Where is Sofia Rotaru from? Sofia Rotaru: nationality, where she was born
Sofia Rotaru – famous singer, talented actress, People's Artist USSR, the darling of Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, which became one of legendary personalities Soviet stage, was born in difficult times post-war period 07.08.1947.
Childhood
The future celebrity was born in a small village in the Chernivtsi region in the family of Moldovan winegrower Mikhail Rotar, in which she became the second daughter. But in total there were six children in this family, so little Sofia was constantly surrounded by a noisy environment of many brothers and sisters.
Elder sister Zina was left blind as a child after suffering from typhus. However, it was she who taught the rest of the children a lot.
All ears turned, Zina adored music and folk songs and sat for hours at a small radio, listening and memorizing the words and melody. Her hearing was impeccable and the rest of the children picked up the Russians and Ukrainian songs, not yet knowing the language itself - after all, in big family They spoke only Moldovan.
Little Sonya had to work a lot - she had to raise younger children to their feet. One of her duties was to help her mother trade in the market, and she had to get up around six in the morning. That's why for a long time The girl's dream was simply to get a good night's sleep.
But on the other hand, Sofia loved these trips, because there she could meet new people, especially since her kind and smiling mother was loved by customers and looked forward to her.
But in free time, of which there was very little, Sofia loved to sing, and later act in the school theater. Later, recalling her childhood, she will say that she does not remember herself without music. And she also started learning to play musical instruments very early.
But the girl also grew up to be a big fidget and was actively involved in sports. She even became the school's all-around champion.
Way to success
It is not surprising that the future legend dreamed of a big stage since childhood. Even her father constantly talked about how his talented daughter would become a great artist. And although everyone in the Rotaru family sang, it was little Sonya who persistently strove to the very top of the pop Olympus.
The first step on the path to conquering it was the usual regional amateur art competition, which Sophia won with ease. And in 1962 she went to the regional show, where she won her first prize, “Bukovinian Nightingale.” This success inspires the girl, and she begins to believe that her dream will come true.
In 1964, she first appeared on the big Kyiv stage as a participant in the republican festival, where she again confidently won. There she was noticed by a man who had already become popular singer Nikolay Gnatyuk. And Anatoly Evdokimenko, who later became her husband and faithful partner for life, falls in love with the photo on the cover of the magazine with her first interview.
With Anatoly Evdokimenko
By this time, Sofia can no longer imagine her life without a price, so she goes to study music professionally at the Chernivtsi Music College. There were practically no vocal departments then, and after graduation the girl received a diploma as a choral conductor.
While studying at the school, Sofia nevertheless met personally with Anatoly Evdokimenko, who at that time played in a pop ensemble and dreamed of creating his own group. It was he who introduced the young singer to the world of pop song, which she would later be able to conquer. Since that time, folk songs in modern pop arrangements have also appeared in her repertoire.
Confession
In 1968, Sofia went on her first trip abroad to a song festival in Bulgaria. Her flying beautiful voice and special sincere and simple manner of performing songs brought thousands of fans to the feet of the young singer. Her debut was accompanied by complete triumph. From this competition she brought first prize and audience recognition.
After graduating from college, Sofia remained to work there as a teacher, and realized her desire to perform in an ordinary factory club. But this did not last long, since such talent could not go unnoticed.
And in 1971, they remembered her again, when Ukrtelefilm was preparing to film the musical film “Chervona Ruta,” in which Sofia was offered the main role and many songs. In order to popularize Ukrainian folk songs talented composers reworked them, and they sounded new in a modern pop arrangement.
This was exactly the style that the singer always liked and she worked on the film with great pleasure.
The release of the film brought her fame and popular love among Ukrainians. It was he who made her popular and recognizable. But the very top was still far away. The next step was the creation of our own ensemble with the same name, which for many years would become business card singers. The first concert of the new group took place in Star City, where they were received with great love by the astronauts.
Takeoff
In 1973, with her own group and a completely new full-fledged repertoire, Sofia again went to Bulgaria for the popular Golden Orpheus song competition. The performer, quite experienced and confident in herself and her talent, again brings back the first prize from Bulgaria. And in the same year she becomes an Honored Artist of Ukraine.
A year later, the singer becomes a laureate of the popular and prestigious song festival in Sopot, where she receives second place. And starting from this year, she constantly receives invitations to the annual Song of the Year festivals, which bring her increasing popularity and audience recognition.
Soul
Performing a lot and carefully working on her repertoire, Sofia Rotaru, who has already become famous, also finds time to participate in the filming of several films, in which she also performs her favorite songs.
Her most striking acting work was the dramatic musical film “Soul,” which was largely autobiographical. The point is that it's dense tour schedule undermined the artist’s health, and she was on the verge of losing her voice. At first the film was conceived as a story about the life and rise of the now famous singer. It was attended by popular actors And fashion group"Time Machine".
Still from the film “Soul”
After reading the script, Sofia refused to film because she considered it banal. But having learned about the dramatic situation in the artist’s life, the film’s authors rewrote the script to suit her, revealing the subtleties of the singer’s soul. Sofia Rotaru accepted the offer and the film brought her even more popularity.
Sofia Rotaru now
Soviet legend, later and Russian stage Sofia Mikhailovna remained for many years. Today she practically does not perform, raising her grandchildren. Having lost her beloved husband, Anatoly Evdokimenko, with whom she lived happily all her life and raised her son, Sofia Rotaru was never able to fully recover from the blow and devoted herself to her family.
And popularly loved songs performed by her are still heard on TV and computer screens, giving listeners the love and talent of a great performer.
Sofia Mikhailovna Rotaru has many awards for her services in the world of music - People's Artist of the USSR, Knight of the Order of the Moldavian Republic, Hero of Ukraine. She performs songs in many languages of the world - Russian, Moldavian, Ukrainian, Spanish, English, Italian, French, Serbian and others.
Thanks to this, she received an international vocation, and her records sold millions of copies in different countries. To this day, Rotaru takes part in corporate events.
The world-famous artist and singer Sofia Rotaru was born in the Ukrainian village of Marshintsy on August 7, 1947. The Rotaru family was multinational, because it had Ukrainian and Moldovan roots. Her family respected all traditions and cultures. Sofia’s parents were simple, far from the world of art: her father worked in the vineyards, while her mother traded at the local market. The family was large, the parents had six children, and they needed help. Sofia, as the second oldest, successfully coped with raising her brothers and sisters. A multicultural atmosphere reigned in the family; the Moldovan language was used for communication. Sofia received her first singing lessons from her sister, who became blind as a child. But having lost her sight, her sister gained fine hearing. My father also had excellent hearing and voice. Father with early age I realized that Sofia was destined for fame and success
Since childhood, the girl was distinguished by an inquisitive mind, curiosity and mobility. In addition to high achievements in art, singing and music, the future star also had achievements in sports. While studying at school, Sofia took an active part in all school theater performances, mastered playing various instruments and went to the drama club. Sofia was called the “Bukovinian nightingale” for her beautiful voice and artistry. Sofia delighted not only her fellow villagers with her talent, but also residents of neighboring villages, organizing tours.
It only took three years for Rotaru to soar to the peak of fame. While still very young, Rotaru participates and wins in a regional-scale amateur art show. After this, a series of new awards and recognition began in the Soviet Union. Sofia’s photo was published on the main page of the Ukraine publication after receiving first place at the All-Union Talent Festival.
World fame came to Rotaru after winning the World Creative Competition held in Bulgaria in the late 1960s. And in the film “Chervona Ruta”, shot in the early 1970s, Sofia’s songs were used. Newspapers and magazines published articles about the successes and life of the young star.
Sofia Rotaru: personal life, biography
Young Sofia was taken to variety ensemble, operating at the Chernivtsi Philharmonic. A series of performances began not only across the territory of the USSR, but also the performance of songs by pop stars in Europe. The star’s list of achievements was replenished with victories at the “Song of the Year” and “Golden Orpheus” competitions.
Rotaru published her debut album in 1974, and it was then that the decision was made to move to Crimea to start a solo career. She received the deserved title of People's Artist of the Ukrainian SSR in 1976. Until the end of the 1970s, a couple of significant albums were recorded, thanks to which the singer’s talent was promoted outside the country. Foreign producers paid attention to Rotaru and bombarded the singer with their proposals. By 1983, an English-language album was recorded, and Sofia visited Canada and gave concerts throughout Europe. But soon the government of the USSR decided to ban artists from traveling outside the country for a period of five years. Undeterred, the ensemble goes on successful tours throughout the entire Crimean region.
Solo performances
After the collapse of VIA "Chervona Ruta" in the mid-80s, Sofia had the opportunity to arrange solo career. Despite her experience and knowledge of how to work in the current situation, the singer encountered many experiences and difficulties along the way. After meeting with Vladimir Matetsky, Rotaru made changes in the direction of her work. After working for 15 years with this wonderful man, Sofia received the title of People's Artist of the USSR.
During “perestroika”, a mutually beneficial cooperation contract was concluded with Alla Dukhova’s dance group “Todes”. Together with People's Artist a dancing group performed throughout the USSR. Adapting to the changed realities after the collapse of the USSR was quite difficult for the singer, but she coped with this obstacle. Sofia gave tours in Russian and Ukrainian in the newly formed independent republics.
Cinema with Sofia Rotaru
It should be noted that Sofia had talent not only as a singer, but also as an actress. She easily gets key roles in many Soviet and Russian films. " Sorochinskaya fair", "Soul", "Where are you, love?" only a few films from the singer’s list of roles.
Sofia Rotaru: new photos, n new husband
Sofia met Anatoly Evdokimenko while working with Chervona Ruta. Anatoly was the artistic director of VIA. They were connected not only by working in the same team, but also by a deep feeling of love. For the first time future wife Anatoly noticed on the pages of the publication “Ukraine”. The wedding took place in 1968, and after some time they had a son, Ruslan.
According to Sofia, she and her husband experienced both joyful moments and various troubles. They were not left alone for a moment, spending time together both at work and on vacation. After the sudden death of her husband as a result of a stroke in the early 2000s, the actress canceled tours, filming, and meetings. However, the singer was able to cope with the bereavement and get back on track. An army of millions of fans admires not only the star’s creativity, but also her human qualities.
Sofia Mikhailovna Rotaru- Soviet and Ukrainian singer and actress. Sofia Rotaru - People's Artist of the USSR (1988), one of the most popular singers of the Soviet, Russian and Ukrainian stage, Hero of Ukraine (2002).
early years and education of Sofia Rotaru
Sofia Rotaru was born on August 7, 1947 in the village of Marshintsy, Novoselitsky district, Chernivtsi region. Sofia's family is of Moldovan origin.
Father - Mikhail Fedorovich Rotaru (1918−2004), participant of the Great Patriotic War, machine gunner. He reached Berlin, was wounded and returned to his native village. He worked as a foreman of winegrowers.
Mother - Alexandra Ivanovna Rotaru (1920−1997). In addition to Sofia, the family had five children: two brothers and three sisters. Older sister Zina (born 10/11/1942), who suffered serious illness, lost her sight as a child, according to the singer’s biography on her website.
In her interviews, Sofia Rotaru often said that her entire family is unusually musical.
“It’s hard to say when and how music appeared in my life. It seems that she has always lived in me. I grew up surrounded by music, it sounded everywhere: at the wedding table, at gatherings, at evening parties, at dances...”, said the singer. The girl began singing in the first grade in the school choir. In addition, although it was not encouraged, Sofia also sang in the church choir.
At school and after graduation, Sofia Rotaru did a lot of sports, athletics, became the school champion in all-around, and went to regional Olympiads. At the regional sports festival in Chernivtsi she became the winner in the 100 and 800 meters.
Sofia's first music teacher was her father. He had perfect pitch and a beautiful voice. As a schoolgirl, Sofia learned to play the domra and button accordion, and, of course, was an active participant in amateur performances. And home concerts were often held at home; Rotaru’s songs even then delighted the villagers. The father was convinced that Sonya would become an artist.
And then the first successes came. Sofia Rotaru won the regional amateur art competition and entered the regional show. Countrymen began to call Sofia “Bukovinian Nightingale” for her voice. And in subsequent years, at all competitions, Rotaru captivated the audience with her contralto, winning prestigious awards.
In 1964, Sofia Rotaru was sent to the Republican Festival of Folk Talents, where the young singer took first place. In this regard, her photo was published on the cover of the magazine “Ukraine”. Having seen Sofia's photo, her future husband Anatoly Evdokimenko fell in love with her at first sight.
1964 is a fateful year in Rotaru’s biography. Sofia Rotaru sang for the first time at the Kremlin Palace of Congresses. And again victory. And after graduating from school, Sofia entered the conducting and choral department of the Chernivtsi Music College.
At this time, the young man in love served in the Urals. By the way, Anatoly graduated from music school and played the trumpet. Future husband Sofia after the army entered Chernivtsi University and played in the university pop orchestra. It was Anatoly, who finally met Rotaru, who invited her to sing with a pop orchestra. Before this, Sofia sang to the accompaniment of violins and cymbals.
Musical career of singer Sofia Rotaru
In 1968, Rotaru graduated from college and was delegated to the IX World Festival of Youth and Students, held in Bulgaria. The news headlines read: “Sofia has conquered Sofia.”
In 1971, director Roman Alekseev directed the musical film “Chervona Ruta”. Sofia was invited to play the main role. Afterwards, the Chernivtsi Philharmonic created its own ensemble “Chervona Ruta”. From that moment on, Rotaru and the Chervona Ruta ensemble began collaborating with the talented composer Vladimir Ivasyuk. Ivasyuk created a cycle popular songs, based on folk music, which were sung throughout the Soviet Union by Sofia Rotaru.
After tragic death composer Ivasyuk Sofia continued to sing his songs. A Mikhail Ivasyuk- Vladimir’s father - said in front of an audience of thousands of fellow countrymen: “We must bow deeply to the Moldavian girl Sonya, who spread my son’s songs all over the world.”
Success accompanied Rotaru at all concerts. Sofia sang on many famous stages of the USSR. With the Chervona Ruta ensemble, Rotaru traveled almost the entire country, had a constant audience on radio and television, and was active in concert activities.
In 1973, in Sunny Beach (Bulgaria), Rotaru became the winner of the Golden Orpheus competition, performing the song “My City” Evgenia Dogi and a song in Bulgarian “Bird”.
In 1983, Sofia Rotaru received the title of People's Artist of the Moldavian SSR. And in May 1988, Sofia Rotaru was awarded the title of People's Artist of the USSR, the first of modern pop singers.
Famous Soviet composers created their songs just for her. Popular songs Arno Babajanyan("Give me back the music") Alexey Mazhukov(“And the music sounds”), David Tukhmanov(“Stork on the Roof”, “In My House”), Yuri Saulsky("Regular melody") Alexandra Pakhmutova("Pace"), Raymond Pauls("Dance on the Drum") Evgenia Martynova (« Swan fidelity", "Apple Trees in Bloom") and many others still delight fans of Rotaru’s work.
And after the collapse of the USSR, the singer has a stable audience, including in the Russian-speaking diaspora in Europe and the USA. In 1992, a super hit was released performed by Rotaru - “Khutoryanka” (music Vladimir Matetsky, poetry Mikhail Shabrov).
They haven’t stopped listening to Sofia Rotaru’s songs in Russia either, and the singer herself, still just as young, constantly participates in TV programs and comes to give concerts. In the mid-90s, Rotaru took part in popular films“Old songs about the main thing” and “10 songs about Moscow”. At “Song-96” Sofia Rotaru was recognized as “Best Pop Singer of 1996”, awarding a prize named after Klavdia Shulzhenko.
Sofia recorded songs at her own studio in Yalta. Her first CD collections were released in 1993 best songs- “Sofia Rotaru” and “Lavender”, then - “Golden Songs 1985/95” and “Khutoryanka”.
In 1997, Rotaru became honorary citizen Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
In 1998, Sofia Rotaru’s first official CD was released, the album “Love Me,” released under the “Extraphone” label. In April, the premiere of Rotaru’s new solo program “Love Me” took place at the State Kremlin Palace in Moscow. Sofia recorded the song “September” in a duet with Nikolai Rastorguev.
In 1999, the Star Records label released two more CD collections of the singer in the “Star Series”. At the end of the year, Rotaru was recognized best singer Ukraine in the “Traditional Variety” category.
The new millennium was marked by new high-profile titles, Rotaru was recognized as “Man of the 20th Century”, “Best Ukrainian Pop Singer of the 20th Century”, “Golden Voice of Ukraine”, “Woman of the Year”, and was awarded “For a special contribution to the development of the Russian stage”.
In December 2001, Sofia Rotaru released a new solo concert program, “My Life is My Love!”, dedicated to the 30th anniversary of her creative activity. The song “My Life, My Love” opened the “New Year’s Light” on the ORT TV channel in 2002.
Then followed new albums by Rotaru: “I still love you”, “The sky is me”, “Lavender, Khutoryanka, then everywhere ...”, “I loved him”, in general, Sofia made sure that her fans there was something to listen to.
In 2007, Sofia Rotaru celebrated her 60th anniversary with pomp. There was a gala reception at the Livadia Palace, and in October the State Kremlin Palace hosted anniversary concerts Sofia. President of Ukraine Victor Yushchenko awarded Sofia Rotaru the Order of Merit, II degree.
To mark the 40th anniversary of her creative activity, Rotaru held anniversary concerts in Moscow (Grand Kremlin Palace) and St. Petersburg (Ice Palace) in October 2011.
Rotaru's health status
On August 26, 2018, Free Press reported that Sofia Rotaru was urgently hospitalized in the intensive care unit of one of the Ufa hospitals.
The news reported that Rotaru had no scheduled concerts in Ufa. In the city she performed at one of the corporate events.
According to preliminary information, the singer’s condition worsened towards the end of the performance, after which she was called “ Ambulance"and was urgently hospitalized.
Doctors were allegedly forbidden to say that Rotaru was in intensive care. It is noted that the “best” doctors in the region were called in to provide the necessary assistance, and “special conditions” were prepared.
Sofia Rotaru later commented on the news of her hospitalization. According to her, the day before she actually had some health problems, RIA Novosti reported.
At the same time, the artist thanked her fans for their support and care and added that she now feels fine.
Sofia Rotaru about relations between Russia and Ukraine
According to media reports, after the annexation of Crimea to Russia, Sofia Rotaru did not accept Russian citizenship. She herself later explained that she was registered in Kyiv, so she was not entitled to a Russian passport by law. At the same time, according to her, she would not refuse to give her Russian passport Putin. “You won’t need to apply for a work permit,” Sofia explained.
On the Rotaru website you can read her appeal to the people of Ukraine, made in January 2014 during Euromaidan. In it, Sofia appealed “to everyone to stop the violence.” “All parties to the conflict have an obligation to hear each other and find a peaceful solution.” Requests regarding further developments, in particular, there is no conflict in Donbass on Sofia Rotaru’s website.
The photo that the singer’s son posted in 2014 caused a lot of noise. Ruslan Evdokimenko, in which Sofia, holding a yellow-blue flag, and her family congratulated the country on Independence Day. The son signed the photo on the social network with the odious nationalist greeting “Glory to Ukraine.”
Rotaru herself, in an interview with Life, noted that she simply congratulated the people of Ukraine on this holiday, as she “congratulated Russia many times or Uzbekistan and other countries of the former Soviet Union.” Sofia even said that she “had a desire to take a photo with two flags - Russia and Ukraine and write: “I am for the friendship of peoples.” However, she suppressed this desire.
In recent years, Sofia Rotaru has not performed concerts in Russia. Its director Sergey Lavrov explains this by saying that the singer does not want to participate in “political intrigues.” “She does not give interviews, although she is offered substantial fees for a television confession in home environment. She categorically does not want this, because if her interview appears on television in Russia, then in Ukraine she will be torn apart. Unfortunately, she became a victim of the political situation...”, the media quoted Lavrov as saying.
At the same time, and during the period of aggravation of Russian-Ukrainian relations, Sofia Rotaru visited Russia, in 2015 she participated in New Year's concert on one of Russian TV channels and spoke at the 70th anniversary of the Rosatom corporation in the Kremlin.
Summer 2017 creative evening Sofia Rotaru, dedicated to the 70th anniversary, was held as part of music festival"Heat" in Baku. There, Rotaru was congratulated by many Russian colleagues, the organizer of the festival Grigory Leps made a cover of the song “I loved him”, Glucose covered the hit “Luna, Moon”. Rotaru herself sang her own famous songs“Chervona Ruta”, “One viburnum”, “The sky is me”. Sofia performed “Melancolie” with her sister Aurika, and “Khutoryanka” with Potapom and Nastya Kamensky.
Income of Sofia Rotaru
Sofia Mikhailovna has a business in Crimea. Rotaru opened its hotel “Villa Sofia” in the most prestigious area of Yalta, the so-called “New City”, at the beginning of 2009. And Rotaru is the owner of a small " gingerbread house» in the village of Nikita (7 km from Yalta).
In 2015, Ukrainian Forbes included Sofia Rotaru in the rating of “25 most expensive and popular stars of Ukraine.”
At the same time, the singer's sister Lydia Khlyabich in the same 2015, she said that due to problems with concerts in Russia, Sofia Rotaru had to cut expenses and “she is already counting the money.” Khlyabich also complained about the small number of vacationers at the Rotaru Hotel in Yalta.
Now Sofia Rotaru lives in Kyiv, in her house in the prestigious suburb of Koncha-Zaspa.
Personal life Sofia Rotaru
Sofia Rotaru has a large family that supports her in difficult life moments. In 1968, Sofia married Anatoly Evdokimenko, and in 1970, their son Ruslan was born.
Sofia Rotaru’s husband, Anatoly Evdokimenko, died prematurely of a stroke in 2002. The singer took his loss seriously.
Relatives help Rotaru in his work: son Ruslan is the singer’s concert producer, and daughter-in-law Svetlana is creative director and a stylist.
Rotaru's granddaughter Sofia (Sonya) is engaged in horse riding and modeling. IN Ukrainian news it was reported that in 2017, Sofia graduated from her studies in Kyiv and entered a private school in England. Rotaru’s granddaughter studied vocals and can follow in her grandmother’s footsteps.
Anatoly, Rotaru's grandson, studied fashion photography at London's Central St. Martin's College of Art and Design. The young man also masters specialties graphic designer And music producer.
On the eve of her anniversary (the singer turned 70 on August 7, 2017), Rotaru flew to rest with her family: her son Ruslan Evdokimenko, his wife Svetlana and grandchildren - Sofia and Anatoly to Italy.
Sofia Rotaru's daughter-in-law published many photos of their vacation on her microblog. In one of them, Svetlana Evdokimenko showed the singer without hair and makeup. Fans of the artist noted that even without makeup, Sofia Rotaru looks no worse than when stylists and makeup artists work on her.
Let's add that, according to her, the singer helps to stay in great shape: sports, healthy eating, a positive attitude towards life and love for people.
Rotaru Sofia Mikhailovna (b. 1947) - Soviet, Russian and Ukrainian pop singer. He is of Moldovan origin, Ukrainian citizenship, and permanently resides in Yalta and Kyiv. In addition to Ukrainian, Moldavian and Russian, he also sings in English, Spanish, Bulgarian, French, Italian, Serbian, Polish, German. Her repertoire includes about 400 songs. She has the titles of People's Artist of the USSR and Hero of Ukraine, and is one of the highest paid singers in the territory of the former Soviet Union.
Childhood
Sofia was born on August 7, 1947 in the Ukrainian SSR in the village of Marshintsy, Chernivtsi region.
Dad, Rotar Mikhail Fedorovich, had Moldavian roots. During the war he served as a machine gunner, reached Berlin, was wounded after the war, so he returned home only in 1946. In the village, he was one of the first to join the party and worked as a foreman among winegrowers.
Mom raised children, of whom there were six in the family, ran the household and garden, and sold the products she grew at the market.
Little Sonya was the second child in the family, and she was given many responsibilities around the house, caring for younger brothers and sisters, I had to help my mother. Sofia’s mother woke her up while it was still dark, because by six in the morning she had to arrive at the market, take a seat and lay out the food. The girl was terribly sleepy, and she finally came to her senses only when lively trade began. There was always a queue outside them, my mother was incredibly clean, people knew her products and constantly bought them.
Many years later, in one of her interviews, Sofia will later say that her childhood memories remained very strong, how she wanted to sleep in the morning, and now she doesn’t get out of bed before 10 am, as if trying to make up for the lack of sleep from childhood. And Sofia Rotaru never bargains at the market with people who sell their homemade products: she knows how hard work it is, because before you sell, you need to grow everything.
For such hard work, mom and dad earned the title of a drummer of socialist labor and an exemplary mother-housewife.
The girl's father loved to sing in his youth; he had a beautiful voice and exceptional hearing. Dad became her first teacher, teaching Moldovan folk motifs.
A special role is that Sonya loved music so much early childhood, my sister Zina also played. She suffered from typhus and completely lost her sight, the disabled girl could not help her mother with housework, her only joy was the radio, which she listened to for hours and then sang exactly all the melodies she heard. She taught these songs to her younger sister Sofia, and she easily picked up any composition and sang. Her father, looking at her, joked: “Our Sonya will be an artist.”
Studies
Having started school, the girl signed up and sang in the school choir from the first grade.
A few years later, on weekends, she also began singing in the church choir, but the Soviet school at that time did not welcome the church, and Sofia was even threatened with expulsion from the pioneers.
Sonya grew up very active child, and besides music, there were many other hobbies in her childhood life. She liked sports, especially athletics, the girl was even a school champion in all-around. In high school, she went to Chernivtsi for regional sports competitions, where she achieved victories in running at distances of 100 and 800 meters.
In addition to sports, Sofia was very attracted to the theater; at school she enrolled in a drama club. She took part in all amateur art shows and taught herself to play the button accordion.
The girl really liked it when their amateur art group traveled to neighboring villages with concerts. She liked the feeling of standing on stage, looking at auditorium. Her strong contralto, which almost approached a soprano, was liked by listeners, and soon Sofia Rotaru was nicknamed the “Bukovinian nightingale.”
Start of a musical journey
She experienced her first success in 1962, when, as a very young fifteen-year-old girl, she won an amateur art competition in the region.
Then, having won the regional show, Sofia received a referral to the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv, for the republican festival of folk talents. It was 1964, here she again became the first, and her photograph was published on the cover of the magazine “Ukraine”.
After winning the festival, the girl firmly decided to connect her life with music and become a singer. Just after graduating from school, she went to Chernivtsi, where she entered School of Music. There was no vocal department there, and she became a student in the conducting and choral department.
Victory at the republican festival opened the way for Sofia Rotaru to the all-Union, and then the world level.
In 1964 she was invited to sing in Kremlin Palace congresses.
After graduating from music school, she received a ticket to the World Festival of Youth and Students in Bulgaria, where she represented the Soviet Union. Among the performers folk compositions she received first prize and a gold medal.
All the newspapers in Bulgaria the next day came out with the headlines: “21-year-old Sofia conquered Sofia.” Then the legendary Lyudmila Zykina was on the jury. Having seen and heard Sofia Rotaru, she said about her: “This is a singer with a great future”.
In 1971, the film “Chervona Ruta” was released on the screens of the country, where the main character there was Sofia Rotaru. The success of the film among the audience was deafening, Sofia was invited to work at the Chernivtsi Philharmonic, where she and her husband Anatoly Evdokimenko created the VIA “Chervona Ruta”.
The group's debut performance took place in Star City in front of Soviet cosmonauts. This was the first statement of outstanding representatives of the Soviet stage, who decided to combine folk motifs with modern rhythms.
Sofia Rotaru and the Chervona Ruta team were gaining popularity in a vast country, they conquered more and more new stages:
- Central Concert Hall "Russia";
- Variety Theater;
- Kremlin Palace.
I came for concert tours, recordings on radio and television real success.
Worldwide recognition and fame
Further music career The “Bukovinian nightingale” developed as rapidly as a mountain river in the homeland of Sofia Rotaru could rage. The whirlpool of life events caught the young talented singer and carried him to the heights of glory.
| Year | Event in the career of Sofia Rotaru |
| 1972 | Polish tour with the program “Songs and Dances of the Land of Soviets”. |
| 1973 | Receiving first prize at the Golden Orpheus competition in Bulgaria, participation in the final festival “Song of the Year”, the title of Honored Artist of Ukraine. |
| 1974 | Laureate of the International Song Festival in Sopot. |
| 1975 | Sofia Rotaru moved from Chernivtsi to Yalta and began performing under the auspices of the Crimean Philharmonic. |
| 1976 | Title of People's Artist of Ukraine. |
| 1979 | Deafening tour in Germany. |
| 1980 | First Prize for International competition in Tokyo, presentation of the Order of the Badge of Honor. |
| 1983 | Title of People's Artist of the Moldavian SSR. |
| 1985 | Receiving the “Golden Disc” prize from the All-Union Recording Company “Melodiya” for the best-selling records in the USSR “Sofia Rotaru” and “Tender Melody”; they were released with a circulation of more than 1 million. Awarding the Order of Friendship of Peoples. |
| 1988 | Sofia Rotaru is the first modern pop singer to be awarded the title of People's Artist of the Soviet Union. |
In 1986, the Chervona Ruta team broke up, and Sofia Rotaru began a solo career on the stage. Her collaboration with composers Yuri Saulsky, Raymond Pauls, Evgeny Martynov and Alexandra Pakhmutova was very fruitful. But Vladimir Matetsky wrote especially many songs for Sofia, almost all of them were included in the final festivals “Songs of the Year” and “New Year blue lights».
The whole country knew by heart and sang such hits performed by Sofia Rotaru as:
- "Swan Fidelity";
- “And the music sounds”;
- "Romance";
- "Stork on the Roof";
- "In my house";
- "Moon, moon";
- "Lavender";
- “It was, but it’s gone”;
- “Only this is not enough”;
- "Caravan of Love";
- "Melancolia";
- "Farmer".
11 times Sofia Rotaru became the owner of the prestigious Golden Gramophone music award.
Sofia Mikhailovna was recognized as “The best Ukrainian pop singer of the twentieth century.”
Personal life
One and only and for life. This is exactly what her husband Anatoly Evdokimenko turned out to be for Sofia Rotaru.
He was her fellow countryman, also from the Chernivtsi region. In 1964 he served in the army in Nizhny Tagil. His father was a builder, and his mother was a teacher. The parents were perplexed as to where their son’s uncontrollable craving for music came from. After graduating from music school, Anatoly played the trumpet excellently, and after serving in the army he planned to create his own VIA.
In the army library, Anatoly came across the magazine “Ukraine”, where on the cover there was a miracle girl who won the Republican music competition. For him it was love at first sight.
Returning home after service, Anatoly continued his studies at Chernivtsi University, where he played the trumpet in the student pop orchestra, and began to look for his love.
He managed to win Sofia’s heart only after two years of courtship. He invited her to be a soloist in the student orchestra, they saw each other almost every day, and over time the relationship grew from friendship into something more.
In 1968, Sofia and Anatoly got married. And their Honeymoon took place in Novosibirsk in the dormitory of a military plant, where Evdokimenko was sent to practice from the university.
For Anatoly, his wife’s career always came first; he was never jealous of her stage and success. For Sonya's sake, he gave up science, although he was an excellent physicist and wrote many articles. For more than 30 years they were close, he became everything for Sofia: program director and producer, director and director, bodyguard and, of course, the only and most beloved man.
In the summer of 1970, their boy Ruslan was born. He bears his father’s last name – Evdokimenko. He is also involved in musical activities and is a producer.
But a serious, long-term illness separated Sofia and Anatoly. He died in 2002, the singer could not come to her senses for a long time from what had happened, and refused to believe in her husband’s death. Having survived this tragedy, she stated that there could be no other men in her life, from now on she is entirely devoted to music.
Son Ruslan is married, he and his wife gave Sofya Mikhailovna two charming grandchildren.
In 1994, grandson Anatoly was born, and in 2001, granddaughter Sofia.
The singer and her son’s family live in Yalta. After the annexation of Crimea to Russia, she did not accept Russian citizenship, saying that she had permanent residence in Kyiv, but would not mind dual citizenship.
At almost 70 years old, Sofya Mikhailovna manages to maintain an amazing figure and beauty. Her secret is simple: to love life in all its manifestations and enjoy every given day; it is from the inner state of the soul that the appearance depends.
Sofia Rotaru once said: “In my repertoire there are songs of different genres, but almost always - dramatic plot, dramatic melody. A song for me is a small short story with its own world of feelings, dramatic structure, and characters.” This is why we love Rotaru - for the real, genuine drama that can only be played by a singer with a great voice, real talent, strong character and a huge reserve of love. And a lot of it musical short stories in the end they created a legend out of her.
Sofia Mikhailovna was born in the outback of the vast USSR empire shortly after the Great Patriotic War in 1947. Her father went through the entire war as a machine gunner and returned alive. In hardworking and musical family there were six children, and all of them sang and worked from early childhood. In her memoirs, Sofia Mikhailovna repeatedly talked about how her mother woke her up at six in the morning to go to work at the market (remembering the difficult experience of her childhood, even at an advanced age, Sofia Mikhailovna never bargained in the markets and forbade her husband). However, the parents were always sure that their daughter would become an artist, since from a very young age she had an unusually strong and in a beautiful voice, for which she was nicknamed “nightingale” in her native village. Moreover, little Sofia could sing in any circumstances: either at work, or locked at night in a barn with a button accordion. Mom said this about her: “You only have music in your head.” And her father (Sofia Rotaru’s singing talent comes from him) was always sure: “Sonya will be an artist.”
Little Sonya made the decision to become an artist from early childhood. Therefore, she actively participated in school amateur performances. And thus I got to the regional review. At these regional shows in Chernivtsi in 1962 and 1963, Sofia Rotaru received not only a first degree diploma, but also fame at the regional level. After the competitions, the singer with a pronounced contralto was already nicknamed “The Bukovinian Nightingale.”
The next step to success is the result of those very regional competitions- as the winner, in 1964 Rotaru was sent to Kyiv to participate in the republican festival of young talents. She becomes the first again. And this time he receives not only public recognition, but an unexpected bonus from fate itself. After winning the festival, Sofia Rotaru’s portrait is printed on the cover of Ukraine magazine No. 27 for 1965. At the same time, in the Urals, in Nizhny Tagil, recruit Anatoly Evdokimenko is serving in the army. After seeing the magazine, he falls in love with the girl on the cover. So much so that after his service he goes to Ukraine and finds her. In 1968, Sofia and Anatoly got married and lived together all their lives (Anatoly died in 2002).
Meanwhile, back in the same distant year of 1964, Sofia Rotaru is becoming more and more famous. She is already performing on the stage of the Kremlin Palace of Congresses. Her work attracts attention also because, in addition to strong voice and in her unique style of performance, the singer boldly goes for musical experiments, boldly mixing folk songs with modern arrangements. In that distant and difficult time, when everyone’s songs mainly glorify the party and the Komsomol, Sofia Rotaru sings about love in Russian, Ukrainian, Moldavian and even Spanish, adding elements of jazz, instrumental arrangement and recitative to her music, which was previously Soviet stage no one did.
However, after all the victories, Sofia Rotaru returns to Chernivtsi so that, since she has decided to devote her life to music, she will receive musical education. And he entered the Chernivtsi Music School in the conducting and choral department (since there was no vocal department there).
The following competitions and festivals are only after graduation. And the first place Rotaru goes is the Ninth World Festival in Bulgaria. There, the singer not only takes first prize and a gold medal for performing Ukrainian and Moldavian folk songs, but also receives a start in life from the head of the jury, Lyudmila Zykina. “This is a singer with a great future,” Zykina said about Rotaru.
And again, after the resounding success, Rotaru is in no hurry to become a mega-star. From 1968 to 1971, we didn’t hear much about her. The singer herself at this time works as a music teacher, then gets married and gives birth to a son, Ruslan. It is interesting that at this time Anatoly Evdokimenko worked at the plant named after. Lenin, so the young family spent their honeymoon in the dormitory of the 105th military plant. And while her husband was building socialism, Sofia Rotaru cooked food for everyone, and in the evenings she sang at the Otdykh club.
Well, in 1971, Sofia Rotaru goes into battle again. “It’s good that I managed to give birth to a son,” she will say later. “Until these endless tours began.” And they really began in the 70s. At first there were filming, in musical film"Chervona Ruta", where Rotaru starred in leading role, and after filming the film she created a group of the same name. Rotaru will be inseparable from the Chervona Ruta group for many years, and will achieve huge success, cementing her image as a singer of folklore material in modern arrangements - a representative of a whole movement of Soviet pop art. And her first performance with the Chervona Ruta group is the concert they give for astronauts in Star City.
This stage is followed by increasingly larger ones - "Russia", the Variety Theater, the Kremlin Palace. 1971 becomes the year from which Sofia Rotaru officially begins her creative activity. And already in the same year, the singer begins to attract full houses, not only in the USSR, but also in the countries of the socialist camp - Poland and Bulgaria. In the mid-70s, Rotaru further increased its popularity by collaborating with talented and popular composers and poets. At this time, many hits appear that will go with her throughout her life, becoming her calling card. Such as “Stork on the Roof” by David Tukhmanov, “Dance on the Drum” by Raymond Pauls and “Swan Fidelity” by Evgeny Martynov are complex, dramatic songs that require the performer not only to have excellent vocal control, but also, of course, acting. The fact that every person still associates all of them with Sofia Rotaru speaks only of one thing - no one sang them better than her.
Already at this time, Rotaru received full recognition from the entire Soviet public. Well, in 1976 it became official - she was awarded the title of People's Artist of Ukraine. True, if you lose it in one place, you will find it in another, and vice versa. At the same time, the West began to become very interested in Sofia Rotaru; a German recording company was ready to record a large studio disc with her. However, Rotaru was not allowed into the West. It got to the point of ridiculousness: when Western producers called the State Concert, they were answered like this: “Rotaru? This kind of thing doesn’t work here.”
In the 80s, Rotaru also actively gives concerts, and at the same time acts in films, and not only sings on the screen, but also performs all the stunts on his own. At this time she was very sick, but did not stop touring. Due to the extreme thinness of the singer, terrible rumors begin to circulate about her that she allegedly has asthma and will soon die. Instead - you can't wait! - Rotaru is doing what he has been dreaming of for a long time. Many people dream about this, but in the Soviet Union it is impossible - the singer releases music album in the west, in Canada. For this she was punished - she and her group “Chervona Ruta” were banned from traveling abroad for five years. But after a while they were rewarded. In 1983, Rotaru became the People's Artist of Moldova.
In the second half of the 80s, Sofia Rotaru tried herself in a new image - she began collaborating with composer Vladimir Matetsky, and elements of rock were added to her music. Since then, she has had several new lasting superhits, such as “Moon, Moon”, “Khutoryanka”, “Golden Heart”, “This Is Not Enough”, etc. Her popularity soars to the skies. In 1988, Sofia Rotaru became People's Artist of the USSR. It would seem that she is at the top. However, it was at this time that something happened to the singer that later in an interview she would call “the biggest betrayal in her life.” From her to in full force The Chervona Ruta group leaves. In one of her interviews, Sofia Rotaru answered a journalist’s question: “Have you ever been truly scared?” answered: “When I was betrayed. This was connected with the Chervona Ruta collective, which Tolik (A. Evdokimenko) organized at one time. It was the peak of popularity, when we were carried in our arms, when cars were lifted at concerts. The guys thought that they could count on success without me, that I treated them wrong, that my repertoire was wrong, that they received little money... They got together and decided that they didn’t need us. They left with a scandal and with the name “Chervona Ruta.”
At the same time, unpleasant events awaited the singer in Ukraine. Local musical figures were increasingly irritated by the fact that the singer was collaborating with Russia and singing in Russian. As a result, some production structures and concert associations, which lost control over the financial side of Rotaru’s concert activities during economic reforms, organized riots at her concerts in Lviv. The singer, who came on stage to sing, was booed, shaking placards: “Sofia, punishment awaits you!”
However, this did not stop the singer, she continued to give concerts, and in them sing Ukrainian, Moldavian, and Russian songs, without separating herself from any culture to which she believes that she belongs.
As before, so later, at the turn of the century, Sofia Rotaru remained unshakable, like a rock. The only time in her life she allowed herself to cancel concerts was when her husband, Anatoly Evdokimenko, with whom the singer lived her life, died of a stroke in October 2002.
This is all she is - Great singer Sofia Rotaru, which today belongs to three states - Ukraine, Moldova and Russia. Iron character and unconditional talent are a unique formula that created a legend. And even now, at 65, she continues to inspire admiration, maintaining not only excellent professional shape, but also remaining stunning beautiful woman, who decided everything in her life, managed to do it and did it right. Another proof of this is her son Ruslan, who gave her two grandchildren - Anatoly and Sofia Rotaru.
Data
- There are peculiar discrepancies in the spelling of the singer's surname. In the credits of some films where she starred, her last name is written as Rotar. The fact is that the village of Marshintsi, where the singer was born, was part of Romania until 1940, so this pronunciation of the singer’s surname is simply the same, only in the Romanian manner. Edita Piekha advised Sofia to write her surname in the Moldovan style with the letter “u” at the end.
- IN feature film"Where are you, love?" there is an episode where Sofia Rotaru milks a cow. In the same film there is an episode where Sofia Rotaru rides a motorcycle. And in another film, “Monologue about Love,” where the singer starred, she windsurfs on the open sea. And she did all this herself.
- As a child, Sofia Rotaru sang in a church choir, for which they wanted to expel her from the pioneers.
- Sofia Rotaru is Moldovan by nationality, but has Ukrainian citizenship. Since both national themes strongly intertwined in her work, both countries consider her their singer. And during the collapse of the USSR in 1991, there was even a joke that during the negotiations in Belovezhskaya Pushcha the question was raised: “How will we divide Rotaru?”
- After counting all Rotaru’s songs performed in the finals of the Song of the Year festival, it turned out that Rotaru holds the absolute record among all participants in history - 83 songs performed at 38 festivals.
Awards
USSR
1978 - Lenin Komsomol Prize - for high performing skills and active promotion of Soviet song
1980 - Order of the Badge of Honor
1985 - Order of Friendship of Peoples
Ukraine
1996 — Honorary insignia of the President of Ukraine
1999 - Order of Princess Olga, III degree - for outstanding personal achievements in the development of song creativity, many years of fruitful concert activity, high performing skills
2002 - Order of Princess Olga, 1st degree - for significant labor achievements, high professionalism and on the occasion International Day women's rights and peace
2002 - Hero of Ukraine - for outstanding services to the Ukrainian state in the development of art, selfless work in the field of preserving national cultural traditions and enhancing the song heritage of the peoples of Ukraine
2002 - Order of the Power
2007 - Order of Merit, II degree - for significant personal contribution to the development of Ukrainian musical art, high performing skills and many years of fruitful activity
Russia
2002 - Order of Honor - for his great contribution to the development of pop art and strengthening Russian-Ukrainian cultural ties
Moldova
1997 - Order of the Republic of Moldova
Ranks
1973 - Honored Artist of the Ukrainian SSR
1975 - People's Artist of the Ukrainian SSR
1983 - People's Artist of the Moldavian SSR
1988 - People's Artist of the USSR
1997 - Honorary Citizen of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea
1998 — Honorary citizen of Chernivtsi
Honorary citizen of Yalta
Prizes and awards:
1962 - Winner of the regional amateur art competition
1963 — First degree diploma at the regional amateur art show
1964 - Laureate of the Republican Festival of Folk Talents,
1968 - Gold medal and first prize at the IX World Festival youth and students
1973 - First prize at the Golden Orpheus festival
1974 - Second prize at the International Song Festival in Sopot
1977 - Laureate of the Ukrainian Republican Komsomol Prize named after. N. Ostrovsky
1981 - 1978 - Laureate of the Lenin Komsomol Prize
1981 - Art. film "Where are you love?" receives a prize at the All-Union Film Festival in Vilnius
1996 - Winner of the Ovation Prize, laying a personal star in Yalta
1996 - Laureate of the Prize named after. Klavdia Shulzhenko “Best pop singer 1996"
1997 — Honorary Prize of the President of Ukraine for outstanding contribution to the development of pop art “Song Vernissage”
1999 — Winner of the All-Ukrainian Prize in the field of music and mass entertainment “Golden Firebird - 99” in the category “Traditional Variety”
1999 - “Person of the Year” according to the recognition of the “Russian Biographical Institute”, “Woman of the Year”, Kiev
2000 — Laureate of the Ovation Prize, “For a special contribution to the development of the Russian stage,” Moscow
2000 - “Man of the 20th century”, “Best Ukrainian pop singer of the 20th century”, Kiev
2000 - Winner of the Prometheus - Prestige Award
2003 - Laureate National Award public recognition of the achievements of women "Olympia" Russian Academy business and entrepreneurship
2002 - “Star of Ukraine” laying of a personal star in the center of Kyiv, an honorary diploma and a commemorative breastplate “Star of the Ukrainian Pop”
2008 - Winner of the Ovation Award, Pop Music - Masters, Moscow
Movies
Musical TV films
1966 - “The Nightingale from the village of Marshintsy”
1971 — “Chervona Ruta”
1975 - “The song is always with us”
1978 - “Sofia Rotaru sings”
1979 — “Musical Detective”
1981 — “Chervona Ruta, 10 years later”
1985 - “Sofia Rotaru invites you”
1986 — “Monologue about love”
1989 — “Heart of Gold”
1990 — “Caravan of Love”
1991 — “One Day at the Sea”
1996 — “Old songs about the main thing”
1997 — “10 songs about Moscow”
2003 — “Crazy Day, or The Marriage of Figaro”
2005 — “The Snow Queen”
2005 — “Sorochinskaya Fair”
2006 — “Metro”
2007 — “Star Vacation”
2007 — “The Kingdom of Crooked Mirrors”
2009 — “Goldfish”
Art films
1980 - Where are you, love?
1981 - Soul
Albums
1972 Sofia Rotaru
1972 Sofia Rotaru sings
1972 Chervona Ruta
1973 Sofia Rotaru sings
1973 Ballad of Violins
1974 Sofia Rotaru
1975 Sofia Rotaru sings songs by Vladimir Ivasyuk
1977 Sofia Rotaru
1978 Sofia Rotaru
1980 Only for you
1981 Sofia Rotaru
1981 Songs from the film “Where are you, love?”
1981 Sofia Rotaru and “Chervona Ruta”
1982 Sofia Rotaru
1985 Tender Melody
1987 Monologue about love
1988 Heart of Gold
1990 Sofia Rotaru
1991 Caravan of Love
1991 Romance
1993 Caravan of Love
1993 Lavender
1995 Golden Songs
1995 Farmer
1996 Night of Love
1996 Chervona Ruta
1998 Love me
2002 I still love you
2002 Snow Queen
2003 To the One
2004 Water Flows
2004 The sky is me
2005 I loved him
2007 What's the weather like in my heart?
2007 Fog
2007 You are my heart
2008 I am your love!
2010 I won't look back
2012 And my soul flies