Alla Bayanova
Encyclopedia
Alla Nikolayevna Bayanova was a Russian
singer sometimes compared with Édith Piaf
for her simple yet dramatic style of performance.
in the family of an opera singer, who moved to Paris
in 1918 after Bessarabia
decided to unite with Romania
. She debuted on the stage as an assistant to her father in 1923, aged 9. By 1927, she was already performing solo
. A major step forward in her career was when she assisted Alexander Vertinsky
in his famous show at the Hermitage Restaurant, Montmartre
. Two years later, her family moved to Belgrade
, while Bayanova went on touring Germany
, Greece
, Palestine, and Egypt
.
In 1931, she got acquainted with Pyotr Leshchenko
, a foremost Russian singer of the time, who helped her to join the Pavilion Russe in Bucharest
. She married a local aristocrat, George Ypsilanti
, and made several recordings of tangos
(e.g., Columbia, His Master's Voice). After her divorce from Ypsilanti, she signed a contract with the Polish recording company "Syrena-Electro".
In March 1941 Bayanova was arrested by the Romanian authorities and interned into a concentration camp for having performed in the Russian language
. Although released in May 1942, she was kept under surveillance until the end of World War II
.
In the 1960s and 1970s, while still living in Romania, Bayanova issued eight LPs
. Nicolae Ceauşescu
's government, however, pressed her into migrating to the USSR
in 1988. Thereupon she settled in Moscow
, making occasional appearances on the Russian television.
Bayanova was named People's Artist of Russian Federation
and celebrated the 80th anniversary of her stage career in 2003. In 2004 she sang in a concert to celebrate her 90th birthday. Her last work was in collaboration with Marc Almond
on several duets.
She died on 30 August 2011, aged 97, of cancer. Upon learning of her death, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
stated: “Her life was dedicated to the high purpose of bringing people joy through interaction with true art. Ms Bayanova had a rare, beautiful voice, and her mastery and heartfelt performances of Russian songs gained her recognition around the world.”
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
singer sometimes compared with Édith Piaf
Édith Piaf
Édith Piaf , born Édith Giovanna Gassion, was a French singer and cultural icon who became widely regarded as France's greatest popular singer. Her singing reflected her life, with her specialty being ballads...
for her simple yet dramatic style of performance.
Biography
Bayanova was born in KishinevChisinau
Chișinău is the capital and largest municipality of Moldova. It is also its main industrial and commercial centre and is located in the middle of the country, on the river Bîc...
in the family of an opera singer, who moved to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1918 after Bessarabia
Bessarabia
Bessarabia is a historical term for the geographic region in Eastern Europe bounded by the Dniester River on the east and the Prut River on the west....
decided to unite with Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. She debuted on the stage as an assistant to her father in 1923, aged 9. By 1927, she was already performing solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
. A major step forward in her career was when she assisted Alexander Vertinsky
Alexander Vertinsky
Alexander Nikolayevich Vertinsky was a Russian and Soviet artist, poet, singer, composer, cabaret artist and actor who exerted seminal influence on the Russian tradition of artistic singing.-Early years:...
in his famous show at the Hermitage Restaurant, Montmartre
Montmartre
Montmartre is a hill which is 130 metres high, giving its name to the surrounding district, in the north of Paris in the 18th arrondissement, a part of the Right Bank. Montmartre is primarily known for the white-domed Basilica of the Sacré Cœur on its summit and as a nightclub district...
. Two years later, her family moved to Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, while Bayanova went on touring Germany
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the parliamentary republic established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, Palestine, and Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.
In 1931, she got acquainted with Pyotr Leshchenko
Pyotr Leshchenko
Pyotr Konstantinovich Leshchenko , a singer in the Russian Empire and later the Soviet Union, is universally considered "the King of Russian Tango" and specifically known for his rendition of "Serdtse"—a tango song not in the Spanish language...
, a foremost Russian singer of the time, who helped her to join the Pavilion Russe in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
. She married a local aristocrat, George Ypsilanti
Ypsilantis
The Ypsilantis were a Greek Phanariote family which grew into prominence and power in Constantinople during the last centuries of Ottoman Empire and gave several short-reign hospodars to the Danubian Principalities...
, and made several recordings of tangos
Tango music
Tango is a style of ballroom dance music in 2/4 or 4/4 time that originated among European immigrant populations of Argentina and Uruguay . It is traditionally played by a sextet, known as the orquesta típica, which includes two violins, piano, double bass, and two bandoneons...
(e.g., Columbia, His Master's Voice). After her divorce from Ypsilanti, she signed a contract with the Polish recording company "Syrena-Electro".
In March 1941 Bayanova was arrested by the Romanian authorities and interned into a concentration camp for having performed in the Russian language
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
. Although released in May 1942, she was kept under surveillance until the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
In the 1960s and 1970s, while still living in Romania, Bayanova issued eight LPs
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
. Nicolae Ceauşescu
Nicolae Ceausescu
Nicolae Ceaușescu was a Romanian Communist politician. He was General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party from 1965 to 1989, and as such was the country's second and last Communist leader...
's government, however, pressed her into migrating to the USSR
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in 1988. Thereupon she settled in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, making occasional appearances on the Russian television.
Bayanova was named People's Artist of Russian Federation
People's Artist of the USSR
People's Artist of the USSR, also sometimes translated as National Artist of the USSR, was an honorary title granted to citizens of the Soviet Union.- Nomenclature and significance :...
and celebrated the 80th anniversary of her stage career in 2003. In 2004 she sang in a concert to celebrate her 90th birthday. Her last work was in collaboration with Marc Almond
Marc Almond
Marc Almond is an English singer-songwriter and musician, who originally found fame as half of the seminal synthpop/New Wave duo Soft Cell...
on several duets.
She died on 30 August 2011, aged 97, of cancer. Upon learning of her death, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev is the third President of the Russian Federation.Born to a family of academics, Medvedev graduated from the Law Department of Leningrad State University in 1987. He defended his dissertation in 1990 and worked as a docent at his alma mater, now renamed to Saint...
stated: “Her life was dedicated to the high purpose of bringing people joy through interaction with true art. Ms Bayanova had a rare, beautiful voice, and her mastery and heartfelt performances of Russian songs gained her recognition around the world.”