Larisa Mondrus Singer Date of Birth: 15.11.1943 Country: Latvia

Biography of Larisa Mondrus

Larisa Mondrus, a singer who gained fame for her performance of the first popular song by Raymond, was born on November 15, 1943 in Latvia. She graduated from the Riga Music School. In 1962, the young singer caught the attention of the public when she won a competition to join the Riga Pop Orchestra.

In 1964, Larisa Mondrus moved to Moscow and began a new phase in her career. She started working with Eddie Rozner's orchestra and collaborated with the instrumental ensemble led by Egils Schwartz. Together, they recorded new songs that showcased her talent. In 1968, she appeared in the musical comedy "Smile to Your Neighbor."

Larisa Mondrus constantly toured and sought out new songs. For her, creating a song was a different process than simply performing it in a concert. It involved searching, doubting, and the joy of discovery, allowing for genuine creativity. This is the path she followed in her artistic endeavors, which is why many composers and poets trusted her with the first performance of their works. It was Larisa Mondrus who performed the first popular song by Raymond, "Blue Flax."

Larisa is married to Egils Schwartz, a jazz musician, arranger, and conductor who led the Riga Pop Orchestra before Raymond Pauls. They had a successful life together until they decided to leave the country. The official propaganda launched a campaign against the unfortunate singer, resulting in her mother being expelled from the Communist Party. Mondrus' recordings were removed from State phonographic archives, her records were taken off the shelves, and destroyed. However, since 1973, Larisa and Egils have been living in Munich. Her entry into the western world of show business began with searching for Bavarian Radio phone numbers in a phone booth. This was followed by a successful radio recording of the song "Endless Explanation" by Yuri Saulsky, and her first television appearance on Ivan Rebrov's show.

Larisa worked with professionals, collaborating with various orchestras and making television recordings. After a live audition at the Polydor record label, she signed a five-year contract. Her first record, sung in Latvian, was released in Germany, where she gained popularity among German and Latvian audiences.

In Germany, Larisa and Egils had a son, who was raised in German culture but also speaks Latvian and Russian. Today, he is focused on pursuing classical music and brings joy to his mother with his achievements. Apart from music, Larisa also has her own business. Since 1985, she has owned two Italian shoe stores and approaches her work with great professionalism. In the early 1990s, the singer toured in Riga and met with Raymond Voldemarovich. In the summer of 2001, Larisa Mondrus visited Moscow for the first time in 28 years. She appeared on television shows, radio broadcasts, and performed at the anniversary celebration of P.M. Shabolta, the former CEO of the State Concert and Exhibition Center, Russia.

In 2001, writer Boris Savchenko, author of a book about Vadim Kozin, visited Larisa in Munich and worked on the book "Two Lives of Larisa Mondrus." The book aims to tell the story of all the years she lived and her life in Western Germany. The publication of the book is scheduled for early 2003.