Vertinsky Alexander

Alexander Vertinsky was born March 19, 1889, Mr.. in Kiev in the family of a petty official. His father, Nikolai Petrovich, came from a family of a railroad employee, was a private attorney and dabbled in journalism. His mother, Eugenia Stepanovna Skolatskaya, was born in a noble family. She did not formally married to the father of Vertinsky, as the former wife of Nikolai Petrovich would not want to give her husband a divorce and he was forced to adopt their children born in cohabiting - the eldest daughter of Hope and his son Alexander.

Children lost their parents early. When the younger Alexander was three years old, mother died, and two years later died of galloping consumption father. Brother and sister were taken to the development of mother's sister in different families. Every way interfering with their communication, his aunt said Alexander deliberate untruth about the death of his sister.

Vertinsky school years spent in the 1 st emperor of Alexandria High School, where he was quickly expelled for academic failure and bad behavior, and later - in the 4-th Kiev Classical Gymnasium.

Already in these years Vertinskij carried away by the theater, acted in amateur theatricals and, as an extra on the stage in Kiev Solovetsky Theater. Unlike the pop stars beginning of XX century. Who came to the stage with operetta, and even with the operatic stage, Vertinsky out of the literary world. He wrote: "I can not classify themselves as an artistic medium, but rather to the literary bohemia. To his creativity I come not from the standpoint of the artist, but from the standpoint of the poet, I was attracted not only the performance, and identify adequate words to be heard on my own motive ".

His development as a creative personality, his outlook and creative style began to emerge in Kiev literary gatherings Sophia Nikolaevna Zelinsky. In her house were going to many interesting people: poets Mikhail Kuzmin, Vladimir Elsner, artists, Alexander Osmyorkin, Kazimir Malevich, Marc Chagall, Natan Altman. Vertinskij imbued their philosophy, aesthetics, are spiritual and creative experience. During this period, he tries to do literary work: the newspaper "Kyiv week" appear to his stories - "Portrait", "cigarettes" Spring "," My bride, "and the weekly" Lukomorye "- the story" Red Butterfly ". The young poet writes theater reviews for performances of major celebrities - Chaliapin, Vyaltseva, Vavich, Anselmi, Karinskaya, Ruffo. Gradually, his name became known among intellectuals in Kiev.

In 1909 - 1910 he. Vertinsky moved to Moscow, seeking to find themselves and make a career. Young unrecognized talents needed to feel "his" among the Moscow intelligentsia, . feel admitted into that caste, . which creates a real art, . which included the famous writers and artists, . whose names were on everyone's ears, . and to whom worshiped creative young people,
.

Vertinsky played in small studios and clubs had small roles in fashionable pieces, tried to put the play Block "Puppet Show". The block was one of the most beloved poets of the enlightened youth of the time, and Vertinsky loved and valued his creative life. Artist himself wrote in his memoirs about the poetry of Blok, . as a "disaster, . shaping our world: "In our world, bohemian everyone something concealed in his, . some hopes, . ambitions, . unfulfilled desire, . everyone was harsh in his judgments, . sported fetched original views and uncompromising critical evaluation,
. And above all this heady wind blew the poetry of Blok, . poisoned more than one heart with dreams of a Beautiful Lady: "You Vertinsky not imitate Blok, . but some poetic images produced on him was so impressed, . that his perception of life was in a certain period of time is very "Blok",
.

In early 1912. Vertinsky entered the theater of miniatures MA. Artsibushevoy, where he spoke with a few parodies. One of the first number of his works was called "Tango" (the dance was new, but very fashionable): ballet couple danced the tango, as he stood in the wings, performing a song-parody of the action on stage. Room was a success, and Vertinsky received a review in the press: a half lines in the "Russian Word". And it was a real victory over obscurity.

In 1913, Mr.. he tried to fulfill his dream - to enter the Moscow Art Theater, but was not accepted due to a defect diction: Exam Stanislavsky, who did not like that young man badly pronounces the letter "p".

Since 1912. Vertinsky very successfully acted in silent films ( "King without a crown", "From Slavery to the will," "What Men Live By"). On set, he made friends with the stars of Russian cinema in the early XX. - And. Mozzhukhin and B. Cold. Many scenarios of silent films at the time of writing on subjects of popular ballads, and one of the scenarios was based on a poem Vertinsky "Ball of the Lord". Then he met Mayakovsky and served in the cafe futurists with him, but as the direction of Futurism in the arts has had on his work is much weaker impact than would be expected. Futurism was considered a young artist as an opportunity to shock the audience, to attract attention, stand out. World Futurists, their philosophy and creative position has not been close Vertinsky. With the exception of Mayakovsky, whose talent Vertinsky genuinely admired, the Futurists, in his view, simply "shock the bourgeoisie, wrote clever verses, exhibited at trade shows clearly mocking the canvas and pretending to be" geniuses "".

Creativity Vertinsky was influenced poezokontserty AND. Severianin, but mainly in terms of aesthetics verse. About Severyanin he wrote that in his poems was a real sense, talent and sincerity, but lacked taste, sense of proportion and genuineness of feelings.

At the end of 1914. Vertinsky went to the front as a volunteer nurse at the 68-m hospital train the All-Russia Union of Cities, who shuttled between the best and Moscow. He served on the train until the spring of 1915, when after a slight injury returned to Moscow. The train was a book which recorded all the bandages on the wounded, and when Vertinskij finished his service to his credit were 35 thousand. dressings.

After returning to Moscow Vertinskij continued to perform in the theater of miniatures Artsibushevoy, but with a unique number - "Song of Pierrot". As a "arietok Pierrot" he performed his poems, . posited them to music, . mostly own compositions: "The Little Creole", . "Your fingers smell frankincense", . "Lilac Negro" (dedicated to Vera Cold), . "Seroglazochka", . "Wait a minute", . "I can laugh at themselves", . "Backstage", . "Dirge crystal", . Smoke without fire ", . "Beznozhenka", . "Ball of the Lord", . "Dog Douglas, . "About six mirrors", . "Jamais", . "I am a little ballerina" (co-authored with H,
. Grushko), "Kokainetka" (words in. Agatova).

With his songs Vertinsky has also performed in Peter's theater, a cabaret "Firebird," in theaters Miniatures. Criticism quickly returned to its growing success (Articles. Gorodetsky and B. Savinich in newspapers ramp and Life "and" Theatrical Gazette).

Mystery remained unchanged popularity Vertinsky any audience. Often the reason for its success seen in the fact that his work "reflected the crisis of spiritual culture of society". Rather, it is extremely individualistic poems were "fit to each". For him writing was characterized by a cycle of poems as "variations on a theme", . view the gallery of characters of one kind of image, . transference of human emotions to inanimate objects, . the use of exotic names and unexpected comparisons as an attempt to weaken or completely remove it poses a sense of materiality of the world,
. Thus in his poems, he sought to show that no one understood and lonely man is helpless in the face of the huge merciless world. This world does not matter that the death of a loved one, separation from the woman he loved, unrequited love, and, finally, a banal betrayal is perhaps the worst tragedy on the scale of a small universe of a single person. That is why his songs were "fit everyone: everyone can see them myself. However, he got rid of the traditions of Russian romances that have become routine, and the proposed stage another song - more refined, elegant, associated with the aesthetics of the latest trends in art and culture. But above all - the author, an art song.

Vertinsky managed to create a new genre, which has not been on the Russian stage. The artist himself has repeatedly said: "I was more than a poet, more than an actor. I went through the arduous road of innovation, creating his own genre: "

Attractive to the public was also a special style Vertinsky, his theatrical mask. Since mid-1915 to end 1917. actor appeared in the makeup of the sad Pierrot. It would seem that white Pierrot was not fit for the execution of lyrical and even tragic songs about love, friendship and death. Piero - buffoon Commedia dell'arte, the mask of the Italo-French tragifarce. However, for the art of beginning of XX. was typical search masks, unique image. The audience was "a mask", and sought to use a variety of artists: Mayakovsky's yellow jacket, velvet blouse and curls Block, exotic pose Severianin - all search masks, unique place in art. Artificial mask often is the real essence of wearing a mask and is identified in his mind and in the minds of others with the way that the mask reflects. Mask elevates form in the superlative degree. The choice of scenic masks Vertinsky influenced the poetry of Blok, which he is very fond of, in particular - play "Puppet" and the cycle of poems "Masks"

. The artist himself claimed, . that this makeup was born spontaneously during his work at the hospital train, . when he and other young attendants were given a small "home" concerts for the wounded and make-up on the stage was necessary solely because of the strong feelings of uncertainty and confusion in front of a packed house,
. But the choice of the mask of Pierrot was not accidental. The image of a buffoon suffering is the best match of the role of comforter, which chose an artist. On the stage, it was something new. The image of Pierrot to reflect the inner world of a young Vertinsky. Later he had the mask never seen before black Piero. This mask helped the actor to enter the image, provided an emotional mood before going out on the scene, awakened the necessary sense of. Piero - comic sufferer, naive and enthusiastic, always daydreaming about something sad clown, which are visible through the comic style of the true suffering and true nobility.

Vertinsky from the first moments of its appearance on the scene led away visitors to his ghostly world. Impression ably complemented by the scenery and "lunar" light: "He went to the scene already thoroughly made-up and a specially tailored suit, Pietro. In dead, lemon, lilac spotlight thickly powdered his face seemed fixed, desiccated mask. Only "scarlet wound cavity and suffering quivering eyebrows means" smoldering human life ". The image of a black Pierrot, which appeared later, was different: deathly-white makeup on his face replaced by a domino mask, white costume of Pierrot replaced completely black robe, which clearly stood out white scarf. Was different and the impression visitors. New Piero became the songs in their ironic and caustic than before, because the naive dreams of lost youth and saw everyday ease and indifference of the world.

In 1916, Mr.. Vertinsky All-Russia already enjoyed popularity. By 1917, Mr.. artist traveled almost every major city in Russia Empire, where he performed with the same success. He abandoned the mask of Pierrot and started performing in a concert tailcoat, which played all my life, never deviating from this stage costumes, too, became a kind of mask or, if you will, a kind of symbol.

After the Bolshevik Revolution Vertinsky came to the conclusion that he did not get along with the new government. Romance "What I have to say," written under the influence of the death of three hundred cadets in Moscow, initiated interest Cheka, and which caused the actor to give explanations about the sympathy for the enemies of the revolution. Preserved a legend, though Vertinskij indignantly remarked secret police: "It's just a song, and then you also can not deny I pity them!". What was clear and concise answer: "You should be, and breathe forbid!"

This Vertinsky completely inappropriate, so in late 1917. he went along with many of his colleagues to tour the southern cities of Russia. Almost two years he spent in the south, gave concerts on the stage of small theaters and in the literary and artistic societies; traveled Yekaterinoslav, Odessa, Kharkov, Yalta, Sevastopol.

Vertinsky left Russia in early 1920, traveling to Constantinople on board the "Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich". The reasons for their emigration, much later he defined as: "What prompted me to this? I hated Soviet power?" Oh no! Soviet power I have done nothing wrong. I was a follower of any other system? Also there: Clearly, it was a passion for adventure, travel. Junior carelessness ". Likely, . it had an impact and the first acquaintance with the new government in the Cheka, . and attitudes of intellectuals, . and the ruthlessness of the class struggle, . unfolding right before his eyes, . and apprehension that, . that the word "freedom" at a breakneck speed becomes meaningless,
.

In Constantinople Vertinsky lived relatively well. He spoke in the most expensive and fashionable cabaret "Black Rose" and "Stella", sang gypsy songs, stylized Russian folk songs and dreamed about the tour of Bessarabia, concerts in front of "their", Russian, public. Artist managed to buy a Greek passport, which paves the way for free movement around the world and remove it from the category of immigrants seeking to obtain even a residence permit.

In Romania, Vertinsky was received very warmly, At last he could sing their songs, speaking before the Russian audience. However, he was expelled from the country as alien elements that incite anti-Romanian sentiments among the Russian population of the adjoint of Bessarabia. The reason for this accusation served as a stunning success with the Russian song "In the steppes Moldavanskii".

Artist went to Poland, where he spent 1922 and 1923. Then Vertinskij first applied to the Soviet consulate in Warsaw with a request to return to Russia. In his petition, set a positive resolution, the then Soviet Ambassador to Poland P.L. Voikov, on the advice which he has made this attempt. But he refused.

Vertinsky with great success on tour in Austria, Hungary, Lebanon, Palestine, Egypt, Libya, Germany. In Berlin, he lived from 1923 to 1925, there also married the daughter of Russian emigres Potocki, Hope, whom he met in Sopot. But family life is not formed, and the way the young couple soon parted. Once again, they have already met in Shanghai, when the question arose about the second marriage Vertinsky.

Vertinsky has become a world celebrity, but when he tried a second appeal to the head of the Soviet delegation A. Lunacharsky during her stay in Berlin with a request to return home, he again denied.

Tour of Central and Eastern Europe were not easy, especially because of the attitude of the public to artists who have spoken in restaurants: it was not so enthusiastic and indulgent, as in pre-revolutionary Russia. Vertinsky wrote: "All of our actors' whims and tricks on home patient with a pleasant smile. Actor regarded as the supreme being, to whom much was forgiven and allowed much. From this had to forget in a strange land. And the bars were so terrible that, regardless of whether you listen or not, the actor must play its part, the audience can behave as it pleases, sing, drink, eat, talk or even cry:

. The exception was France, where the ratio of the artists was a mixture of pride and admiration as a superior being
. Therefore Vertinskij went to Paris, where does all the creative intelligentsia emigre.

He lived in France for nearly ten years - from 1925 to 1934. The country enjoyed the greatest love of an artist after his native Russia:: My France - is one of Paris, but Paris is one - is the whole of France, I loved France sincerely as anyone who has lived long in it. Paris was impossible not to love, as it was impossible to forget or prefer him to another city. Nowhere abroad Russian does not feel so free and easy. It was a city where freedom of the human person is respected: Yes, Paris: is the home of my spirit! Not a single city in the world I have not connected those memories like him! "

. Here Vertinsky appeared in "Great Moscow Hermitage," "Casanova", "Kazbek", "Scheherazade"
. It was at this period is the flowering of his creative activity

. In exile they were created many of his best songs: "Lady Irene", . "Wreath", . Ballad of the gray-haired lady ", . "In the steppes Moldavanskii", . "In the blue ocean and distant", . "Concerto Sarasate", . "Hispano-Suiza", . "Crazy grinder", . Madama, . already falling leaves ", . "Tango" Magnolia "", . "A song about my wife", . "The days of running", . "Piccolo Bambino", . "Femme raffinee", . "Jimmy", . "Christmas", . "The Palestinian Tango", . "Tin Heart", . "Yellow Angel", . "Marlene", . Irina Strozzi ",
.

Many songs have their own legend, the story of creation. One notable example is the story song "Concerto Sarasate". Vertinsky gladly told me that in 1930. This orphanage he listened to the game Vladescu, one of the "five restaurants celebrities - gypsy kings of the genre". His wife was a famous actress Sylvia Tosca, which because of their love for him left the scene, but Vladescu treated her as a tyrant. It made a big impression on Vertinsky, and three years later in Berlin, "Blyutner-hall Vertinskij performed" Concerto Sarasate "before your Vladescu, who expected eulogy in verse, addressed to him. The song Vertinskij expressed his anger over his relationship to the famous actress that gave him his love. It was a public execution, after which Vladescu According to Vertinsky, did not know where to run, unable to rise from his seat, and after the show was a behind the scenes with the intent to drub abuser, but under the spur of the moment wept and repented. This episode added ditty popularity, she was asked at many concerts, trying to imagine how all that was then, in Berlin.

In Paris Vertinskij communicated with and. Mozzhukhin, F. Chaliapin, C. Lifar, A. Pavlova S. Morfessi, H. Plevitskaya, T. Krasavin H. Baliyeva, C. Rachmaninov. Here he met Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo. They filed Vertinsky thought about the tour in U.S..

Autumn 1934. steamer "Lafayette" took Vertinsky in America. He has toured in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago. In the U.S., he felt apprehension, confusion, like most European artists who in America generally feel insecure, especially appearing here for the first time.

New York was not like the cities of Europe: "I was delighted with New York. Day and night the streets rolling avalanche of hurrying people, fly paper, driven by the wind, yelling newsboys, vendors, speeding cars, as people rush to the fire: America in general is very tired ". Here Vertinskij appeared in "Town Hall" in major music halls, was a success. In Hollywood, he was invited to appear in the film, but the script was written in English. Bad owning German and have an excellent knowledge of French, he could not stand the English speech. He suffered a few months with the language and even received a "philological" advice from Marlene Dietrich - "to overcome the disgust any normal person and take himself in hand". However, the "pull themselves together" failed and refused to shoot Vertinsky.

Vertinsky was popular not only among immigrants as a bard of nostalgia, he gained international fame. Despite the fact that he performed his songs exclusively in Russian, Vertinsky had fans all over the world. The secret of success was all the same. Texts of many songs Vertinsky were autobiographical, he was not afraid to open to people that most of them are concerned and what is usually silent. He stuck to his credo: nothing is more important than the human soul, man's inner world, his feelings and suffering, relationships, from which develops life. Vertinsky contributed to the success of his great artistic details and unique performing style: from the first minutes of communication with the audience an artist understands the people he had to deal. Shading subtle nuances of the performance of their songs, he could give them a different meaning, to consider them from a different angle, make it more familiar and intelligible to the audience exactly.

In October 1935. Vertinsky went to China hoping to gain Russian listeners in the face of a large emigre communities in Shanghai. There he first time in his life in exile recognized need. In addition to the artist who is used to rotate in the world's centers of life in China looked very provincial. He sang in a cabaret "Renaissance" in a summer garden, "Arcadia," a nightclub "Marirouz, but they were very modest restaurant, where there were not many visitors, and is not too high a salary for actors. In the life of a crisis, at this moment Vertinsky invited to the Soviet Embassy and offered to return to their homeland, presenting a formal invitation to the All-inspired initiative of the Komsomol.

Shell 1937. For Vertinsky invitation was a big surprise, and he seized it. Wanting as soon as possible to part with debt, to leave the Soviet Union, he decided to join the venture: he became co-owner of Cabaret Gardenia. But a month cabaret suffered financial collapse.

Then the actor began to work in the Soviet newspaper "New Life" in Shanghai, to act in the club of Soviet citizens who participate in the transfer station TASS prepare the memories of his life abroad. So he tried to demonstrate his loyalty to Soviet power, feel a full citizen of his native country. However, the paper to enter the USSR were detained, including by reason of the Second World War.

May 26, 1942, Mr.. Vertinsky entered into a second marriage to Lidia Vladimirovna Tsirgvava, 20-year-old daughter of an employee CEL.

Creativity Vertinsky period, Shanghai is a completely different color than the European. He wrote songs based on poems by Soviet authors, and he composed a patriotic texts. Because he was Russian. And because his homeland was subjected to terrible danger, and it bothered anyone close to him. And because they owned the idea of a new life in an unknown country. And because it was important to explain to everyone: he is now - together with the Red Army, from which in 1920. fled into exile.

Thus was born the song "We and the motherland", "Our Mountain", "In the snows of Russia," "Another Song", "Kitezh.

Love poetry, despite a happy affair and subsequent marriage, was the bleak and tragic, bore the imprint of the crisis of life in general, there nothing left of romantic sadness of his lyrical poems from previous years. "Farewell", "Delete message", "Bar-girl," who killed love, "" Salvation "," Monkey Charlie "," In this world nothing is found, "" Autumn "- a rather bitter poem. Some exception is the poem "Without Women", written with delightful irony, the hero of which is brilliant, cute, flirty favorite of women, arising in the position to settle down, a decent gentleman. And the poem "Farewell Dinner", which can be called a classic Vertinsky.

After the Japanese occupation of the family has become very heavy, Vertinsky desperate to get permission to return home. Nevertheless, in 1943. He made one last attempt: I wrote a letter to the VM. Molotov. Permission was obtained unexpectedly.

At the end of 1943. Vertinsky family with a four-month daughter Marianne settled in Moscow, Gorky Street. At the end of 1944. born in the family's second daughter - Anastasia.

Vertinsky lived at home 14 years. All this time he worked intensively, constantly gave concerts and was a success. The geography of his touring stretched from Murmansk to Yerevan, from Riga to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. In 50-ies. He appeared in films: "3agovor doomed," "The Great Warrior Skanderbeg of Albania", "Anna on the Neck". In 1951, Mr.. He received the State Prize.

It would seem that life at home taking shape very happily and successfully. However, a hundred-odd songs from the repertoire Vertinsky for execution in the Soviet Union were allowed no more than thirty. At each concert was attended by the censor, which is keenly watched to actor does not go beyond the framework set by. Concerts in Moscow and Leningrad were a rarity on the radio Vertinsky not invited, almost no published records, there were no reviews in the newspapers. He performed mainly in the provinces, in small remote towns, where living conditions were tough, very long way to several types of transport, and Vertinsky was elderly, and this also created his problems. The difficulties were offset by enthusiastic applause and tears of older youth, among whom, as in Astrakhan, there were many representatives of the pre-revolutionary intellectuals who were expelled from Leningrad and Moscow in the remote town.

Artist perfectly well that he was not officially recognized, but only legally tolerated. And the halls were filled. "Somewhere out there: the top still pretend that I did not come back that I was not in the country. Everything I did not write and do not say a word. Newspapermen and journalists say: "No Signal". Perhaps it will not. Meanwhile, I have! I loved the people (Forgive me the courage.) I was on the 4 th and 5 th ever traveled our country, I will finish third thousand concerts! "This letter is for a year before his death, Vertinsky wrote the Deputy Minister of Culture.

Material difficulties were compounded by the spiritual and emotional loneliness, the actor who is used to communicate with the creative and intellectual elite of European capitals. "I went over today in the minds of all his acquaintances and" friends "and realized that I have no friends here, no! Each comes with his string bag and grabbed it all that he needs, spitting on others. And all the psychology he had "avosechnaya", and you - even'll die - he spit! <:> You see the story with Stalin. All false, vile, wrong. At the Congress, Khrushchev said: "Almost standing memory 17 million, . tortured in the camps: "Wow! Who, . when and what to pay for "mistakes" all this scum? And how long will mock over our country? How long? "- Wrote the actor to his wife in 1956,
.

Over 14 years of life in the USSR Vertinskij wrote only a little more than twenty poems: "Little Man," "Salute", "Prev face of the Motherland," "Birds singing," "Fatherland", "wife Lily," "The Playground".

Vertinsky died May 21, 1957, Mr.. the Leningrad Hotel Astoria at the age of 68 consecutive years, the. He was buried in Moscow, the Novodevichy cemetery.

Compositions:

Vertinsky AN. A quarter-century without a country. Kiev, 1989.
Vertinsky AN. Arietki Piero: songs. Perm, 1995.
Vertinsky AN. Dear dlinnoju: Moscow, 1991.