Sofia Rotaru on the stage of the music festival “Legends of Retro FM”. www.globallookpress.com / “Komsomolskaya Pravda”
The peak of Sofia Rotaru's popularity occurred in the 60-70s of the last century. However, Sofia Rotaru, both then and now, stands out among her colleagues in many ways. Uniqueness follows the singer like a red thread throughout her creative and life path.
Few people know that Sofia Rotaru did not always perform pop or even folklore compositions. The singer had a period when she gravitated towards rock music.
5-tv.ru identified the main milestones in Sofia Rotaru’s work and tried to answer the question of what exactly distinguishes the singer from other performers of that era.
Family tragedy
Sofia Mikhailovna Rotaru was born into a Moldavian family of winegrower foreman Mikhail Fedorovich Rotar and market saleswoman Alexandra Ivanovna on August 7, 1947. For a long time, the territories where the future singer was born and raised belonged to Romania. The girl knew this language since childhood and still loves it. In the meantime, this is just a baby - the third child of his parents. The firstborn did not survive. After him, Zina was born - the older sister of the future star.
The latter will greatly influence the baby and her passion for music. It is she who will teach her younger sister the Russian language and train her ear for music. The reason here is not Zina’s special education or the child’s natural talent. In early childhood, the girl suffered from typhus and became blind. As is usually the case, simultaneously with the loss of vision, the person gained amazing hearing. Zina learned Russian by listening to radio broadcasts in the original language.
The girls spoke Moldovan with their parents. But they didn’t always have the surname Rotaru. After the Great Patriotic War, the territories where Sofia and her relatives were born and lived were transferred from Romania to Ukraine. At the same time, the authorities recommended that Mikhail Fedorovich change his surname to a more Ukrainian-sounding one. This is how the Rotaru family turned into Rotar. However, the mass listener will know the singer precisely by her “correct” last name.
Partial memory loss
A KP source at the Ufa Emergency Hospital, where the artist was taken, told what condition Sofia Mikhailovna was in:
— The singer was brought to us by ambulance at about 21.30 immediately after the concert. She had partial memory loss, high blood pressure, that is, a suspicion of acute cerebrovascular accident (stroke - Ed.). We performed a computed tomography perfusion scan on the patient (this diagnostic allows us to evaluate blood flow in the brain at the level of the smallest vessels. - Ed.). No foci of stroke were found. Considering the symptoms, the diagnosis was made: “transient ischemic attack” (brain circulation disorder without the development of acute stroke. - Ed.). In the morning, just in case, they also gave Sofia Mikhailovna an MRI. We saw multiple foci of old micro-strokes. As it turned out after a conversation with Rotaru, she was taking some of her medications incorrectly. And I didn’t take drugs that fight blood clots at all. Her therapy was chosen incorrectly.
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Doctors carried out a full diagnosis. One of the first to appear was the version with the formation of a blood clot.
“She was terribly afraid herself.” And when I came to my senses in the ambulance, I kept asking: “Girls, am I really going to die?!” - says one of the nurses. It took about two days for her memory to recover. Fortunately, doctors quickly rejected the worst options.
Beauty, athlete, singer
In the meantime, Sofiyka is studying in middle school and making progress in sports. The girl becomes the all-around champion at her school and defends her honor at local competitions. However, music is present in a child’s life even then. According to the singer, she always sang. Songs accompanied her everywhere: at school, at home, at the holiday table. While studying at school, Sofia immediately enrolls in the local choir. However, the girl’s hobby was not always to the taste of those around her.
At some point it becomes known that Sofiyka sings not only at school or at home, but also in church. The child is reprimanded. In the future, the singer admits that they did it rather as an edification to others. At that time, many school teachers prayed, but no one openly admitted it.
Already at that time, the girl demonstrated a pronounced contralto, very close to a soprano. In addition to singing, Sofia plays the button accordion and domra, and also attends a drama club. Very soon she will declare herself as a talented artist. The girl’s photo will even be published in a magazine. This will be one of her first steps towards all-Union success.
71-year-old Sofia Rotaru showed her face without makeup (photo)
In a recent photo, Rotaru showed off her natural beauty.
Famous Ukrainian singer Sofia Rotaru delighted fans by showing a new photo.
The 71-year-old artist proved on her Instagram page that photography without makeup is not a challenge for her. In a recent photo, Rotaru showed off her natural beauty. “So summer is over,” the artist briefly captioned the photo.
The singer’s poor health may be a symptom of a serious illness.
Sofia Rotaru was recently called the most youthful Russian pop artist. She is already 71 years old, but she hardly looks the same age as her 17-year-old granddaughter, while plastic surgery on the star’s face is almost invisible. However, age, alas, still made itself felt: recently, during a performance in Ufa, the singer became ill right on stage. She fainted and was rushed to hospital; To the horror of her family and friends, it turned out that Sofia Mikhailovna had partial amnesia: she did not recognize those around her, did not understand where she was, and was terrified that she was going to die.
Doctors explained what happened to Rotaru as an ischemic attack; an MRI also revealed multiple foci of old strokes in the star. At the same time, adherents of alternative science, who have their own sources of information, warn: most likely, everything will work out, but nature cannot be deceived, and the “forever young” performer will most likely never be the same.
Russians will have new treatment options
This is exactly the forecast given to the portal by an esotericist who calls herself Saona. According to her, this is not the first time that the singer has had attacks of this kind, accompanied by memory loss, but the family carefully hides all these cases. The sorceress assures that the star’s life is not in danger, but amnesia will steadily progress due to age, and the moment will come when Rotaru will have to constantly be under medical supervision. Source
First performances
The future artist makes her debut for the first time at the age of 17. Before this, she won a number of regional music competitions. Then, while still very young, the girl performs at a concert in the Kremlin Palace of Congresses. After that, her photograph was placed in the magazine “Ukraine” - an unprecedented success at that time! The young singer catches the eye of directors and other musicians. In addition, the magazine ends up in the hands of her future husband. However, he himself does not yet know that they have a future together. However, the young man manages to fall in love with the portrait of the black-eyed beauty.
Sofia Rotaru when she was a soloist of the Chervona Ruta ensemble. The artist's official group on VKontakte
In 1968, the artist participated in the IX World Festival of Creative Youth in Bulgaria. The singer wins. The morning newspapers are full of headlines in the spirit of “Sofia has conquered Sofia” (Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria. - Ed.).
It is noteworthy that the girl’s first serious victory was in a folk singers’ competition. In the future, it is the folklore orientation that will distinguish the singer from other Soviet artists. It is worth noting that the girl has been drawn to interethnic culture since childhood. From an early age she spoke several languages. At the same time, being an ethnic Moldavian, she and her family lived in the former Romanian territories, which in the girl’s memory always belonged to Ukraine.
Sofia Rotaru to emergency doctors: “Girls, girls, am I going to die?!”
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“I would like to go to the farm at least once, just for a little bit of spring,” Sofia Mikhailovna sang at a corporate party in Ufa. The audience looked at each other in bewilderment: the singer was staggering, as if she had drunk well.
As it turns out after 20 minutes, Rotaru simply felt very bad. She walked backstage with an unsteady gait, managed to say that she was dizzy, and the next second she collapsed unconscious.
“Sofia Mikhailovna was brought to us by ambulance with a suspected stroke,” says one of the nurses at the Ufa Emergency Hospital. — When the singer was taken on a gurney to the intensive care unit, Rotaru came to her senses. She began repeating endlessly: “Girls, am I going to die? Am I really going to die?
The artist immediately underwent an MRI. Fortunately, the diagnosis of cerebral hemorrhage was not confirmed.
“Sofia Mikhailovna was diagnosed with a transient ischemic attack (impaired blood circulation in the brain without the development of an acute stroke. - Editor’s note),” the doctors explained. “In addition, the patient had traces of multiple foci of old strokes. She was taking some medications incorrectly. And I didn’t take drugs that fight blood clots at all.
The doctors insisted that Rotaru stay in the medical center for another 5 days. Moreover, her memory has not yet fully recovered. However, the artist insisted on being discharged.
“On Monday evening, Sofia Mikhailovna’s room was empty,” hospital staff add.
It is not yet known whether Rotaru went home or to a Moscow clinic. The singer's relatives categorically refuse to talk about this topic. Source
"Chervona Ruta"
In 1971, Sofia became a member of the Chervona Ruta pop ensemble. The artistic director of the group is Anatoly Evdokimenko, Sofia’s husband. In the same year, the musicians’ songs ended up in the film of the same name by Roman Alekseev. Thus, for the first time, the girl performs a composition that will later become her calling card. She also gets her first movie role.
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Today marks our 50th wedding anniversary. Family Birthday! If you knew how much I miss you... Your eyes, sense of humor and support. My only one. I love more than life! ❤️
Publication from Sofia Rotaru / Sofia Rotaru (@sofiarotaru.official) Sep 22, 2020 at 5:01 PDT
The composition “Chervona Ruta” is well-known even among the modern generation of listeners. However, few people know what the lyrics of the song are about. Its name is translated from Ukrainian into Russian as red rue - a mythical plant from Carpathian beliefs. Legend says that its yellow flowers usually turn red once a year - on the night of Ivan Kupala. The girl who manages to pick the rue while it is red will be able to bewitch her beloved.
Today the song of the same name is one of the most famous compositions in the Ukrainian language in the world. The composition owes its popularity among mass listeners to Sofia Rotaru’s performance. In the same period, the father of the author of the text, Vladimir Ivasyuk, Mikhail, will show gratitude for the fact that the singer spread his son’s poems around the world.
The collaboration between Sofia Rotaru and the Chervona Ruta ensemble will last 15 years. In 1986, the team decided to continue performing without Rotaru. For the artist this will be an unpleasant surprise. She will even regard the collective’s action as a betrayal. In the meantime, Sofia performs as part of “Chervona Ruta,” which brought her all-Union fame.
The next stage in Sofia Rotaru’s creative career is acting. Filming consolidates the singer’s success and opens up new facets of her artistry.
Filming
Today, Sofia Rotaru is primarily known as one of the brightest Soviet pop artists. However, at the peak of her popularity, the singer starred in several films. The heroines played by Rotaru came to life on the screen. In the singer's acting career there were no passable films. However, among them there are three most high-profile projects.
"Where are you, love?"
The first such film was “Where Are You, Love?” The film turned out to be largely autobiographical. The heroine of Sofia Rotaru came from the Moldavian hinterland, and her first step towards real success began with participation in a musical ensemble. In addition, as in Rotaru’s life, her character also won a prestigious music competition.
The film was released in 1980. The reaction to it was mixed. On the one hand, he brought Rotaru a new wave of popularity. On the other hand, viewers actively discussed the weak points of the film - the script. Later, the director of the film admits that “Where are you, love?” was initially a passing picture for him. He put real effort into another project with the participation of the singer - “Year of Vocation”. The script for “Where are you, love?” did not yet exist then. The management gave the go-ahead for the second film, but we had to forget about the first one.
After the premiere, unflattering poems about the film appeared in the Krokodil magazine. From them it becomes clear that no amount of singing can help a film with a weak plot. The singer seemed to be only provoked by this reaction from the public. Soon she was already busy filming the film “Soul” - a truly unique film by the standards of that era.
"Soul"
“Soul” was released in 1981 and received mostly negative reviews among professional viewers. Critics did not like that the filmmakers showed the hidden side of the Soviet stage. And even the band’s most loyal fans did not understand the presence of the rock band “Time Machine” in the film.
As for Sofia Rotaru, the Soviet press did not spare her either. Neither the girl’s vocal abilities nor her acting abilities - all this seemed to pass by the viewer. The only thing he really liked about the film was Rolan Bykov’s performance. In “Soul” the artist played the greedy and unprincipled administrator of the singer, the heroine Rotaru.
Participation in the film “Soul” did not bring the singer fame as an actress. Sofia Rotaru’s next serious film work will turn out to be much “heavier” than long-time connoisseurs of her work are accustomed to.
"Golden heart"
The most striking work in the artist’s filmography was the film “Heart of Gold.” The film was released in 1989 and mostly consisted of the singer’s concert performances. In one of them, the artist appears before fans in the guise of a hardcore performer and sings the corresponding compositions.
Fans of Sofia Rotaru remember the film “Heart of Gold” with reverence. At the same time, the artist’s biographers assign greater importance to the film “Monologue About Love.” In it, speeches by Sofia Rotaru are interspersed with her interviews on the topic of relationships, life and philosophy.
Sofia Rotaru in the era of passion for rock. Official page of the artist on VKontakte
During the same period, a new chapter opened in the singer’s work. Her song repertoire is replenished with compositions in the rock genre. The most famous of them is “Only this is not enough.” The singer's arsenal is filled with lyrics in Russian. The ballet “Todes” by Alla Dukhova joins the troupe. Their cooperation will last five years. In the future, the choreographer admits that the dance group owes its success to its work with Sofia Rotaru.
At this point, the artist is considered one of the brightest Soviet performers, along with Alla Pugacheva. The Soviet press for a long time attributed the singers to rivalry. However, later this will turn out to be nothing more than an invention of journalists. In addition, Sofia Rotaru receives a number of honorary titles. Among them is People's Artist of the USSR. However, not everyone liked the singer’s success.
Dissatisfaction of Ukrainian listeners
After parting with the Chervona Ruta ensemble, Sofia Rotaru began to look for herself. Soon Vladimir Matetsky became its composer. At the same time, the singer’s repertoire expanded. It contained songs that were unusual for the artist before this genre. Increasingly, Sofia Rotaru sang in Russian. Ukrainian listeners were hostile to these changes. Many decided that Sofia Rotaru, starting out as a Ukrainian folk performer, had betrayed her roots.
At a concert in Lviv in 1989, the audience greeted the artist with posters in the spirit of “Sofia, punishment awaits you.” In addition, the unstable situation in the USSR added fuel to the fire. There were only a few years left before the collapse of the state. However, human unrest made itself felt even then.
Contrary to the accusations of Ukrainian fans, Sofia Rotaru did not forget about her roots. Despite experiments with image in the 80s and the lion’s share of Russian-language songs in the 90s, Ukrainian songs did not leave the singer’s repertoire.
In the future, the artist will release many new successful songs and fresh records. In addition, she will become a frequent guest at gala concerts and music festivals. Despite everything, for future generations of music lovers, Sofia Rotaru will become one of the brightest performers of the Soviet era.
Nevertheless, in the memory of the mass listener the artist will remain a performer of folk songs. The soulfulness of Sofia Rotaru's songs made her a favorite of different nationalities.
So, after the collapse of the USSR, a joke will appear among the people: supposedly in Belovezhskaya Pushcha for a long time they were figuring out who would get Sofia Rotaru during the division of the Soviet Union: Armenia, Ukraine or Russia. However, we should not forget about the ethnic origin of the artist!
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On August 25, 71-year-old Sofia Rotaru felt unwell after speaking at a corporate event in Ufa. The singer began to feel dizzy even during the concert. Despite this, Rotaru decided to complete the program and, having performed “The Farmer,” went backstage, where she lost consciousness...
Sofia Rotaru now
Sofia Rotaru has been on stage for more than half a century. However, she still releases new songs and tours. Today, the singer receives birthday greetings not only from fans or friends and family. In 2020, President Vladimir Putin congratulated Sofia Rotaru on her 70th birthday.
However, despite her star status and world fame, Sofia Rotaru remains a true people's artist. The singer supports her entire family and participates in charity. Sofia lives on earnings from corporate events. According to the singer’s concert director, wealthy fans are willing to pay a lot of money for the performance of their favorite performer. The cost of a private performance sometimes starts from 50 thousand euros.
Sofia Rotaru today. Instagram @sofiarotaru.official
The secret of youth
In 2020, Sofia Rotaru celebrated her 70th anniversary. She spent her birthday on the stage of the Zhara music festival in Baku. Despite his venerable age, Rotaru managed to maintain a slender figure. The artist’s director notes that for the sake of a beautiful appearance, his star ward took serious measures.
The woman went on a strict diet. Her diet was filled with vegetables and herbs. I had to give up a lot. For example, from fried potatoes, which she really loves. The artist added hour-long walks to her healthy diet. In total, Rotaru lost about ten kilograms. On the stage of the Zhara festival, the artist looked simply stunning.
Today's Sofia Rotaru radiates warmth and confidence. Behind the image of this successful woman, it is difficult to see an artist who has been repeatedly harassed by listeners. However, attacks on her continue to this day.
Today the singer rarely appears on Russian television. According to people close to Rotaru, she fears an inadequate reaction from certain fans. She equally loves and appreciates the public of Russia and Ukraine, but not everyone is ready to separate creativity from politics.
It's hard to believe that the woman in the photo is over 70. Instagram @sofiarotaru.official
Concert director Rotaru notes that she never lost touch with the people. According to his recollections, when the artist needed a work permit in Russia, she stood in line for documents on a general basis. Her neighbors in the crowd were also simple workers from the former Soviet republics. This did not offend the singer at all, because she was and remains a law-abiding citizen.
However, journalists are little concerned about the star’s civic position. The most burning question that interests the press is her personal life. However, here the conversation is short. Sofia Rotaru, by her own admission, is a monogamous person and her heart forever belongs to only one person.
Who criticized Sofia Rotaru in Russia
The head of the social committee of the Russian Federation Council, Valery Ryazansky, accused the Ukrainian singer of wanting to make money through concerts in Russia. “Of course, they say that culture and art are outside of politics, but in life it’s not like that. The same well-known Georgian artist in Russia, Vakhtang Kikabidze, criticized Russia,” Ryazansky said.
Valery Ryazansky
"Kursk News"
According to Ryazansky, “the Ministry of Culture should have an instrument of influence on such artists, but this should not be the compilation of “black lists”, similar to what happened in Ukraine.” The senator said that the best response to performances by such artists would be empty seats in the concert hall.
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“Why are you going for money?” In Russia they attacked Rotaru because of his return
And another senator, Alexei Pushkov, said that no one is bullying Rotaru, but she is “not very welcome.” “We are tired of guest performers who come to make money in Russia, but at home they either curse it in vain, like Katamadze, or invent fairy tales that they are forbidden to travel to Crimea, like Vaikule. So Rotaru is not very happy,” Pushkov said on Twitter.
Alexey Pushkov
The long-time presenter of “Song of the Year” Angelina Vovk also spoke out against Sofia Rotaru. “I am always amazed at this kind of position of a person, it causes surprise. Well, first of all, if you have such a bad attitude towards Russia, why are you coming here for money? If I were Sofia, I wouldn’t come here to earn money, no matter how much I need the money. I understand that an artist is outside of politics. But, if you are truly out of politics, then do not support the army that is at war with our country,” Vovk said. The Honored Artist of the USSR promised that she would not go to Sofia Rotaru’s concert.
Angelina Vovk
"Around TV"
Musician Yuri Loza called Rotaru “a people’s artist of all countries” who supposedly has no life principles. “She went on a tour of Ukraine, there she had to say some words, now she has to return to Russia and say different words. What principles can you expect from Rotaru? She is a people’s artist of all countries,” he said.
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In Russia they found the reason for the sudden return of Rotaru
Personal life
Unlike many of her colleagues, Sofia Rotaru is in no hurry to show off her personal life. Her creative path began in the late 60s. At that time, listeners were more interested in the work of artists, and not in their personal lives.
The singer met her husband in 1964. He first saw her in the magazine “Ukraine” and fell in love at first sight. Returning from the army, Evdokimenko began looking for a young singer and eventually found him through her classmates. At that time, the girl worked with classical musical instruments. It was her future husband who attracted her to the stage. He himself dreamed of creating his own musical ensemble. In the future it will become the legendary “Chervona Ruta”.
Sofia Rotaru with her husband Anatoly in her youth. Instagram @sofiarotaru.official
In the meantime, the young man is beautifully courting the girl, but they got married only four years later. In 1970, the couple had a son, Ruslan. An exceptionally bright future awaits this family; Sofia’s memories were darkened by only one day - October 23, 2002. On this day, Anatoly Evdokimenko died of a stroke - Sofia Rotaru will never marry again.
Today, grandchildren occupy a central place in the artist’s life. The elder Anatoly worked as a DJ for some time, and now works as a photographer. His younger sister Sofia tried her hand at the fashion industry and later recorded several songs. The singer's son Ruslan has been producing their star grandmother for a long time.
The artist lives in several houses at once. This is an apartment in Kyiv, a country house near the Ukrainian capital, and a mansion in Crimea. She also has a hotel there, which has been welcoming guests from different parts of the world for many years.
Sofia Rotaru with her grandchildren Anatoly and Sofia. Instagram @sofiarotaru.official
Rotaru, who ended up in intensive care, addressed fans
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Meanwhile, doctors in Ufa told how Rotaru, a stroke survivor, finishes herself off with medications.
The day before, singer Sofia Rotaru was hospitalized in Ufa. According to media reports, the artist became ill while performing at one of the corporate events. Information about health problems was confirmed by Rotaru herself.
"Friends! Indeed, yesterday some health problems arose... Thank you all for your support and care! I’m already back to normal and I really want ice cream!” she wrote on her Instagram.
https://instagram.com/p/Bm8GnezHPxJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_loading_state_control
Meanwhile, doctors spoke in detail about the current condition of the People's Artist of the USSR. According to doctors, Rotaru was taken to the hospital by ambulance immediately after the concert. The singer had memory loss, as well as high blood pressure, that is, a suspicion of a stroke.
“We performed a computed tomography perfusion scan on the patient (this diagnosis allows us to evaluate blood flow in the brain at the level of the smallest vessels - editor's note). No foci of stroke were found. Considering the symptoms, the diagnosis was made: “Transient ischemic attack” (impaired blood circulation in the brain without the development of an acute stroke),” they told Komsomolskaya Pravda.
According to doctors, in the morning, just in case, they also gave Sofia Mikhailovna an MRI. We saw multiple foci of old strokes.
“As it turned out after a conversation with Rotaru, she did not take some of her medications correctly. And I didn’t take drugs that fight blood clots at all. Her therapy was chosen incorrectly,” they explained. Source
Albums
Vinyl records
- “Sofia Rotaru I sings” - 1972.
- “Sofia Rotaru II Sings” - 1973.
- “The Ballad of Violins” - 1973.
- “Sofia Rotaru I” - 1974.
- “Sofia Rotaru sings the songs of Vladimir Ivasyuk” - 1975.
- “Sofia Rotaru II” - 1977.
- “Sofia Rotaru III - 1978.
- “Only for you” - 1980.
- “Sofia Rotaru IV” - 1981.
- “Songs from the movie “Where are you, love?” - 1981.
- “Sofia Rotaru and “Chervona Ruta”” - 1981.
- “Sofia Rotaru V” - 1982.
- “Tender Melody” - 1985.
- “Monologue about love” - 1987.
- "Lavanda" - 1987.
- "Heart of Gold" - 1988.
- “Caravan of Love” - 1991.
CD
- Heart Of Gold - 1990.
- Forgotten Songs Of Vladimir Ivasuk - 1990.
- “Sofia Rotaru 1990” - 1990.
- "Romance" - 1991.
- “Caravan of Love” - 1993.
- "Lavender" - 1993.
- “Sofia Rotaru 1993” - 1993.
- “Golden Songs 1985/95” - 1995.
- “Farmer” - 1995.
- “Night of Love” - 1996.
- "Chervona Ruta" 1996 - 1996.
- “Love Me” - 1998.
- “I Still Love You” - 2002.
- "The Snow Queen" - 2002.
- “Leaf Fall” - 2003.
- “To the One” - 2003.
- “Water Flows” - 2004.
- “Lavender, farmer, then everywhere…” - 2004.
- “The Sky is Me” - 2004.
- “When Love Blooms” - 2005.
- “I loved him” - 2005.
- “What is the weather like in the heart” - 2007.
- "Fog" - 2007.
- “I am your love” - 2008.
- “I won’t look back” - 2010.
- “And my soul flies” - 2012.
- “Time to Love” - 2013.
- "Sofia Rotaru" - 2014.
