent, and everyone thought that I had nothing to answer. And I considered it below my dignity to refute nonsense ... "
Photo:fortune- rotaru. com
So who is Sofia Rotaru really - a shameless "faker" or a brilliant singer and idol of several generations of Soviet viewers?
The songs "I loved him" and "I will name the planet"
Video:youtube. com/ Sofia Rotaru
For many years, Sofia Rotaru was considered the singer No. 2 in the USSR. The first place was firmly held, and still is, by Alla Pugacheva, which, of course, is true. And the prima donna had more hits than Rotaru, and Sofia Mikhailovna always eschewed outrageous scandals, which, alas, did not add to her popularity.
Despite the fact that Rotaru appeared on the stage before Pugacheva and was very popular in the early 70s, she failed to keep the “palm”. Summed up Rotaru's voice. Or rather, its temporary absence.
In the early 70s, Sofia Rotaru and the Chervona Ruta ensemble that accompanied her, led by the singer's husband Anatoly Evdokimenko, toured the country like crazy. Sometimes they performed several times a day with no days off at all. Crowds went to listen to the already famous Ukrainian singer. But this did not pass without a trace for Rotaru:
“At one time, nodules appeared on my vocal cords from overstrain - like polyps. They are treated by surgery. Almost all of our stars have gone through this, and more than once. After the operation, I was strictly ordered to remain silent for two months and in no case sing. But I did not listen, and complications began. After the second operation, I did not speak at all for a month. Didn't work for a year. Because of this, probably, there were rumors that Rotaru would no longer be able to sing and works only to the soundtrack ... ”recalls the People's Artist of the USSR.
It was at that time, in 1973, that Sofia Rotaru brilliantly sang the song of the composer Yevgeny Doga to the verses of Grigory Voda "My White City", for which the viewers voted and she reached the final of the "Song-73" contest. But by December of that year, Sofia Rotaru could no longer sing herself - the doctors forbade it.
On all the first "Songs of the Year" the artists sang "live", without any phonograms, because it was believed that this was the only way to "really" appreciate the vocalist's talent. The orchestra of the All-Union Radio and Central Television under the direction of Yuri Silantyev accompanied all the singers on the set. And when the Musical Edition of the Central Television decided that Rotaru would be filmed to the soundtrack, the conductor Silantiev was indignant for a very long time, until he was told that the finale of “Songs-73” was impossible without Rotaru, since Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev would be the main spectator of the program.
And so they did - all the artists in "Song-73" sang themselves and only Rotaru only opened her mouth to her "plus" soundtrack. By the way, as a result, it turned out to be even better, because in those years they could not record a live performance in the Ostankino concert studio in high quality - there were disgusting microphones that the singers constantly "spit", and Sofia Rotaru appeared on the air on New Year's Eve on December 31, 1973 with good sound.
The song "My City" at the competition "Song-73", Ostankino, 1973
Video:youtube. com/yangol1
Then, a few years later, composer Evgeny Doga again spoke about Sofia Rotaru:
“At one time, I begged her to save her voice. But the singer's husband Tolik created "Ruta" and began to exploit his wife great. Four concerts a day. The poor woman could not even eat after them. Became a straw. And all the excuses: “Here we want to buy a car, a house, a summer house ...” Tolik’s thirst for money ruined a great singer ... "
Well, who really craved money in this story - let him remain on the conscience of the composer Dogi, but the fact that Rotaru did not ruin anything is a fact. Yes, there was a period when serious problems happened with the ligaments, but then the singer began to treat them more attentively, take care of them, and this did not happen again.
Video: Channel Five archive
In life Soviet artist Rotaru had everything - cold nights in windy airports, hotels without hot water, but with hordes of cockroaches, long tours in half-wrecked cars, unheated country clubs, where steam poured out of his mouth in winter ... Only very persistent and brave woman was able to handle it all. And also - loving woman. There are still legends about how Sofia Rotaru loved her husband Tolya - Anatoly Evdokimenko.
Sofia Rotaru on the cover of the magazine "Ukraine", 1965
In 1965, while serving in the army in the Ural Nizhny Tagil, a young guy Tolya Evdokimenko from the city of Chernivtsi saw on the cover of the magazine "Ukraine" beautiful girl who turned out to be his compatriot. After demobilization, he found Sonya and began to look after her. It turned out and one more detail - they both could not live without music. For two years, Sonya tested the young man for strength, and then agreed to marry him.
Wedding photo of Sofia Rotaru and Anatoly Evdokimenko
Photo: from the personal archive of Sofia Rotaru
By that time, Sofia Rotaru was already not only the pride of Chernivtsi, but of the entire Ukrainian SSR, because the fame of a superbly singing girl from the village of Marshintsy had long scattered throughout the country. For Central Television, back in 1966, a small musical film “The Nightingale from the Village of Marshintsy” was shot about Rotaru. Then Sofia Rotaru sang mostly only Moldovan and Ukrainian folk songs.
Video: Channel Five archive
First Soviet pop song the song "Mom" became in the repertoire of Rotaru. Having met Evdokimenko, who dreamed of music and was ready for anything for Sonya, Rotaru suggested trying to “modernize” some folk songs, making other arrangements for them in the style of the then popular VIA.
It turned out great, and this is how the team that Evdokimenko began to assemble gradually took shape in a real ensemble, and in 1971 both Rotaru and the team, called Chervona Ruta, received an official invitation to work in the Chernivtsi Philharmonic. This is how it started professional life Rotaru, her husband and their ensemble on stage.
15 years Sofia Rotaru and "Chervona Ruta" shone on Soviet stage until in 1986, one day, everything was over. In an interview, Sofia Rotaru, when asked by a journalist if she was ever really scared, answered:
“When I was betrayed. This was due to the Chervona Ruta team, which Tolik once organized. It was the peak of popularity when we were carried in our arms, when cars were lifted at concerts. It seemed to the guys that they could count on success even without me, that I treated them incorrectly, the wrong repertoire, that they received little money ... When Tolik and I left for our homeland, they got together and decided that they did not need us. They left with a scandal and with the name "Chervona Ruta" ... "
Video: Channel Five archive
And Sofia Rotaru was able to survive this. With the support of her husband, she again took the stage, actively worked with popular composers Vladimir Miguley and Vladimir Matetsky, and did not at all imagine that not only the collapse of the USSR was ahead, not only new market conditions of life, but also a different life in general, where her husband would need her help.
Video: Channel Five archive
In 1997, the husband of Sofia Rotaru fell seriously ill. At first, the doctors said it was brain cancer, but then it turned out - a stroke. For five years, Rotaru brought various world luminaries of medicine to her Tolya, but he got worse and worse. After several subsequent strokes, Anatoly Evdokimenko stopped talking and moving, and in 2002 he died in Kyiv in the arms of his beloved and faithful wife Sofia Rotaru. She later said that her son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren helped her to survive this tragedy.
However, the iron character of Sofia Rotaru sometimes spoiled a lot for her. This happened in 1985 on the set of "Songs-85", when, contrary to the requests of the TV director, she decided to be closer to the viewer and left the stage to the stalls. As a result, the entire first verse of the song "Stork on the Roof" turned out to be married - the operators could shoot Rotaru only from the back or general plan the entire hall.
Video: Channel Five archive
Even under the USSR, a lot of gossip appeared about the difficult relationship between Sofia Rotaru and Alla Pugacheva, but with the collapse of the country, “collisions” of singers happened quite often: in 1999, at a concert in honor of Police Day, at the last second, Sofia Rotaru was deleted from the list of participants. The reason is the Pugacheva scandal.
After 5 years, Alla Borisovna herself was left out of the same holiday. After I found out that holiday program it will not be her who will finish, but Sofia Rotaru, Pugacheva slammed the door.
In 2006, Rotaru already showed a scandalous character. Sofia Mikhailovna did not want to participate in the concert dedicated to, having learned that Alla Pugacheva was offered a fee, but she was not. But in the end, the organizers were able to extinguish the scandal and both singers performed in different parts of this concert in the center of Kyiv.
Video: youtube.com/Sofia Rotaru
But in 2009, anniversary concert Alla Borisovna, two stars depicted a great reconciliation. Embracing, they performed the group's hit "t.A.T.u." "Not gonna get us". What was it? Outrageous? Just a show? I think no. Indeed, no one will ever be able to catch up with Sofia Rotaru and Alla Pugacheva.
And the annexation of Crimea to Russia, Sofia Rotaru, unlike some other Ukrainian artists, did not burn bridges.
Video: youtube.com/Sofia Rotaru
Sofia Rotaru often comes to Russia, gives concerts, and when asked by one of the journalists whether she received Russian citizenship as a long-term resident of Crimea, she answered:
“When residents of Crimea received Russian passports, I was not supposed to do this by law, since I had a residence permit in Kyiv. But, on the other hand, if the President of Russia Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin gives me a Russian passport, like Depardieu, I would not refuse.
Video: Channel Five archive
Ivan Tsybin
She is irresistible!
This year, the incomparable singer and charming woman Sofia Rotaru has a seventy-year anniversary! But you instantly refuse to believe it, as soon as you see photos of this singer. She looks amazing despite her age. Today, absolutely everyone knows her, and her compositions are still sung in many countries.
Despite her age, Sofia Rotaru is not shy about unusual outfits. For example, her appearance at the “Heat” festival in Baku recently made a splash. Sofia Mikhailovna amazed everyone! According to the artist, the preparation for this concert took her more than three months. Concert costumes were created for this show, arrangements were made, new songs were recorded.
On the eve of the anniversary, the singer decided to leave for Italy with her relatives. She celebrated her birthday in a narrow family circle. It is worth noting that some of them had a hand in its current popularity. The singer's son helps his star mother not only at home, but also at work. He acts as its concert director.
And the creative director and at the same time the stylist of the artist is her daughter-in-law Svetlana. But the grandchildren of the artist did not follow in the footsteps of the famous grandmother, although this does not negate the fact that they also made their choice in favor of creative professions. Granddaughter, for example, is engaged modeling business and Sofia's grandson is a fashion photographer.
