Rendering №13

The article published in “Russia beyond the Headlines” on January 24, 2013 is headlined “Commemorating Vladimir Vysotsky - Russia's best-loved bard poet”. The article reports at length that RBTH met the son of Soviet prominent artist Vladimir Vysotsky and several other Russian performers at the Jan. 19 tribute concert at Crocus City Hall, which commemorated his 75th birthday. They talked about their memories of this timeless icon and his legacy. It was revealed that Nikita Vysotsky did not know his father well, since he divorced and remarried the French actress Marina Vlady in 1969. Still, he has honored his father’s wishes to the letter. In this connection it is worthwhile mentioning the fact that for what would have been his father’s 75th birthday, Nikita has brought together a sprinkling of famous performers to sing, reminisce and revive Vysotsky’s art on stage at Crocus City Hall. Speaking of this situation, it is necessary to note that Vladimir Vysotsky made an appearance, speaking on a huge screen that dominated the Hall about the first time he made a recording, when he was an actor at the Taganka Theatre in Moscow. However, Vysotsky’s songs were never officially permitted in the Soviet Union; he was only recognized officially as a theatre and cinema actor. Moreover, it is interesting to note that on stage, wearing a pullover, he gave a revolutionary performance of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” and he made a lasting impression on the big screen with “The Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed” (1979).

In resolute terms the author expresses the view of actor Sergei Bezrukov, who played Vysotsky in the film “Vysotsky, Thank You for Being Alive” (2011) that though Vladimir Vysotsky couldn’t make records legally, “everyone knew when and where his next underground concert would take place”. Moreover, it’s an open secret that Vladimir Shakhrin, leader of the group Chaif, did not discover Vysotsky through the secretly made cassettes; his father used Vysotsky’s songs to help teach him how to play guitar. The article makes it clear that while working on the construction of a new district in Yekaterinburg Shakhrin and his friends insisted that their street should be called Vysotsky Street, and they succeeded. By way of summing up, Shakhrin makes an interesting comparison: “Europe had its Beatle mania. We didn’t have the Beatles at that time – but we did have Vysotsky.” Besides, the author of the article makes it clear that Vysotsky legacy is also crucial for Ilja “Chjort” (a devil) Knabengof, the leader of the group Pilot, who says that “through his attitude and his deep, intellectual lyrics, he created Russian rock in the way it exists today. Vysotsky was the first Russian rocker”. The article also expresses the view that Vysotsky’s legacy is so profound that some see him as untouchable in terms of the heights he reached.

The article draws a conclusion that the audience is also enchanted by Vysotsky’s legacy. The greying heads of those who were the singer’s contemporaries can be counted on the fingers of one hand among his fans. This jubilee was attended by thousands of Muscovites, offering Vysotsky that which he desired above all else during his lifetime – immortality. As for me, I think that Vladimir Vysotsky was a talented actor, singer and songwriter and whose career had an immense and enduring effect on Russian culture. He is one of the renowned artists, actors, scientists, etc. who makes me proud for my country. He is a legend figure in Russian culture and to this day exerts significant influence on many of Russia's popular musicians and actors who wish to emulate his iconic status.