The legend of the Soviet stage, folk artist, favorite of L. Brezhnev and Y. Gagarin, singer Olga Voronets possessed a unique mezzo-soprano with a wide range.
The songs performed by the amazing singer on the stage are still kept in the collections of music lovers and are known among the people.
A family
Smolensk became Olga Borisovna's hometown. Date of birth - February 12, 1926. Music surrounded her from early childhood. The girl received her first musical education from her mother, a pianist of the Philharmonic Society and the Smolensk Drama Theater, and her father, a singer, soloist of the song and dance ensemble. Unfortunately, the parents divorced when their daughter was three years old, but until the end of her father's life she had warm feelings for him and did not break off the relationship.
Raised by her mother and grandmother, a representative of the old noble class, Olya grew up as a young lady with secular manners and deep inner intelligence. These qualities helped her to hold on with dignity and pride until the end of her days, despite the intricacies of fate.
The path to the Russian song
Olga sang since childhood, as long as she can remember, but she never dreamed of a singing career. She was attracted by the theater.
She graduated from school in the middle of the war, but this did not prevent the girl from passing the tests and continuing her education at VGIK. However, after a while she changed her mind and went to study the art of singing by translation. The new educational institution was the Opera Studio with a variety department.
The beginning of his singing career fell on the post-war 47th year. The first place of work was the Central House of Militia.
Then there was the Moscow Regional Philharmonic Society and the orchestra of Russian folk instruments with its vocal group and, finally, Mosestrada. The young singer sang light pop songs written by modern Soviet composers, and did not even think about the Russian folk repertoire. This continued until the 56th year, when at one of the concerts she received harsh criticism from professional accordionists, who called a frivolous attitude to such a voice and her talent a crime.
Having radically changed the genre of her work and repertoire, Olga Voronets quickly won the audience's love and fame not only in the vast Soviet Union, but also far beyond its borders.
More and more invitations began to come in to speak on the programs of Central Television and All-Union Radio. The "Golden Voice of Russia" received nationwide recognition.
The singer had such a high professionalism that she read sheet music straight from the sight, the quality allowed to spend less time on rehearsals and more on concerts and meetings with the audience.
It was not without rumors, slander and spiteful critics, but the singer endured everything, without giving a show, and never spoke negatively about any person. She always behaved with dignity: inner, human, professional, spoke positively about others.
Personal life
Olga Borisovna, a beautiful, stately woman with a rich inner content and good manners, could not fail to attract the attention of the opposite sex.
She was married three times, the official marriage was registered twice. The relationship with her first husband was not formalized, although the girl took him to the front and waited. His arrest for being in captivity and the subsequent ban on living in large cities led to a break in relations.
With her second husband, her accompanist Rafail Babkov, the joint life lasted for 14 years. Despite the divorce, provoked by the abuse of alcohol and a free attitude towards women, their professional cooperation continued for a long time.
The singer also could not save her third husband, doctor Vladimir Sokolov, from drunkenness, although their marriage lasted for 40 years. He died two years earlier than brought incredible suffering to Olga.
Shortly before her death in mid-August 2014, the singer was seriously ill for a long time. She was diagnosed with a stroke, and subsequently a hip fracture.
Olga Voronets, a world-famous singer and a woman, "whose soul smiled," left a kind and bright memory of herself.
