Kobzon: People Like This Do Not Retire
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We have only fresh and savory news! October 2012 No. 10 (109) Don’t Miss it!: 16 October – Chef Day 31 October – Halloween More news and photos at www.tarasbulba.ru e [email protected] U v o k l Project manager – Yuriy Beloyvan r h a t [email protected] in i i w Hotline: 778 3430 an e c ad uisine – m IosIf Kobzon: People like this do not retire SPORTS FRATERNITY Steven Seagal showed a photo from Korchma to Vladimir Putin KORCHMA IN AMERICA Preparing to open a restaurant in New York Wi-Fi THE FIRST DISH available History and specifics of Ukrainian borsch all through KORCHMA 2 | IOSIF KOBZON: PEOPLE LIKE THIS DO NOT RETIRE Text: Anastasiya Solovey ON SEPTEMBER 11 IOSIF KOBZON TURNED 75. HE IS AN EPOCH-MAKING MAN: SEVERAL GENERATIONS OF SOVIET CITIZENS GREW UP ON HIS SONGS. KOZBON IS LOVED AND RESPECTED ALL OVER THE WORLD – HE IS HONORARY CITIZEN OF 29 CITIES OF RUSSIA, UKRAINE AND OTHER NIS COUNTRIES. IN HIS HOMETOWN OF CHASOV YAR IN DONBASS THERE IS A STREET NAMED AFTER HIM AND A MUSEUM, AND IN DONETSK THERE IS A MONUMENT ERECTED DURING HIS LIFETIME. KOBZON CAN JUSTLY BE CALLED A MORAL AUTHORITY – HE SUPPORTS ORPHANAGES AND PUBLIC FUNDS AND IS A DEPUTY OF THE STATE DUMA. WITH SUCH BROAD INTERESTS IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT WAITING ROOM OF HIS OFFICE LOCATED IN ONE OF HOTELS OF MOSCOW WITH A GREAT VIEW ON THE MONUMENT OF MAYAKOVSKI IS ALWAYS CROWDED. IN SPITE OF ALL THIS KOBZON DOES NOT SHOW ANY SIGNS OF STARDOM WHICH OFTEN AFFECTS CONTEMPORARY YOUNG ARTISTS – HE IS WILLING TO TALK AND PAY ATTENTION TO EVERYONE. FROM THE START THE TOPIC OF THE MEETING WAS CHOSEN BY KOBZON. HE IMMEDIATELY STARTED HIS CONVERSATION WITH HIS OBSERVATIONS OF EVENTS IN UKRAINE. “VALENTINA TERESHKOVA AND I (WE SHARE A BUILDING) WATCHED A TV PROGRAM WHERE THEY SHOWED THE UKRAINIAN DEPUTIES FIGHT FOR THE RUSSIAN LANGUAGE IN SUPREME RADA AND SHE SAYS: LISTEN, WE NEED TO SEND A MESSAGE TO OUR UKRAINIAN BROTHERS. I ASKED HER HOW. AND SHE SAID THAT WE NEEDED TO DELIVER A SPEECH AT THE PLENARY SESSION IN THE STATE DUMA IN UKRAINIAN AND SHOW THAT UKRAINIAN IS POSSIBLE HERE AND IS PERCEIVED NORMALLY IF REQUIRED.” IOSIF KOBZON Iosif Kobzon was born on September 11, 1937 in Chasov Yar of Donetsk oblast. In 1939 his family moved to Lviv and after the war broke out they evacuated to Uzbekistan. In 1944 Iosif Kobzon and his family returned to Ukraine, to Kramatorsk. At the end of 1940-s the Kobzons moved to Dnepropetrovsk. It was here that creative life of Iosif began: at the age of 10 he won for the first time at the republican academic competition and was awarded his first prize – a trip to Moscow to the Exhibition of Economic Achievements of the USSR. In Dnepropetrovsk Iosif studied in children’s music school No. 3. In 1956 he graduated from the Dnepropetrovsk secondary mining school. At the school’s stage he sang for the first time in front of an audience. For the first time he thought about professional singing carrier while serving in the army (from 1956 to 1959) where he was invited to the ensemble of singing and dancing of the Transcaucasian military command. In 1958 Iosif Kobzon enrolled at the vocal department of the State Musical and Pedagogical Institute of the Gnesiny. As part of his entrance exams Iosif sang Ukrainian songs as well. In 1961 Kobzon left for a creative assignment to Hungary, and in 1962 he started independent solo performances. Since 1960 Iosif Kobzon has been a permanent guest of the New Year show. Today Iosif Kobzon’s repertoire includes above 1500 songs of diverse genres and comprising the song chronicle of the century. I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN THE UKRAINIAN LANGUAGE How did you learn Ukrainian? I (Iosif switches over to Ukrainian and we continue our discussion in Ukrainian – ed.) studied Ukrainian in Donetsk region. In 1945 I went to school in Kramatorsk. Therefore, I have not forgotten it. Every year I visit Ukraine, remember, I am honorary citizen of almost ten Ukrainian cities: Dneptopetrovsk, Poltava, Donetsk, etc. Do you practice Ukrainian only during your trips to Ukraine? Or are there other opportunities to speak Ukrainian with your friends here in Moscow? Here – no, in spite of the fact that we have a big Donetsk diaspora. It was the first in Russia and in Moscow but we all speak Russian here. Although when we get together we sing in Ukrainian. Besides, there is constant talk about the need to open a Ukrainian school in Moscow. What do you think about this initiative? You know (switching to Russian – ed.), I want to tell you the following: it should all be voluntary. They are trying to make Ukraine a part of the “Russian world” – a project supported by the Russian Orthodox Church. Can this idea have a practical implementation? | 3 I would not call this project “Russian world,” I Tula and Yasnaya Polyana. And I do not know what cook it my way with eggs on top which results in would call it Slavic. In the broad sense the Slavs a pension is: I do not know even how much it is. a very interesting dish. I do it seldom, naturally, (and not only Belorassians, Ukrainians and mostly I have fast breakfasts. And when I come Russians), but also the Bulgarians, Baltic Slavs, All right, what are you going to do off stage? back from work hungry and they push food into i.e. Slavic peoples that existed in the Soviet Union, What do you mean? I am people’s deputy of the me I tell my wife: “Nelya, I need to lose at least - should join together. Based on religion alone? State Duma! Also, I run two charity funds “Shield 3-5 kilos.” And she says: “You cannot lose weight, I think not. If, according to Kirill, religion should and Lire” and “Kuznetskiy Bridge.” I have seven you have a serious condition.” But I am under unite the Russians, what should Ukrainians do? grandsons. I have children, I have family. I am constant observation and do not pay attention to it. I am for unification of all Slavs, we do not have to constantly approached by businessmen who I have Unfortunately, I learned only too late that Bordan unite Russians alone – there will be too few. to collaborate with. Stupka had the same illness. But he was treated the I have too much work. wrong way and I learned of it too late. I called him Russia and a large part of Ukraine share clerical and said: “Bogdan, why didn’t you tell me?” – “Well, management. Can orthodox church become a Creative work, politics, social work, charity – you I felt uncomfortable calling about it.” And now he is basis for Ukraine and Russia getting closer? are a very active person. Where do you get the gone, due to feeling uncomfortable. But this illness Only for the believers, for the countries – no. strength and energy for all this? requires very careful treatment and attention. I do not think about it – as soon as I do, I will lose “PEOPLE LIKE THIS DO NOT RETIRE” both strength and energy. You have to work all the Iosif Davidovitch, we wish you strength, energy You have celebrated your 75th anniversary. What time – wake up, see the light in the window and go on. and longevity! does this holiday mean to you? The worst thing, especially for the elderly – is the bed Thank you! Nothing. Unfortunately, I understand that this addiction: to stay in bed late, to take one’s ease, to read… is the age after which one should not go to stage This is not for me. Yuri Nokolaevitch Grigorovicth said anymore. For the last time at this age the stage was very well about people like me: “such people do not entered episodically by Leonid Osipovitch Utesov. retire, they are like trees – fall in motion” And I want to work well until the end of the year. Iosif Davidovitch, you will be bringing us joy for Have you planned you tour in Ukraine? How do many years to come. You have strong roots … they take you in Ukraine? Roots? Praise be to God! My mother lived not so Normally, as always, as a true Ukrainian I do not long – 82 years. My God, she brought up five of us see the difference between Russian and Ukrainian kids – four sons and a daughter. And I have five audience. Because the songs are the same. My cities: granddaughters and two grandsons, which is also Kyiv – capital of my Ukraine; Donetsk is the city nice. I am a happy man. where I was born and grew up, Dnepropetrovsk – the city where I studied, graduated from school and Do you like Ukrainian cuisine? mining school and from where I left to the army. – I love Ukrainian cuisine. My mother was a very These are three of my favorite cities, although I love strong cook, she cooked traditional Ukrainian dishes Life of Iosif Kobzon is a series of visiting other cities of Ukraine as well. fantastically: vareniki and borsch. I like Georgian cuisine, too. I cannot stand the oriental cuisines: exceptional facts: When will you finally tour in the USA? Thai, Chinese or Japanese: never eat them. He took part in children’s Olympic Games in front of Stalin. They do not let me in (laughs). I filed an application He recorder about 3000 songs.