Alla Pugacheva - 70: Rare photos of the Prima donna and little-known facts about the woman who sings

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

April 15 marks the 70th anniversary of one of the brightest Russian pop stars, People's Artist of the USSR Alla Pugacheva. More than one generation of listeners has grown up on her songs, and her popularity continues unabated. After a long creative pause, the Prima Donna is again preparing a big anniversary concert. For more than half a century, the whole country has been following her creative and personal life. But the general public is unlikely to know those facts of her biography, which she herself rarely mentions in an interview.

Her parents met at the front. Zinaida Odegova performed as part of a concert brigade, and Boris Pugachev served in intelligence. During one of the battles, he lost his right eye, because of which he had to give up his dream of becoming a circus performer. But after the war, he continued to perform in the folk theater, and his daughter inherited artistry and love for the stage from her parents. The first child in their family was a son, but he died of diphtheria before even a year was lived. Alla was born in 1949, and a year later - Eugene. The daughter was named after the famous Moscow Art Theater actress Alla Tarasova.

Her brother Eugene said: "". She herself did not become a professional singer, but in her daughter she saw her continuation and the opportunity to realize unfulfilled dreams. From the age of 5, Alla studied with a music teacher, who drew attention to her perfect pitch and musical abilities. Every day, playing the piano was given 3 hours, and by the time Alla entered the music school, she had already mastered the instrument well.

Alla Pugacheva's stage debut took place in 1954, when she was only 5 years old. The concert took place in the Column Hall of the House of Unions. Zinaida Odegova recalled: "".

After graduating from the 8th grade, Pugacheva entered the Ippolitov-Ivanov School of the conductor and choir department. And already in the 2nd year, she went on her first tour as part of the Mosestrada national program. The next few years she spent on tour in the Far North and the Arctic Circle as part of the Yunost propaganda team, which caused her to have problems with her studies. As a result of a prolonged absence from the classroom, the singer was suspended from final exams, and she did not receive a diploma. After that, she was sent to work as a music teacher in one of the schools, where she taught for six months. And only after that Pugachev was finally allowed to take the exams and was awarded the diploma of "Conductor of the Choir".

And then the touring activity began again - Pugacheva did not plan to become the conductor of the choir, and she performed as a member of the pop-circus school brigade, the Novy Electron ensemble, the Muscovites and Merry Boys groups. Together with the latter, the singer received the Grand Prix at the Golden Orpheus festival for the song Arlekino. From that moment on, her triumphant path began as a solo performer of "Mosconcert".

In the late 1970s. Alla Pugacheva has already enjoyed incredible popularity throughout the Union. This fame had a downside: once it became the target of a serial killer. On the account of Anatoly Nagiyev there were several raped and murdered women, but for some time his crimes remained unpunished - the police could not get on his trail in any way. Some of his victims suffered only because they outwardly reminded him of Pugachev. In September 1980, the criminal was finally captured. He was tried and sentenced to death.

Everyone knows that Alla Pugacheva possesses not only vocal, but also artistic abilities, thanks to which she was repeatedly invited to the cinema. However, as a rule, she appeared on the screens as a cameo - that is, herself. And her acting potential remained unrealized. It is known that she auditioned for several films, but was not approved. So, a photograph of her tests for the main role in the film "Walking the Torment" has survived, which as a result went to the professional actress Irina Alferova. The singer also auditioned for the role of the soloist of the ensemble in the musical film "Center from the Heavens", but GITIS graduate Lyudmila Suvorkina was approved. True, the heroine sang in the voice of Pugacheva. Like Nadya Sheveleva in "The Irony of Fate …". And the most famous film work of Pugacheva was the film "The Woman Who Sings".

The singer has never hidden the fact that she has bad habits. She smoked since 13 years old, did not deny herself a drink. Once she confessed: "". However, contrary to popular rumors, the singer has never suffered from alcohol addiction.

Nobody ever doubted her professionalism. She is so dedicated to her work that she was ready to risk her life more than once. Her desperate nature was legendary, and there was every reason for this. Igor Kio told about one of such cases in the circus: "".

Alla Pugacheva received the title of People's Artist of the USSR a day before the official collapse of the Union. Thus, she became the last singer to receive this title.

Although the Prima Donna has already announced her departure from the stage more than once, after each creative pause she returned again. To the delight of its fans, it will be so this time. Already 2 days after her birthday, Alla Pugacheva will give a big anniversary concert at the Kremlin Palace in Moscow.

One of the last hits of the Prima Donna - "I can do it": A new lyric song by Alla Pugachevawho wants to sing along.