True connoisseurs of opera know Zurab Sotkilava as a brilliant virtuoso of his craft. The opera soloist was greeted with applause all over the world and appreciated because of the frantic dedication on stage, the great power of the voice and skill.
Youth
On March 12, 1937, the future outstanding opera soloist Zurab Sotkilava was born in Sukhumi. But then no one guessed who this boy would grow up and what famous loud singer he would turn into. Zurab grew up in a musical family, where Georgian songs were often played with a guitar. It was played by his mother and grandmother. The boy was always present when they performed their lingering melodies for acquaintances and just passers-by, singing along to the songs. Sotkilava never dreamed of a career as a singer; he linked his future only with football. In the lower grades, he played in the school team, but at the same time studied music in the violin and piano class.
His mother, a woman with perfect pitch and a doctor by profession, brought her son to the music. The boy adored only sports and dreamed of becoming a famous football player. Thanks to his dedication, hard work, intensive training, at the age of 16 he already became a part of the youth team "Dynamo", and at the age of 19 the captain of the Georgian national team.
And at the age of 21 he made his debut in the first team of Dynamo in Tbilisi. The winger developed good speed and could easily run over to the attacker. The 100-meter mark was given to Zurab in just 11 seconds. This was his personal best.
Once a match took place between the Georgian and Moscow Dynamo. Where Sotkilava fought with Lev Yashin himself. Then Georgia lost with a score of 1: 3, but the singer recalled this day for a long time. A year after this match, Zurab will have to give up his football career due to a dangerous injury sustained at a match in Czechoslovakia. Before that, there was still damage, but the latter was incompatible with participation in games. And I had to leave football.
Career
An unsuccessful sports biography indirectly led the artist to his future great career. At the age of 21, Zurab began to try himself in vocals. He was prompted to do this, accidentally witnessing the singing, a pianist who knew the Sotkilava family. Having come to visit and, having heard the duet of the son with the mother, I saw the potential in it and showed it to the professor of the conservatory. In exchange for tickets, which at that time were very difficult to get for football matches, the professor began to give lessons in vocal art. Once a sensitive teacher said that Zurab had a bright future. To which the future singer replied with a laugh, not believing in the loud statement.
In 1960, already by that time a former footballer, graduated from the Polytechnic Institute. And in the same year he applied to the conservatory in his city. The admission took place, but opinions on this matter between the father and the mother differed. The father supported his son in his choice, and the mother was categorically against it. But the deed was done, and Sotkilava became a student at the conservatory. In the first year, his voice sounded in a baritone, or rather, that is how he was defined. But later they realized that the singer is the owner of a rare lyric tenor. After conservatory education, her career began to take off. Having made his debut at the local opera and ballet theater, Zurab began to be trusted with the leading roles in the opera and compared with the famous tenors of those times. Three years later, in a competition for young vocalists in Bulgaria, the singer triumphed and took first prize. A year later - 2nd place in the international competition I. P. Tchaikovsky in Moscow. And first place in Barcelona.
In 1973, the finest hour came when Sotkilava performed at the Bolshoi Theater, immediately after the performance he was invited to the troupe. After being entrusted with Othello, he no longer lowered his level and worked, literally, for wear and tear.
France, Italy, Japan, America - tours around the world. The contribution to the world operatic potential of the brilliant opera singer is invaluable. Sotkilava began to conquer the world and the army of fans grew faster and faster. Such talent, demand, universal recognition - could not fail to bring the title of People's Artist of the USSR.
Personal life
Zurab met his future wife at the conservatory. He remembers that it was love from one single glance and for life. Elisa, having learned about the unearthly voice of Zurab, came to him for a rehearsal. After her, they did not part, spent all the time together and, soon after graduating from the conservatory, they got married in 1965.
This beautiful couple, after a while, had two daughters, Tey (1967) and Keti (1971). The family was his inspiration. Zurab and Elisa often performed together, he sang, and she played the piano. His wife was his muse, friend, assistant, critic of creativity, support and support. These are just small words that he said about his beloved Zurab. She was his everything.
Sickness and death
This happened in the summer of 2015. The singer is given an incurable diagnosis - cancer. Pancreatic cancer sounded like a sentence. When Zurab went to the doctor because of the rapid weight loss, it was too late, the cancer progressed. In Germany, the best doctors operated on the singer. Returning to Russia, he underwent another course of chemotherapy. It seemed that the singer was on the mend and even started giving concerts.
Without despairing for a day, he continued to work. For another two years he taught at the conservatory. But in 2017, on September 17, there was a relapse and the outstanding singer was gone. He left this land at the age of 80, and did not have time to give his last anniversary concert.
