Valery Leontiev

Valery Leontiev Валерий Леонтьев
Born	Valery Yakovlevich Leontiev (1949-03-19) 19 March 1949 Ust-Usa, Komi ASSR, RSFSR, Soviet Union
Alma mater	Saint-Petersburg State University of Culture and Arts
Occupation	Singer songwriter actor
Years active	1972–present
Title	People's Artist of Russia (1996)
Awards	Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" (Russia,4th class,2005) Order of Honour (Russia,2009) Order of Friendship (Russia,2014) World Music Awards (1991)
Musical career
Genres	Pop Dance-pop Rock
Instruments	Vocals
Website	www.leontiev.ru
Signature

Valery Yakovlevich Leontiev (Russian: Валерий Яковлевич Леонтьев; born 19 March 1949 in Ust-Usa, Komi ASSR, RSFSR, Soviet Union) is a Soviet and Russian pop singer whose popularity peaked in the early 1980s. He was titled a People's Artist of Russia in 1996.^[1] He is known as one of the most prominent artists of Soviet and Russian music.^[2] Over the course of his decades-long career, he has recorded more than 30 albums, many of which sold millions of copies. The media refers to Leontiev as a megastar and a legend of the Russian scene.^[3][4][5]

Early life

Valery Yakovlevich Leontiev was born on 19 March 1949, in Ust-Usa, a village in what is now Russia's Komi Republic. His father Yakov Stepanovich Leontiev was a veterinarian, a specialist in deer, and his mother Catherine Ivanovna Leontieva took care of the children: Valery and his sister. At six, Valery recited poems to herders from an improvised stage. As a first-grader, he began singing in the school choir. Valery participated in school plays and took up piano lessons.

In 1961 the family moved to the city Yuryevets in Ivanovo Oblast, and after graduation, Leontiev went to conquer Moscow and to act in Russian Academy of Theatre Arts. However, panic and fear to fail in the exam made Leontiev at the last moment to take the documents and return to Yuryevets. Here the future artist has changed many professions - from the postman to the designer, but in the end went in Vorkuta and entered the Mining Institute. However, to learn unloved case Leontiev was able only to third year.

Musical career

The first exit to the big stage took place in 1971. In Vorkuta regional competition "Song-71" was held. There, Leontiev took second place with the song "Carnaval". And the first concert the singer gave was on April 9, 1972 on the stage of Vorkuta's House of Culture of Miners and Builders. From this moment begins the career of Leontiev as a singer.

In 1972, Leontiev went to Syktyvkar for a festival competition among amateur creative youth "We are looking for talents" and wins it. after which Leontiev was sent to study at the all-Union creative Studio pop art, was in Moscow. However, study here has not been completed. A year later, the director of the Syktyvkar Philharmonic took the group, which included Leontiev, back to Syktyvkar. In Syktyvkar Leontiev worked as a soloist in the ensemble of "Dreamers", and in 1975 became the soloist of the ensemble "Echo" with which he traveled all over the Soviet Union. However, the concerts were mostly held in the provincial houses of culture.

Climbing on the big stage began for the singer later - after the transition to the Gorky Philharmonic and receiving first Prize at the All-Union competition for the best performance of songs of the socialist countries in 1979. Less than a year later, Leontiev already gave a full-fledged solo concert in Moscow Variety Theatre, and for the performance of compositions by David Tukhmanov "Dance time in the sun" he received First prize of the International Festival "Golden Orpheus".

In 1980 Leontiev sang in various concerts, including the Moscow Variety Theatre, Oktyabrsky and Luzhniki. In 1981, the artist won the popularity prize at the prestigious music festival Yerevan-81. American journalists who attended the event noted the expressive manner of performing the singer and compared him to Mick Jagger. (Valeri Leontiev, 32, a booted, bolero-suited dancing rocker whose performance falls somewhere between those of Mick Jagger and Mikhail Baryshnikov)^[6] However, this fact caused opposition to the leaders of the Soviet stage and officials, therefore, until 1984, Leontiev fell into disgrace. Overcomes her artist with the help of one of the influential composers of those years - Raimond Pauls.

In 1982, Leontiev underwent a serious operation to remove a tumor from his throat, and on his further career of the singer hung a huge question mark. In this difficult time Leontiev decided to engage seriously in education and entered the Saint-Petersburg State University of Culture and Arts. Fortunately, in 1983, the singer was able to return to the stage, the artist gives 18 sold-out concerts entitled "I'm just a singer" in Leningrad. however, a busy schedule of concerts did not prevent him from finishing his studies and qualify as "mass" view.

In 1983, the singer moves to work in the Voroshilovgrad Philharmonic (now Luhansk Philharmonic) in the Ukrainian SSR. A year later, he was given a whole department in the author's evening "Holy to music love" by composer Raimond Pauls in Moscow.^[7]

In 1985, Leontiev received the Lenin Komsomol Prize. And after that he went to Afghanistan together with a group of artists. 1986 was marked by a trip to Chernobyl, where the singer performed. And in 1987 Leontiev already became Merited Artist of Ukrainian SSR.

The beginning of the 90s was marked for Leontiev splash touring. His concerts were held in Germany, Israel, USA, Canada, India and other countries. In 1991 Leontiev was named the "Best Selling Soviet Artist" at the World Music Awards ceremony in Monte Carlo^[8]. In 1994 he performed on stage with Gina Lollobrigida^[9] in Saint-Petersburg concert hall "Oktyabrskiy", and in 1996 he was awarded the title People's Artist of Russia. in March 1998 а nominal star of Valery Leontiev was opened on the Star Square in Moscow.^[10] in 1999 Leontiev was awarded the "Living Legend Award" at the Russian national music award "Ovation".^[11]

On the stage

• 1972 – First solo concert was in Vorkuta.^[12]
• 1975 – Tour in USSR
• 1978 – Tour in Belarus
• 1980 – First concerts in Moscow
• 1981 – First solo concerts in Oktyabrskiy Big Concert Hall, Leningrad
• 1981 – First participation in the finale of the festival "Song of the Year "
• 1981 – participated in the competition – festival "Yerevan-81".
• 1982 – Tour in USSR
• 1983 – concert program, "I'm just a singer" (18 sold-out concerts in Leningrad)
• 1984 – concert program, "I run for life"
• 1985 – concert program, "Alone with all", which became a cult. Because queues for tickets on a few central streets of Leningrad stopped traffic. 10 concerts
• 1986 – concert program "Star story" Tour in Czechoslovakia.
• 1987 – concert program "Favorites", Tour in Bulgaria.
• 1988 June – 1989 November – rock opera "Giordano", more than 50 concerts in Moscow and Leningrad. Leontiev plays 3 main roles (out of 4!) – Giordano Bruno, a clown and Satan.
• 1988 – show "A matter of taste, tour in India
• 1988–1989 grand tour of cities of the USSR. For example, only one Novosibirsk in 1988 Leontiev gives a series of 27 recitals.^[13] and in Almaty 33 solo concerts.
• 1990 – show "It seems to me that I have not lived" in the Olympic Stadium. Concerts in USA, India, Germany, Israel
• 1991 – Tour in India, Canada, USA, Germany
• 1992 – Tour in Israel, Canada, USA
• 1993 – show "Full Moon" – first super-show in Russia
• 1994 – show "Beauty and Casanova" – the first concert of pop star with a symphony orchestra in Russia. With the participation of the sex symbol of the 1960 Gina Lollobrigida.^[14] Tour in Israel.
• 1996 – show "On the road to Hollywood", touring in the USA., Germany, Israel, Canada
• 1998 – Concert on the Star Square, a solo concert at the 50 th anniversary of the State of Israel (Tel Aviv, 14 May 1998), a tour in Germany, the United States and the United Arab Emirates
• 1999 super-show "Photographer of Dreams", a tour to Russia, Ukraine, Israel, United States, Canada, Germany, Baltic states
• 2001 super-show "Unnamed Planet", a tour to Russia, Ukraine, Baltic States, United States, Germany.
• 2002 – concert in Atlantic City, Moscow, Kiev, Tallinn, Riga, Vilnius, Minsk. Tour in Baltic states, Israel, Germany
• 2003 – concert tour of "The Sixth Life" (Russia, Ukraine, United States, Germany, Israel)
• 2004, concert in Los Angeles, 11–14 March – solo concerts in Oktyabrskiy Big Concert Hall.
• 2004, 12 March – The 300th solo concert in St. Petersburg.
• 2005 – concert program, "Valery Leontiev presents ..." (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus..)
• 2006–2008 – Tour to Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Latvia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Israel
• 2009–2010 an anniversary show of "I love you, miss you, I'm waiting. Tour in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Latvia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, USA., Israel, Australia, concert in Sydney, Melbourne.
• 2011 - 21–22 October – concert in the Kremlin Palace of Congresses (the show "The best ever!")
• 2012 – Tour with a concert program "The best ever!", dedicated to the 40th anniversary of creative activity (Russia, Ukraine, Сanada, USA);
• 2012 - 21–22 October – concert in the Kremlin Palace of Congresses (show "By popular demand ...")
• 2013 – Tour in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan
• 2014 – 19, 21, 22 March – The anniversary concerts in the Oktyabrskiy Big Concert Hall, St. Petersburg; 28 March – the anniversary concert in the State Kremlin Palace, concert in Geneva, Israel
• 2015 – Creative Evening of Valery Leontiev in Sochi.^[15] Tour in Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Germany.

Recognition

• 1979 – 1st Award at the All-Union Contest in Yalta for the best performance of the songs of the Soviet nations
• First prize of the XVI International Festival "Golden Orpheus" in Bulgaria (1980)
• "ZD Awards 1980" – singer of the year ^[16]
• "Performer of the Year 1981" according to the contest, "Estrada-81" (Komsomolskaya Pravda)^[17]
• "Singer of the Year 1983" according to a poll of readers of the newspaper "Smena" ^[18]
• "Singer of the Year 1984" according to a poll of readers of the newspaper "Smena"
• "Singer of the Year 1985" according to a poll of readers of the newspaper "Smena"
• "ZD Awards 1985" – singer of the year^[19]
• "ZD Awards 1986" – singer of the year
• "The best song of 1987" on the basis of open voting ITAR-TASS in the USSR, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary and others – megahit "White Crow"
• "Singer of the Year 1988" on the basis of open voting ITAR-TASS^[20]
• "Singer of the Year 1990" according to the All-Union charts TASS
• "Best song of 1990" according to the All-Union charts TASS "Wicked Way"
• World Music Awards in Monte Carlo, the prize Golden treble clef for "Best-selling soviet recording-artist of the year" (1991)^[21]
• "Singer of the Year 1992" according to chart hit of the newspaper "Vechernyaya Moskva"
• "Pesnya goda 1992" (At the gate of the Lord) according to chart hit of the newspaper "Vechernyaya Moskva"
• "Ovation 1993". Prize – "for nondecreasing artistry" (created specifically for Valery Leontiev)
• "ZD Awards 1996" for best show of the year – "On the road to Hollywood
• "Ovation 1996" for best show, "On the road to Hollywood"
• "Ovation 1996" in nomination "Singer of the Year"
• Pesnya goda 1997 – awarded a special prize for a great contribution to the development of Russian pop music.
• "Ovation 1998", the prize is "Living Legend" ^[22]
• "Stopudoviy Hit 1998" – award from the radio station Hit FM for the song "Nine chrysanthemums"
• 28 March 1998 – the inception of a star on the Star Square (Moscow).
• "ZD Awards 1999" for best show of the year – "Photographer of Dreams"
• "Ovation 1999" for best show, the spectacle "Photographer of Dreams"
• "Golden Gramophone 1999" for the hit "Everybody wants to love"^[23]
• "Stopudoviy Hit 1999" award from the radio station Hit FM for the song "Everyone wants to love"
• "Stopudoviy Hit 2000" award from the radio station Hit FM for the song "Augustine"
• "Golden Gramophone 2000" for the hit "Augustine" ^[24]
• "ZD Awards 2001" for best show of the year – "super show Nameless Planet"
• "Muz-TV 2003" special prize "For achievements in the development of popular music"^[25]
• Valery Leontiev listed in the Russian Encyclopedia (2005).^[26]
• "Golden Gramophone 2005" Special prize "For contribution to the development of the Russian pop music" ^[27]
• "Golden Gramophone 2008 "for the song "Dove"^[28]
• "God of the Ether 2009" in nomination "Radiorekord" (for the record number of rotations)
• "ZD Awards 2009" – Special prize "Legend"^[29]
• "ZD Awards 2014" – Special prize for a contribution to the development of Russian pop music.^[30]
• "Russian Music Awards 2015" - Special prize for a unique contribution to the development of the Russian pop music.^[31]

Honours and awards

Leontiev receives the Order of Friendship from Russian President Vladimir Putin, 31 July 2014

External images

Image Valery Leontiev receives the Order of Merit for the Fatherland 4th class from Vladimir Putin, 2005

Image President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko present Through Art - to Peace and Understanding award to Valery Leontiev in Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk, 2009 [32]

Orders

• Order of Merit for the Fatherland, 4th class (19 March 2005) – for his great contribution to the development of music^[33][34]
• Order of Honor (2009) – for great contribution to the development of national music art and many years of creative activity ^[35]
• Order of Friendship (2014)^[36][37]

Titles

• People's Artist of Russia (9 March 1996)
• Merited Artist of Ukrainian SSR (1987)
• People's Artist of the Republic of Komi (2009)^[38]
• Honorary Citizen of Sakha Republic (2014)^[39]

Medals

• Medal "For Faith and Good" (2010)^[40]

Awards

• Lenin Komsomol Prize (1985) – for the promotion of Soviet pop songs of youth and high performance skills
• Prize of the Moscow Government in the field of literature and the arts (1996) – for the super show "Full Moon" and "On the way to Hollywood"
• Prize of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in the field of literature and the arts (1999)
• Belarus president award Through Art - to Peace and Understanding presented by Alexander Lukashenko on 12 July 2009^[41][42]

Public awards

• Order of Peter the Great, 1st class (2007)
• Order of Mikhail Lomonosov (2007)^[43]
• Order "For the rebirth of Russia. 21st Century" (2003)

Discography

Valery Leontiev discography

Filmography

• 1981: In a strange feast (На чужом празднике)
• 1985: Do Not Marry, Girls (Не ходите, девки, замуж)
• 1985: Insurance agent (Страховой агент)
• 1992: Psychic (Экстрасенс)

Musical films and musicals

• 1979: Crimean Dawns (Крымские зори)
• 1979: The film-concert "Olümpiaregati tähed \ Stars Olympic regatta" CT USSR and ETV
• 1984: I do not say goodbye to you ( Я с тобой не прощаюсь)
• 1984: Winds Baltic ETV
• 1985: Stained glass maker (Витражных дел мастер)
• 1986: Clown with autumn in the heart (Клоун с осенью в сердце)
• 1986: How to become a star (Как стать звездой)
• 1987: Valery Leontiev (film)
• 1990: Valery Leontiev. Let me go with you (Валерий Леонтьев. Дай мне уйти с тобой)
• 1991: Valery Leontiev Sings ( Поёт Валерий Леонтьев)
• 1991: Valery Leontiev. Made in India (Валерий Леонтьев. Made in India)
• 1997: Saturday evening with Valery Leontiev (Musical film RTR)
• 1997: Such different Valery Leontiev (Такой разный Валерий Леонтьев)
• 1997: Parade parade is Valery Leontiev (Парад парадов представляет Валерий Леонтьев) movie channel TV-6)
• 2000: The reverse side of Valery Leontiev (Обратная сторона Валерия Леонтьева) movie channel ORT
• 2002: Cinderella (Musical film)
• 2003: Three tunes for the film Valery Leontiev (Три мелодии для фильма Валерия Леонтьева)
• 2009: Valery Leontiev in Komi (Валерий Леонтьев в Коми)
• 2009: I have not lived. Valery Leontiev (— Я ещё не жил. Валерий Леонтьев) movie channel ORT
• 2009: Valery Leontiev: Lost laughter (Валерий Леонтьев: Утерянный смех) movie channel Inter
• 2009: Benefit Valery Leontiev "The Book of Fate" (Бенефис Валерия Леонтьева "Книга судьбы") movie channel NTV
• 2012: Anniversary concert of Valery Leontiev "The best ever!" (Юбилейный концерт Валерия Леонтьева "Лучший навсегда!") concert channelORT
• 2012: "Hurtling time if a rider" ("Мчится время будто всадник") movie channel TV Tsentr''

Personal life

Valery Leontiev is married to bass guitarist Lyudmila Isakovich^[44][45]. Couple together since 1972. However, officially relations were registered only in 1998. The artist's wife lives in Miami.

Eurovision Song Contest 1987

The Soviet Union never participated in the Eurovision Song Contest, but it made several attempts in the late 1980s. In 2009 Eduard Fomin, a former employee of the Ministry of Education of the RSFSR, revealed that in 1987 George Veselov, the Minister of Education for the Soviet Union, brought forward the idea of Soviet participation in the Eurovision Song Contest due to the number of political reforms made by the President of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev during the late 1980s. The idea was mainly a political one, with the thought that a win in the contest for the Soviet Union would impact on the relationships between the Soviet Union and the capitalist countries of the west. Valery Leontiev was suggested as a singer for the Soviet Union's first entry into the contest, but Veselov's ideas were not shared by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, or by Gorbachev himself, believing it to be too radical a step to take, and so the Soviet Union never entered the contest before dissolving.^[46]

Statements about Leontiev

• President Vladimir Putin: "You rightly recognized master of song genre, artist who reached the summits of Pop Olympus thanks to genuine talent, professionalism and hard work"^[47][48]
• President Dmitry Medvedev: "Over the years, the bright stage career, you not only have gained a great love of fans, but also sets a high standard of music for the new generations of artists. The songs performed by you, always lead not only in the charts, but also in the hearts of an audience of millions".^[49][50]
• President Alexander Lukashenko: ""Great talent, unparalleled professional skills and constant creative search brought you a well-deserved fame and recognition around the world"^[51]
• Politician Valentina Matviyenko "You have created a stage persona which has never been on the stage and I am sure that nobody will never repeat, and you follow this image"^[52]
• Singer Muslim Magomayev: "Name Valery Leontiev enough just to name – and do not have any colorful definitions! Everything is clear! Living Classic of our stage".^[53]
• Singer Joseph Kobzon: ""Tragically, we have a unit of this magnitude stars – Pugacheva, Leontiev ... Those people who for many years retain their creative person and love of the public" ^[54]

Real estate

• Apartment in the club house in the historic center of Moscow. Purchased in 1993.^[55]
• Villa in Coral Gables, Miami, Florida, USA (neighbors – Sylvester Stallone and Madonna). Purchased in 1996
• Apartment on Collins Avenue, Miami, FL, USA. Purchased in 2002.^[56]
• Apartment in Hallandale Beach, Florida, USA. Purchased in 2005
• Villa in Alicante, Spain (neighbors – Mikhail Gorbachev, Victoria Beckham). Purchased in 2008^[57][58]

References

• On account of Valery Leontiev there is even a duet with Vladimir Putin: in August 2006 in Sochi, a concert for the heads of the CIS, which Leont'ev worked for a program of four songs. In the final speech, when the artist was called for an encore, he decided to perform the song "Hope." Suddenly, he was joined by Vladimir Putin, at that time president of Russia – Leontiev handed him a microphone. Star duo snatched the applause, as the leaders of CIS countries, as well as fellow artists.^[59]
• Leontiev performing the hit "Margarita" in the presence of the President of Bulgaria, Slovakia, Romania, Moldova and Ukraine in 2008.^[60]
• Nu, pogodi! Episode 16 – Valery Leontiev song Green Light was played by the Wolf when he was caught by Baba Yaga, on the magical guitar. The Wolf does escape however, but lands on the water.

See also

• Russian pop music

References

External links

• Official website
• Valery Leontiev on IMDb
• Valery Leontiev discography at Discogs

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