Our heroine is the queen of the gypsy romance, a talented woman, a star of the 20-40s of the last century. She is Isabella Yuryeva. The biography, the personal life of the singers - all this is difficult to fit on one page. After all, she lived for 100 years. In her fate there were many joyful and sad events. But one thing can be said: such artists are not forgotten. The article contains a personal and creative biography of the legendary singer of the romance. Enjoy your reading!
Isabella St. George: biography: family and childhood
Born on August 26 (September 7), 1899 in Rostov-on-Don. However, another date is indicated in the passport - August 25 (September 7), 1902. She is from a large Jewish family. Her maiden name is Livikova. Isabella's father, Daniil Grigorievich, was a master in theater hats. And her mother worked as a postager in a local theater.
She had three older sisters (Anya, Katya and Masha), as well as a brother. Girls have always lived together, were fond of music. They did not offend the only brother.
Concerts were often held at the Livikovs' house. Daniil Grigoryevich, along with four daughters, performed his favorite songs.
Legends and rumors
How is Bella Livikova so different from other children (she is Isabella Yuryeva). The biography and life story of our heroine always raised a lot of questions. Let's dwell on this in more detail.
According to the family story, on the day when the girl was born into the world, in the Rostov music workshop there was one case. A string suddenly broke inside the piano case. This alarming trembling sound remained in the air for a long time, causing irritation among local residents. However, then representatives of the Livikov family guessed that it was a sign - a musically gifted child was born. It's about Bella. Father and mother were sure that she would become a famous artist.
Many Russian citizens born before the revolution of 1905 indicated two dates of their birth (according to the new and old style). Now it seems strange to many. But what about Isabella Yuryev? Her biography looks somewhat confusing. For most of her life, the singer claimed to have been born in 1902. However, a few years before her death, she had a frank conversation with reporters. The performer of gypsy romances admitted that her life should be counted down from 1899. How did it happen? It's simple: in 1932 a passport system was introduced in the USSR. Many citizens wanted to "rejuvenate" by removing several years. For example, the legendary actress Lyubov Orlova did this.
Abilities
Parents dreamed that their youngest daughter would become a doctor. But the girl had a clear singing talent. At some point, the father and mother came to terms with this.
Isabella Yuryeva, whose biography we are considering, wanted someone to appreciate her talent and creative prospects. When the girl was 16 years old, her mother took her to her friend - a violinist of a symphony orchestra named Cymbalist. Soon he organized a public audition for Bella in the city garden of Rostov. Our heroine performed three compositions - “Above the Fields”, “I Remember, I was a Molodushka” and “On the Old Kaluga Road”. She amazed everyone with the purity and depth of her voice.
However, the audition did not go as smoothly as Bellay would have liked. During the performance of one of the songs, a mosquito flew into her mouth. She almost choked. Isabella thought that now she can forget about the scene. But the public forgave the girl this easy hitch. The young beauty left the city garden to loud applause.
Beginning of the creative path
17-year-old Bella went with her mother to Petrograd. Their goal was not to get to know the sights. The girl wanted to get an audition with a professor at the conservatory. At that time, the elder sister of our heroine (Anna) was already a student of this institution (piano class). Specialists listened to Bella and said: “She does not need to study. She has a naturally set voice. ”
Since 1920, our heroine has lived in Petrograd, studying with composer and professional pianist A. Taskin. When did Bella's debut performance take place? In 1922, she entered the stage of the Coliseum cinema, performed several songs. She was introduced as Isabella Yuriev. The real surname seemed dissonant to the girl.
Isabella Yurieva: biography, personal life
In 1925, a talented singer married. Her chosen one was the lawyer Joseph Epstein, who took the pseudonym Joseph Arkadiev. He became the administrator of the spouse. And this man proved himself as a talented songwriter. It was Joseph who wrote the words for such hits performed by Bella as “Spring Song”, “Your Letters”, “Take a Tender Look” and others.
All 1926 the couple spent in Paris. The Soviet singer of romance was able to charm the local audience. She even received a tempting offer - to perform in the famous Olympia. But Bella agreed.
Many are confident that the singer and her husband Joseph did not have common children. But it is not so. Upon returning from Paris to Moscow, Isabella Danilovna found out about her “interesting situation”. Soon, the couple had a son, whom they named Vladimir. But Yuryev did not experience the joy of motherhood for long.
In a Moscow communal apartment (on 16 sq. M), five had to huddle (sister with her husband, Bella with Joseph and son). The artist was to perform at several concerts. To provide his wife with comfortable conditions, Arkadyev took his young son to relatives in Leningrad. After some time, terrible news came from there - the boy died. He was only 1 year and 2 months old.
The singer went crazy with grief. Joseph went to the funeral of the child, and forbade her. On this day, Yurieva needed to speak. She overcame herself. Bella grabbed the back of a chair. With a stone face, our heroine performed one song after another. The audience in the hall did not even guess what grief inside she was experiencing. From November 1928 to 1936 Bella had a break in creative activity. And such a pause was appropriate. Indeed, during this period, the RAPM fought against gypsy in all its manifestations.
Living conditions
It was difficult for the actress to exist off the stage. Arkadyev perfectly understood this. Therefore, he did everything to turn the everyday life of his wife into a kind of fairy tale.
In 1931, they moved from a cramped room in a communal apartment to a spacious apartment on Trekhprudny Lane. Previously, the famous poetess M. Tsvetaeva lived in this house.
The family gradually furnished new apartments. The husband arranged pleasant surprises for Bella. Often, waking up in the morning, the singer of romances saw on her bedside table a bouquet of flowers and chocolate bar "Golden Label". And on her birthday, Yuryev received a Faberge ring inlaid with diamonds from her husband.
For several years, Arkadyev built a two-story summer house near Voskresensk. He himself developed the project, including 6 balconies and a huge terrace.
In the summer, Bella and Joseph rested on Klyazma. They enjoyed the magnificent scenery, ate fresh strawberries, boated and had picnics with friends. Yurieva liked all this. But every day she missed the stage more and more. The husband was not against her return to the stage. Arkadyev even wrote for her several new compositions - “First Ball”, “If You Can, I'm Sorry” and “Reply to Friendship”.
Famous fans
Many Soviet men dreamed of such a beautiful and talented woman as Isabella Yuryev. A biography (briefly) of her famous fans is given below.
Arnold Hammer
The son of a European expat from Odessa. He was one of those who helped the Bolsheviks lift the economic blockade of the West. And soon, American capital came to the USSR. While most Soviet citizens were poor and hungry, he lived in a big way. In his apartment, he created a real museum of antique furniture, paintings and other items. Love for gypsy romances and a weakness for female beauty made him one of the main admirers of Yurieva.
Samuel Marshak
The famous poet and translator, too, was imbued with great sympathy for the beautiful Isabella. But she was ready to build only friendly relations with him. It seems that Marshak was unlucky in love. After all, the editor of the publishing house Tamara Gabbe also did not reciprocate.
Mikhail Zoshchenko
During his lifetime he was called the "master of laughter." And deservedly so. To be convinced of the humorous talent of Mikhail Mikhailovich, just read his stories. Zoshchenko was a very determined man. He came home to Yurieva to talk privately with her. With his private visits, the writer freaked Isabella's husband from himself. Joseph Arkadyevich promised that next time he would lower an obsessive boyfriend from the stairs. Zoshchenko did not come anymore.
Confrontation
Many Soviet citizens knew who Isabella Yuryev was. Biography, photo the singers were published in newspapers and magazines. If you think that exclusively laudatory articles were written about her, then you are mistaken. In the early 1940s, they began to poison her in the press. Even Isaac Dunaevsky urged our heroine to “advise” her repertoire.
In 1941, the war began. In different cities of the USSR, front-line concert brigades were created. One of them included Isabella St. George. Biography says that she spoke at recruiting stations and in hospitals. Our heroine managed to visit both Stalingrad and the Karelian front. Lyrical songs and novels in her performance raised the spirit of wounded and healthy fighters, instilled in them hope for a brighter future.
At the end of the war, her persecution as a singer continued. During the recording of the records, the editors found fault with the manner of performance. She was invited to sing Stalin. And if she agreed? Then the title of Honored or People's Artist would be quickly received by Isabella Yuryev. Biography and history are not known to endure the subjunctive mood. Our heroine once again refused.
Nevertheless, the artist persecuted by many lived in abundance. She and her husband traveled around Moscow in the luxurious Chrysler. The second such car was only in Yezhov. The huge fees of her husband, Joseph Epstein, allowed them to live like Christ's bosom. Their apartment was furnished with antique furniture, and also finished with natural stone and silk. The couple also had a two-story cottage with six balconies. Ordinary Soviet people could not even dream of such a luxury.
How in the conditions of constant persecution Isabella Yuryeva built her career. Biography, songs in her performance interested people less and less. And in 1959, she dissolved her ensemble. The singer continued to participate in national concerts, but less and less. On the posters, her name and surname were not indicated (by order of the head of the department of culture).
In 1965, the last concert of Isabella Yurieva took place. It took place within the walls of the Leningrad Variety Theater. The audience gathered true fans of her talent. People listened to romances performed by Bella and cried. On this day, our heroine looked especially magnificent - young, slender, with a beautiful hairstyle. She wanted the audience to remember her that way.
Life with a clean slate
In 1971, she became the widow of Isabella St. George. The biography of the singer contains information that her husband Joseph Arkadievich Epstein died suddenly. The singer turned out to be a lonely and helpless woman. Indeed, for all these years of marriage, she never went to the store for bread and other products, did not clean the house. Bell did not even learn how to light a gas burner. All this was done by a housemaid hired by Joseph.
In order not to plunge into loneliness and deep depression, Yurieva hooked up female students. They also performed the function of domestic workers. Soon, our heroine began to disappear things: items from an expensive service, silver spoons, memorable letters from famous people. As a result, Bella “dispersed” everyone and was left face to face with her loneliness.
For days on end, the former pop star spent four walls. She examined photos of different years for a long time, listened to rare audio recordings.
And suddenly in the 1970s, Soviet citizens again woke up interest in such a musical direction as romance. Here are just a few talented and original performers. Journalists and directors remembered Yuryeva. She began to be invited to radio and television.
Isabella (Yuryeva) Danilovna did not even think of such a surge in popularity. Her biography was of interest to the younger generation. And the performer was very upset when she listened to her recordings of the 30s. After all, then she was forced to artificially raise her voice, remove larynx notes. And the excessive emotionality in the songs was not welcomed. In a word, no freedom in creative expression.
Long awaited awards
When did the singer Isabella Yuryeva get the title “People’s Artist”? A biography indicates that this happened in 1992.
On its 100th anniversary, our heroine was awarded the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" IV degree. This award was presented to her in the Kremlin Palace in September 1999. The singer was moved to tears.
Death
On January 20, 2000, Isabella Yuryev left this world. The biography (photo of the singer’s grave you can see below) of the artist says that the great performer found her last shelter at the Don cemetery in the south-west of Moscow. Bella's relatives and friends have long been dead. Therefore, there is no one to care for her grave. Only true valued cultures sometimes come there to lay flowers and tidy up.
Finally
Today we remembered another talented and interesting person. That was exactly Isabella Yuryeva. The biography, family and personal life of the singer - everything is discussed in detail in the article. Let her rest in peace ...