From Stalin to Putin: Joseph Kobzon, the main voice of the Soviet stage and a symbol of the era, died

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

In a Moscow hospital at the age of 80, the singer and State Duma deputy Joseph Kobzon, the main voice of the Soviet stage and a symbol of the era, died. For 60 years of his career, Kobzon sang about 3000 songs. He was in great demand! Not a single festive concert went without his participation, his voice was constantly heard on the radio and on television. And also performances in "hot spots", social and teaching activities. On August 30, 2018, Joseph Davydovich passed away.

Young Joseph Kobzon, a guy from Dnepropetrovsk, could not imagine that a stellar fate awaited him. Although his vocal abilities showed up in childhood, and at the age of 9 he became the winner of a talent competition in Donetsk, then there was a competition of a higher rank, where Joseph also became the winner. After that, he even twice, as the winner of the amateur performance from Ukraine, spoke in the Kremlin before Stalin.

Already at the technical school I got carried away with boxing with the winner of the Ukrainian championship among juniors. And then there was military service - a young man with a beautiful voice was assigned to the song and dance ensemble of the Transcaucasian Military District, where he immediately became a soloist.

After the army, Joseph Kobzon went to conquer Moscow. He applied to several universities at once, and he was accepted everywhere. The young man was confused, but made a choice - he decided to go to GITIS. But when I came to Gnesinka to pick up the documents, I met the rector, who asked: "What, Kobzon, are you preparing for the academic year?" Joseph Davydovich could not say that he came for the documents.

The first performance of Joseph Kobzon in Moscow took place in a circus. It so happened that the composer Alexandra Pakhmutova and the poet Nikolai Dobronravov could not find a performer for their song "Cuba - my love" for a long time. The young singer Kobzon became a real discovery for them. When he entered the stage with a glued-on beard and a wooden submachine gun in his hands, the audience began to rejoice. Later he performed this song on the "Blue Light", which at that time, without exaggeration, was watched by the whole big country.

And after the song "And in our yard there is one girl …" millions of Soviet girls fell in love with Kobzon. But Joseph Davydovich did not meet his girl right away. His first love was Veronika Kruglova. But at that time, for the girl, the meaning of life was a career, and the young people broke up. A star marriage with the magnificent Lyudmila Gurchenko also did not last long. And after two disappointments, Kobzon no longer hoped to find his family happiness - it was very difficult for him to get divorces. The stage was the salvation.

But somehow he ended up in the same company with Ninela Drizina. A modest St. Petersburg girl was completely uncomfortable in the company of famous composers, poets and musicians. But Joseph did not intend to part with Nelly. According to the confession of both, they had everything in life - and jealousy, and reproaches, and resentments. But the main thing is love, which allowed them to cope with all the problems and live together for over 40 years.

Nellie was often worried about her husband. Each of his business trips to "hot spots" became a real test for the whole family. And he only had concerts in Afghanistan 9 times, and also in Syria, in Chechnya, in Chernobyl … He believed that, like Utesov and Shulzhenko, he should always be on the front line.

In October 2002, the country froze in fear and grief in front of TV screens - the militants took hostage more than 900 spectators who came to the theater complex on Dubrovka to watch Nord-Ost. Kobzon was at an away concert that day, and only learned about what was happening late in the evening. I found out and began to get ready for Dubrovka. Nellie understood that it was useless to persuade him to stay at home, to ask and even to cry. Kobzon knew what he was doing, and after the first negotiations with the terrorists, he took out four hostages. Lyuba Kornilova, whom he took out of the hall on Dubrovka, gave birth to her fourth child, a son. And she called him Joseph.

Joseph Kobzon entered the Guinness Book of Records. On September 11, 1997, he gave the longest concert in the history of the world stage.

It is difficult to list all the exploits and merits of Joseph Davydovich Kobzon. On his 60th birthday, the artist sang from 7 pm to 6 am. During the breaks, I only changed costumes. There was no time for snacks and tea.

It is simply impossible to list all the exploits and merits of Joseph Kobzon. In 2005, Kobzon was diagnosed with cancer. Kobzon courageously fought his illness, continuing to work. Hardworking, energetic, active, he curated performances and concerts, performed. And he did not part with the song until the last days.