Nikolai Slichenko
Encyclopedia
Nikolai Alekseyevich Slichenko (Russian Николай Алексеевич Сличенко; born December 27, 1934) is a Russian singer and leader of the Moscow "Romen" Music and Drama Gypsy Theater
. His awards include People's Artist of the USSR
(1981), State Prize of the USSR (1987), Order of Merit for the Fatherland
of the 3d Degree (27 December, 2004).
area, Russia
, in the family of nomadic gypsies. Part of his childhood passed during the World War II
. During the war Nikolai lost many relatives. In particular when he was a boy, his father was shot before his eyes in 1942.
After the War
the Slichenko family settled at a gypsy collective farm
in Voronezh Oblast
. Teenagers had to work equally with adults. That was the time when Nikolai heard about a gypsy theater
in Moscow
and he to dream about his work in it.
In 1951 Nikolai was accepted into the "Romen" Theatre
. The gifted boy drew the attention of the leading theater masters. Certainly, they did not make it easy for him: he began like most, as an auxiliary staff actor. Nevertheless, the leading actors of the theater, such as Lyalya Chernaya, M. Skvortsova, S. Andreev, M. Cherkasova, S. Shishkov, I. Rom-Lebedev, V. Bizev, N. Narozhnyy, S. Zolotarev, I. Khrustalev, willingly shared with him the secrets of the craft. In these years Nikolai worked, read and learnt much.
Nikolai was first entrusted with a leading role as long ago as 1952, when he was not yet 18 years old. This was at the time when the Theater
left to Zagorsk (now - Sergiev Posad) with the play "Four Fiancées" by I. Khrustalev. Nikolai played the role of Leksa, as a substitute for the actor Sergey Fedorovich Shishkov (of the Shishkov gypsy dynasty) who had become ill. He then played the role of Leksa for many years, and later, as he grew older, played the role of Badi in this play as well.
After the play Slichenko received attention to as a capable actor. The theater began to engage him in the current repertoire plays. In all, at the time he played more than 60 roles in his native theater, and also took part in a number of popular movies, including the "Under the Rain and the Sun", "My Island is Blue", "Wedding in Malinovka" and others.
In 1977 Nikolai Slichenko became the Producer of the "Romen" Theater
. For this, he completed the Higher Producer Courses under the management of the People's Artist of the USSR
Andrei Goncharov.
On the 4th of December 1998, a star with Nikolai Slichenko's name was placed at the Stars' Square in Moscow
.
Romen Theatre
Romen Theatre is the oldest and the most famous of Romani theatres in the world. The theatre is a key object of Romani culture in Russia, and from the moment of its foundation in 1931, it has been a centre of attraction for Romani artists in Russia....
. His awards include People's Artist of the USSR
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 :...
(1981), State Prize of the USSR (1987), Order of Merit for the Fatherland
Order of Merit for the Fatherland
The Order of Merit for the Fatherland was instituted on 2 March 1994 by Presidential Decree. The statutes describe it as a decoration for merit, not an order of knights....
of the 3d Degree (27 December, 2004).
Biography
Nikolai was born in BelgorodBelgorod
-Twin towns/sister cities:Belgorod is twinned with: Wakefield, England, United Kingdom Herne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany Palembang, South Sumatra, Indonesia Opole, Poland Vyshhorod, Ukraine Kharkiv, Ukraine-External links:...
area, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, in the family of nomadic gypsies. Part of his childhood passed during the 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...
. During the war Nikolai lost many relatives. In particular when he was a boy, his father was shot before his eyes in 1942.
After the War
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...
the Slichenko family settled at a gypsy collective farm
Collective farming
Collective farming and communal farming are types of agricultural production in which the holdings of several farmers are run as a joint enterprise...
in Voronezh Oblast
Voronezh Oblast
Voronezh Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . It was established on June 13, 1934.-Main rivers:*Don*Voronezh*Bityug*Khopyor-Economy:...
. Teenagers had to work equally with adults. That was the time when Nikolai heard about a gypsy theater
Romen Theatre
Romen Theatre is the oldest and the most famous of Romani theatres in the world. The theatre is a key object of Romani culture in Russia, and from the moment of its foundation in 1931, it has been a centre of attraction for Romani artists in Russia....
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...
and he to dream about his work in it.
In 1951 Nikolai was accepted into the "Romen" Theatre
Romen Theatre
Romen Theatre is the oldest and the most famous of Romani theatres in the world. The theatre is a key object of Romani culture in Russia, and from the moment of its foundation in 1931, it has been a centre of attraction for Romani artists in Russia....
. The gifted boy drew the attention of the leading theater masters. Certainly, they did not make it easy for him: he began like most, as an auxiliary staff actor. Nevertheless, the leading actors of the theater, such as Lyalya Chernaya, M. Skvortsova, S. Andreev, M. Cherkasova, S. Shishkov, I. Rom-Lebedev, V. Bizev, N. Narozhnyy, S. Zolotarev, I. Khrustalev, willingly shared with him the secrets of the craft. In these years Nikolai worked, read and learnt much.
Nikolai was first entrusted with a leading role as long ago as 1952, when he was not yet 18 years old. This was at the time when the Theater
Romen Theatre
Romen Theatre is the oldest and the most famous of Romani theatres in the world. The theatre is a key object of Romani culture in Russia, and from the moment of its foundation in 1931, it has been a centre of attraction for Romani artists in Russia....
left to Zagorsk (now - Sergiev Posad) with the play "Four Fiancées" by I. Khrustalev. Nikolai played the role of Leksa, as a substitute for the actor Sergey Fedorovich Shishkov (of the Shishkov gypsy dynasty) who had become ill. He then played the role of Leksa for many years, and later, as he grew older, played the role of Badi in this play as well.
After the play Slichenko received attention to as a capable actor. The theater began to engage him in the current repertoire plays. In all, at the time he played more than 60 roles in his native theater, and also took part in a number of popular movies, including the "Under the Rain and the Sun", "My Island is Blue", "Wedding in Malinovka" and others.
In 1977 Nikolai Slichenko became the Producer of the "Romen" Theater
Romen Theatre
Romen Theatre is the oldest and the most famous of Romani theatres in the world. The theatre is a key object of Romani culture in Russia, and from the moment of its foundation in 1931, it has been a centre of attraction for Romani artists in Russia....
. For this, he completed the Higher Producer Courses under the management of the People's Artist of the USSR
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 :...
Andrei Goncharov.
On the 4th of December 1998, a star with Nikolai Slichenko's name was placed at the Stars' Square 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...
.