Asparuh Dimitrov Leshnikov ( Ari Leshnikov ; June 16, 1897, Haskovo, Principality of Bulgaria - July 31, 1978, Sofia, People's Republic of Bulgaria ) - Bulgarian pop singer, tenor, performer of popular songs in the genre of urban hit. A member of the popular vocal group Comedian Harmonists in the 1920s and 1930s. European critics called Ari “the knight of the upper fa” [5] .
| Asparuh Leshnikov | |
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| basic information | |
| Date of Birth | |
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| Professions | singer |
| Singing voice | tenor |
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| Genres | stage |
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Content
Biography
Early years
Asparuh Leshnikov was born July 16, 1896 (according to some sources - June 16 [6] ) in Haskovo. From the age of eight he sang in a school choir in Stara Zagora and in a church choir. The boy had a pure soprano timbre and sang a female part in the choir. At the age of 10, Asparuh became orphaned and was sent to study at a military school in Sofia at the state expense, the young man intended to make a military career. However, the gifted cadet attracted the attention of the school bandmaster and composer Georgy Atanasov , who arranged for him to study singing with tenor Pyotr Raichev . Subsequently, classes with Professor Ivan Vulpe finally forced the cadet Leshnikov to abandon his military career [7] .
Leshnikov continued his education in Berlin . Great support for the young singer was provided by actress and singer Olga Chekhova . In 1922, Leshnikov won a full scholarship, surpassing 180 competitors, and got the opportunity to study at the Berlin Conservatory . Leshnikov’s voice of rare beauty could provide him with a brilliant opera career, but low growth was an obstacle to stage performance, as teachers believed. Nevertheless, Ari Leshnikov, despite his short stature, was a favorite of women, distinguished by his impressive appearance and elegant manners [5] [7] . Leshnikov earned his living as a waiter. In 1927 he got a job as a soloist in the Charell-Revue choir [8] [9] .
Comedian Harmonists
In 1928, Leshnikov took part in the creation of the male vocal ensemble Melody Makers , later called Comedian Harmonists . The group in which Leshnikov played the part of the first tenor, enjoyed incredible success in Europe and the USA, its popularity is compared with the popularity of The Beatles . From 1928 to 1934, the group recorded 234 records, circulations reached hundreds of thousands, the repertoire had 280 hits. At the peak of popularity, each of the sextet musicians earned 60 thousand gold marks a year - as much as the brightest movie star Greta Garbo . They say that Goebbels , Hitler , and the Norwegian king Olaf V were among the fans of the group, and after speaking in 1934 on the aircraft carrier Saratoga and Roosevelt . The ensemble (and Ari Leshnikov) starred in many films, including in partnership with Marlene Dietrich and Rosa Valletti [5] [6] [7] [9] .
About the legendary ensemble in 1997, director Joseph Filsmeier directed the feature film Comedian Harmonists ("Comedian Musicians"), which won the prestigious Deutscher Filmpreis and Bayerischer Filmpreis awards and was nominated for the European Film Academy Award . The role of Ari Leshnikov in the film was played by actor [10] .
In 1951, opera singer Georgi Belchev created a vocal ensemble in Bulgaria similar to Comedian Harmonists and invited Leshnikov. However, the group’s work at that time did not fit into the framework approved by the authorities, and in 1954 the ensemble ceased to exist [7] [9] .
In the 60s, Comedian Harmonists' songs became popular again in Germany. The founders of the group were invited to the famous variety show Friedrichstadtpalast , the group was revived and performed with great success. Records of the ensemble were reprinted [7] .
Independent activities
As a solo artist, Leshnikov sang mainly urban hits, including the most famous songs such as “Bittersweet cafe”, “Belokamenna cheshma”, “For Nashata smashed out”, “Passionately marry your parents”, “Whisper on vlnite”, “Dance, tsiganko” [ 5] . He starred in the film "Again in the Abdomen" as the lead singer of shepherd's jazz (1947). A long-playing record with city hits performed by Ari Leshnikov also appeared in Bulgaria ( Balkanton , 1974) [7] .
Rewards
Ari Leshnikov was awarded the gold badge and the title of Honorary Member of Friedrichtadtpalast for his merits in German culture in 1968. On the occasion of his 80th birthday, Asparuh Leshnikov was awarded the 1st degree Cyril and Methodius Order for his contribution to Bulgarian culture (1977) [5] [6] [7] .
Personal life
Ari Leshnikov was married twice. His first wife, the daughter of the British envoy to Paris, ballerina Delfin, preferred her to wealthy and noble applicants for her hand. In 1937, the son of Simeon was born to the couple. In 1939, Leshnikov was mobilized for military service and returned with his family to Bulgaria. Leshnikov served as commandant of the Podouin station and had enough time to record more than 100 discs. But in 1944, the Leshnikovs' house was bombed, the family was left homeless and even starved: in wartime, music was not in demand. After situation of Asparuh, with his reputation as Goebbels' favorite, became unbearable. In 1946, with the help of paternal ties, the wife was able to leave Bulgaria on a military plane and took her son away [7] .
Asparuh Leshnikov participated in the , moonlighting as a builder, cleaner, watchman. In the post-war period, he tried to earn a profession in a wandering circus on the opening act of an illusionist, he sang in taverns and at private parties [5] . In 1947, Leshnikov met his second wife, a 19-year-old primary school teacher. In this marriage, Leshnikov had a son, Henry. Leshnikov could officially formalize the marriage only in 1952, with great difficulty through the Red Cross, filling out an absentee divorce from Delfin [7] .
Asparuh Leshnikov died in 1978 from a stroke, in poverty. He was buried at the Malashevsky cemetery in Sofia [7] .
Memory
In June 2015, a monument to Ari Leshnikov was unveiled in the singer’s homeland, in Haskovo [11] . Every year, in early June, in Haskovo, the festival of the city hit “With Ari's Songs” [6] [12] is annually held.
Notes
- ↑ Internet Movie Database - 1990.
- ↑ German National Library , Berlin State Library , Bavarian State Library , etc. Record # 1061436292 // General Normative Control (GND) - 2012—2016.
- ↑ Discogs - 2000.
- ↑ filmportal.de - 2005.
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 5 6 Asparuh Leshnikov - “Ricorn at the Gornotha Fa” of a dying man in misery and pick-up (Bulgarian) . Factor.bg (July 31, 2015). Date of treatment March 21, 2016.
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 110 years of birth from Asparuh Leshnikov (Bulgarian) . Blitz (June 18, 2008). Date of treatment March 26, 2016.
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 M. Gigova. The 19-year-old is in love with Asparuh Leshnikov, who is 52 years old (Bulgarian) . Epicenter (April 22, 2015). Date of treatment March 22, 2016.
- ↑ Revue hosted by renowned German dancer and director
- ↑ 1 2 3 Vladimir Gadges. Asparuh Leshnikov - they will succeed the Bulgarian on the stage-mate musical scene (Bulgarian) . e-vestnik.bg (November 3, 2007). Date of treatment March 24, 2016.
- ↑ Bernd Reinhardt. Music is international: the film Comedian Harmonists . World Socialist Web Site (June 23, 1998). Date of treatment March 22, 2016.
- ↑ Memorial on Asparuh Leshnikov scream in Haskovo, the start-up morning and festival (Bulgarian) , Dariknews.bg: Haskovo (June 5, 2015). Date of treatment March 22, 2016.
- ↑ National contest-festival "With a Song on Ari", Haskovo (Bulgaria) . Tourist information center of Haskovo. Date of treatment March 26, 2016.
Links
- Leshnikov, Asparuh on the Internet Movie Database