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Peter LeschenkoSinger. The singer's mother, who lost her husband early, was an illiterate peasant woman.
Date of Birth: 14.06.1898
Country:  Russia |
Content:
- Pyotr Leshchenko: A Russian-Romanian Musical Legend
- Career Beginnings
- Collaboration with Oscar Strok
- International Fame and Recordings
- World War II and Controversies
- Marriage to Vera Belousova
- Post-War Career and Legacy
- Arrest and Death
- Discography and Re-evaluation
Pyotr Leshchenko: A Russian-Romanian Musical Legend
Early Life and InfluencesBorn on July 3, 1898, in Isaevo, Ukraine, Pyotr Leshchenko was immersed in music from an early age. Despite his peasant background, his stepfather recognized his artistic talent and gifted him with a guitar. At the age of sixteen, he joined the Kishinev School for Ensigns but was promptly drafted into the Romanian Army. Following a severe injury and hospitalization, he found himself an emigrant after the separation of Bessarabia from Russia in 1918.
Career Beginnings
Leshchenko spent the early years of his emigration working various odd jobs. In 1923, he enrolled in a ballet school in Paris, where he met his first wife, Zinaida Zakis, a Latvian dancer. Together, they developed song and dance routines that garnered attention during a European tour in 1926. Returning to Kishinev in 1928, Leshchenko initiated his solo career at the age of 32, achieving unexpected success.
Collaboration with Oscar Strok
Leshchenko's rise to stardom was propelled by his friendship with renowned composer Oscar Strok, who blended the intensity of Argentine tango with the soulfulness of Russian romance. Leshchenko recorded and performed some of Strok's most popular works, including "Chyornye Glaza" (Black Eyes), "Sinyaya Rapsodiya" (Blue Rhapsody), and "Skazhite Pochemu" (Tell Me Why). He also collaborated with other talented composers like Mark Maryanovsky.
International Fame and Recordings
In 1932, Leshchenko's exceptional vocals caught the attention of two Englishmen who assisted him in recording several tracks in London. He moved permanently to Bucharest in 1933, where he recorded over a hundred diverse songs for the labels Bellacord and Columbia. Leshchenko toured throughout Europe and beyond, including performances in England, Latvia, and Paris.
World War II and Controversies
With Romania joining Germany in declaring war against the Soviet Union in 1941, Leshchenko was on tour in Paris. He had a difficult time returning to Bucharest, where he continued performing at his restaurant. Despite multiple orders to join the Romanian Army, Leshchenko managed to avoid the front lines. In 1942, he performed an acclaimed concert in occupied Odessa, which received mixed reactions.
Marriage to Vera Belousova
During his time in Odessa, Leshchenko met and fell in love with Vera Belousova, a student at the Odessa Conservatory. Despite their 25-year age difference, they were married in April 1944, after Leshchenko divorced his first wife.
Post-War Career and Legacy
After the liberation of Bucharest by the Red Army, Leshchenko performed patriotic songs and popular Russian numbers, accompanied by his new wife. From 1944-1945, a melancholic tone dominated his repertoire with songs like "Brodyaga" (Vagabond) and "Kolokolchik" (Little Bell). Later, he found work at the newly established Estrada Theatre.
Arrest and Death
In 1951, Leshchenko was arrested under orders from the MGB of the USSR on charges of treason. His wife, Vera, was also accused and sentenced to 25 years in prison but was later released. Leshchenko became a victim of the construction of the Danube Canal in Romania and died on July 16, 1954, at the age of 56. His grave remains unknown.
Discography and Re-evaluation
Despite recording over 180 gramophone records during his lifetime, Leshchenko's music was not re-released in the USSR until 1988. The first record in the "Pyotr Leshchenko Sings" series, released on the occasion of the singer's 90th birthday, became a major hit in the Soviet Union. The archives of the Soviet and Romanian KGB regarding Leshchenko's case have yet to be fully investigated.
