Content deleted Content added
Bogdangiusca (talk | contribs) m special characters conversion |
No edit summary |
||
Line 1:
{{Short description|Ukrainian singer (born 1947)}}
{{family name hatnote|Mykhaylivna|Yevdokymenko-Rotaru|lang=Eastern Slavic}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| background = person
| name = Sofia Rotaru
|honorific_prefix=[[Hero of Ukraine]]
|honorific_suffix={{tooltip| OS|Order of the State (HOU)}}
| image = Sofia Rotaru 2011.jpg
| caption = Rotaru in 2011
| native_name = {{nobold|Софія Ротару}}
| native_name_lang = uk
| birth_name = Sofiia Mykhailivna Rotaru
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1947|8|7|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Marshyntsi]], [[Ukrainian SSR]], Soviet Union
| genre = {{flat list|
* [[Pop music|Pop]]
* [[Folk music|folk]]
* [[dance music|dance]]
* [[Rock music|Rock]]
* [[Pop-folk]]
}}
| occupation = {{hlist|Singer|film producer|dancer|actress}}
| years_active = 1968–present
| past_member_of = [[Chervona Ruta (ensemble)|Chervona Ruta]]
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Anatoliy Yevdokymenko]]|1968|2002|end=died}}
| partner = <!-- (unmarried long-term partner) -->
| website = {{URL|http://www.sofiarotaru.com/}}
}}
'''Sofiia Mykhailivna Yevdokymenko-Rotaru''' ({{langx|uk|Софі́я Миха́йлівна Євдокименко-Рота́ру}} {{IPA|uk|soˈfijɐ roˈtɑrʊ|}}; {{langx|ru|Софи́я Миха́йловна Евдокименко-Рота́ру}}; {{née|'''Rotaru'''}}; born 7 August 1947), known simply as '''Sofia Rotaru''', is a Ukrainian singer.
Rotaru, nicknamed "Bukovinsky Solovey" ("the Nightingale from [[Bukovina]]"),<ref name=www.peoples.ru>{{cite web|url=http://www.peoples.ru/art/music/stage/rotaru/|title=Sofia Rotaru|publisher=biograph.ru|language=ru}}</ref> emerged in 1966 as a pop folk star in the movie ''[[Solovey iz sela Marshintsy|Solovei iz sela Marshyntsi]]'' (Nightingale from [[Marshyntsi]]) in the Romanian and Moldovian-speaking world after her manager and future husband [[Anatoliy Evdokimenko|Anatoliy Yevdokymenko]] made her change her music style from folk to pop music<ref name=official>{{cite web|url=http://www.sofiarotaru.com/life/interview/interview:jornal_vogue_2003|title=Sofia Rotaru profile|language=ru|publisher=vogue.ru|access-date=27 June 2015}}</ref> with [[Chervona Ruta (ensemble)|Chervona Ruta]].
In 1972, she released the multilingual{{which|date=November 2023}} album ''[[Sofia Rotaru (album)|Sofia Rotaru]]'', re-released three times and covered by numerous singers, establishing herself as a viable pop artist in the countries of the former Soviet Union. She first gained international recognition after participating in 1968 in the International Youth Song Festival in Bulgaria<ref name="Senator Federal Analytical Magazine">{{cite web|url=http://senat.org/Russia-Bulgaria/Sofia-Rotaru.html|title=Sofia Rotaru Moya Krestnaya|language=ru|publisher=www.senat.org|access-date=9 July 2015}}</ref> and winning first prize at the [[Golden Orpheus]] in 1973 and second prize in the category of Polish songs at the [[Sopot International Song Festival]] in 1974.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fortuna-rotaru.narod.ru/compozit/ivasuc/ivasuk1.htm|script-title=ru:Бессмертная тень великих душ|language=ru|author=Прасковья Нечаева|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110816144207/http://fortuna-rotaru.narod.ru/compozit/ivasuc/ivasuk1.htm|archive-date=2011-08-16}}</ref> In the former USSR her career was marked by her stage success and numerous controversies. She has been acknowledged <ref name="Senator Federal Analytical Magazine"/> by the [[Russian Orthodox Church - Kyiv Patriarchate|Kyiv Patriarchate]].<ref name="rumyn">{{cite web|url=http://podrobnosti.ua/|title=Новости дня на сайте podrobnosti.ua|website=podrobnosti.ua|access-date=17 December 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tden.ru/articles/stars/012749|script-title=ru:Софию Ротару наградили высшим церковным орденом|work=[[Твой день]]|date=3 May 2007|access-date=1 March 2008|language=ru|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070516114735/http://www.tden.ru/articles/stars/012749/|archive-date=16 May 2007}}</ref>
Rotaru has been performing for more than 40 years,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rotarusofia.ru/news/events/event-7-dne.htm|title=София Ротару стала лидером 100 самых популярных исполнителей|work=2004|access-date=12 February 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628224348/http://www.rotarusofia.ru/news/events/event-7-dne.htm|archive-date=28 June 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.russianamerica.com/common/arc/story.php/241372?id_cr=104|title=Россияне любят больше всего Софию Ротару|work=2005|access-date=12 February 2008|archive-date=15 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715215156/http://www.russianamerica.com/common/arc/story.php/241372?id_cr=104|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://romir.ru/en/news/res_results/68.html|title=Самый популярный певец России|work=2006|access-date=12 February 2008|archive-date=26 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110826085806/http://romir.ru/en/news/res_results/68.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> and topped the Moscow airplay with "Ya nazovu planetu imenem tvoim" in 2008.<ref>[http://www.rma.ru/show/news895.html;30 Profile], rma.ru; accessed 9 July 2015. {{in lang|ru}}</ref>
She reported the highest income of all celebrities in Ukraine in 2008 and 2010.<ref>[http://www.segodnya.ua/culture/showbiz/bolshe-vcekh-v-2010-m-zarabotala-rotaru-a-menshe-vcekh-%E2%80%94-alesha.html Profile], segodnya.ua; accessed 9 July 2015. {{in lang|uk}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://dengi-ua.com/news/39082.html|title=Sofia Rotaru declared highest earning celeb in Moldova in 2008|date=20 July 2008|work=Деньги.ua, ООО ИД Украинский Медиа Холдинг|access-date=23 July 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|script-title=uk:Ротару задекларировала самые высокие доходы в Молдове за 2008 год|author=The Russian News & Information Agency RIA Novosti|url=http://rian.com.ua/economy/20080718/77966106.html|agency=[[RIA Novosti]]|publisher=RIA Novosti Ukraine|___location=[[Kyiv]]|date=18 July 2008|page=1|access-date=18 July 2009|language=uk|trans-title=Sofia Rotaru declared highest earning celeb in Russia in 2008|quote=Народная артистка России София Ротару задекларировала самые высокие доходы за 2008 год, сообщил заместитель председателя государственной налоговой администрации России Сергей Лекарь на брифинге в пятницу. При этом, он не уточнил задекларированную сумму, но добавил, что наибольший доход значительно превышает 500 миллионов (рублей ) (около 100 миллионов долларов).}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|script-title=ru:Евроремонт для "Евровидения"|author=Staff|url=http://kommersant.ru/doc.aspx?DocsID=915810|agency=[[Kommersant]]|publisher=Журнал «Деньги» № 29 (684)|___location=Moscow|date=28 July 2008|page=1|access-date=11 November 2009|language=ru|trans-title=Sofia Rotaru declared highest earning celeb in Moldova in 2008|quote=Певица София Ротару задекларировала самые высокие доходы в Молдове за 2007 год, сообщил заместитель председателя государственной налоговой администрации Молдовы Сергей Лекарь. Он не уточнил задекларированную сумму, но отметил, что доход народной артистки Украины "значительно превышает 500 млн гривен" (около $100 млн). Также он сообщил, что по итогам прошлого года 360 украинцев задекларировали доход более 10 млн гривен (около $2 млн). Подобные декларации за 2006 год подали 200 граждан Украины. Более 1 млрд гривен дохода за прошлый год на Украине никто официально не получил. Зампред государственной налоговой администрации отметил, что высокие доходы декларируют футболисты, боксеры, артисты.}}</ref><ref>[http://www.rynok.biz/a/2009/09/25/Rejting_samih_uspeshnih_uk] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091002224201/http://www.rynok.biz/a/2009/09/25/Rejting_samih_uspeshnih_uk|date=2 October 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://vlasti.net/news/62098# |title=Фокус: 25 самых успешных и дорогих звезд украинского шоу-бизнеса и спорта / |website=Vlasti.net |date=2015-12-28 |access-date=2016-01-04}}</ref><ref>[http://music.itop.net/Articles/1444] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413185345/http://music.itop.net/Articles/1444|date=13 April 2010}}</ref>
Her repertoire consists of more than 40 albums and 400 songs recorded in many languages. She has received awards, deemed a Meritorious Artist of the Ukrainian SSR, [[People's Artist of Ukraine]], People's Artist of Moldavian SSR, Laureate of the Young Communist League Prize, Hero of Moldova, and Cavalier of the Republican Order of Moldova. In August 2002 former [[president of Ukraine]] [[Leonid Kuchma]] and [[President of the Russian Federation|President of Russia]] [[Vladimir Putin]] gave awards to Sofia Rotaru for her 55th birthday, bestowing upon her the high rank of the [[Hero of Ukraine]] for her "outstanding personal merits in the sphere of art", and the Russian [[order (decoration)|order]] "For merits before the Nation", respectively.<ref name="ukraine-hero"/>
Rotaru's official surname is ''Yevdokymenko-Rotaru'' ({{langx|uk|Євдокименко-Ротару}}). Yevdokymenko was the surname of her late husband. [[Yalta]] is her main residence, although she also has homes in Moscow, [[Kyiv]], and [[Baden-Baden]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.interfax.ru/russia/6605|title=Ротару откроет в Ялте гостиницу "София"|date=28 March 2008|website=Interfax.ru|access-date=17 December 2018}}</ref>
==Early life==
Sofia Rotaru, who comes from the [[Romanians in Ukraine|Romanian minority in Ukraine]], was born in [[Marshyntsi]] (''Marșenița''), [[Chernivtsi Oblast]] to a family of brigadiers and wine-growers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sofia Rotaru, la 65 de ani: "Am făcut mămăligă!"|work=Apropo Magazin|url=http://apropomagazin.md/2012/08/14/sofia-rotaru-la-65-de-ani-%E2%80%9Eam-facut-mamaliga%E2%80%9D/|language=ro|date=14 August 2012|access-date=21 April 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Sofia Rotaru a venit în Republica Moldova împreună cu sora ei|publisher=apropomagazin.md|url=http://apropomagazin.md/2014/05/22/sofia-rotaru-a-venit-in-rm-impreuna-cu-sora-ei-poate-ramanem-la-chisinau-videofoto/|language=ro|date=22 May 2014|access-date=19 June 2014}}</ref> Marshyntsi is a village of [[Novoselytsia Raion|Novoselytskyi Raion]] (''Noua Suliță''), close to the border with [[Moldova]], and the majority of its population is Romanophone ([[Romanian language|Romanian]]-speaking). The area was part of [[Kingdom of Romania]] before 1940, when [[Soviet occupation of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina|Soviet Union occupied and annexed it]] after an ultimatum.
She was the second child in a family of six children. Her siblings are Zina, Lidia, Aurica, Eugen and Anatol.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cântecul rămâne cu ea!|work=[[Jurnal de Chișinău]]|url=http://www.jc.md/cantecul-ramane-cu-ea/|language=ro|author=Aurel V. Zgheran|date=5 August 2013|access-date=26 March 2015}}</ref> A passport office employee misreported her birthdate on her passport as 9 August; as a result, Rotaru reportedly celebrates her birthday twice.
Her father, Mykhail Fedorovich Rotaru, spent [[World War II]] as a heavy [[machine gunner]] and traveled to [[Berlin]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.podvignaroda.ru/?n=29849174|title=Подвиг народа|website=www.podvignaroda.ru|access-date=17 December 2018}}</ref> Injured, he returned home only in 1946, and was the first person to join the [[Communist Party of the Soviet Union|Communist Party]] in the village. Her older sister, Zinaida ("Zina"), was born on 11 October 1942. Zina endured severe childhood illness and went blind, but possessed perfect pitch and easily memorized new songs, so she taught Sofia folk songs. Sofia said of her elder sister: "We all learned from her – what a musical memory, what a soul!". Zina spent hours listening to the radio and learned numerous songs, as well as the Russian language, which she later taught to her brothers and sisters. At home, the Rotaru family spoke only [[Romanian language|Romanian]]. As a child, Sofia participated in regional competitions of [[pentathlon#High School/Secondary School Pentathlon|pentathlon]] and running.
She started singing from the first grade in the school choir, as well as in the church choir. However, the latter was not acceptable to the school officials. Hence, she was threatened with an exclusion from the [[Young Pioneer organization of the Soviet Union|Young Pioneer]] organization. Rotaru was attracted by the theatre. She practiced in drama classes and sang popular folk songs in vocal classes. In the evenings, she used to take the only [[Bayan (accordion)|bayan]] at school and hide in the barn trying to find the proper melodies for her most loved Moldavian songs. Rotaru said:{{quote|"It is difficult to say, when and how did the music appear in my life. It seems that it has always lived in me. I grew up among music, it was playing everywhere: at a wedding table, at klatches, at girls' winter evening gatherings, on the dance floor..."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.peoples.ru/art/music/stage/rotaru|title=Sofia Rotaru – International United Biographical Centre|date=7 October 2006|access-date=22 February 2008}}</ref>}}
==Career==
===1962–1964: Career start and Ukrainian pop-folk===
Rotaru's victory at a vocal competition of amateur performers opened the door to a regional review in 1962. In 1963 in Chernivtsi, she earned a first degree diploma at the regional amateur art review. In 1964, she won the all-republic festival of popular talents in Kyiv. On this occasion her picture made it on the cover of No. 27 of the magazine ''Ukraine'' in 1965. After graduation from high school, Rotaru decided to become a singer and entered the vocal and conductor department of the Chernivtsi Musical College. In addition, she took lessons at [[Chernivtsi Philharmonic Hall|Chernivtsi Philharmonic]] from the famed singer and actress [[Sidi Tal]]. In 1964, Rotaru performed at the [[State Kremlin Palace]]. The first pop song she performed was "Mama" by Alexander Bronevitskiy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.russianamerica.com/common/arc/story.php/241372?id_cr=104|title=Россияне больше всех певиц любят Софию Ротару, а москвичи - Валерию, Жанну Фриске и Алсу, Вокруг света|website=www.russianamerica.com|access-date=17 December 2018|archive-date=15 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715215156/http://www.russianamerica.com/common/arc/story.php/241372?id_cr=104|url-status=dead}}</ref>
===1968–1973: International recognition===
In 1968, after graduation from college, Rotaru performed as a delegate of the IX World Festival of Youth and Students in [[Sofia, Bulgaria|the capital of Bulgaria]], as a member of an artistic group. She won First Prize in the competition of singers of folk popular songs. Bulgarian newspapers were full of headlines: "21-year old Sofia has conquered Sofia". Her performances of the Ukrainian folk pop song "Na kameni stoyu" (Standing on the Stone), Moldavian folk pop songs and "Valentina" by Gheorghite made headlines. The latter song was dedicated to the first female [[cosmonaut]] [[Valentina Tereshkova]],<ref name="АФ">{{cite web|url=http://www.aif.ru/archive/1626059|title=Три мифа о Софии Ротару|date=6 March 2002|website=www.aif.ru|access-date=17 December 2018}}</ref> who was present in the concert hall. In 1968, Rotaru married Anatoliy Yevdokymenko, who at that time was a student at Chernivtsi University and a trumpet player in a student pop band.
In 1971, producer Roman Alekseev shot a [[musical film]] ''[[Chervona Ruta (film)|Chervona Ruta]]'' for Ukrtelefilm. The plot was about the tender and pure love of a girl from the mountains (played by Rotaru) and her relationship with a man from the industrial city of [[Donetsk]]. The name of the film means [[rue]], a flower derived from an ancient [[Carpathian Mountains|Carpathian]] [[Slavic mythology|legend]]. Rue blossoms only on [[Ivan Kupala Day|Ivan Kupala Night]] and the girl who succeeds in finding a blooming rue will be happy in love. Songs of the composer [[Volodymyr Ivasyuk]] and other writers were co-performed by Zinkevich, Yaremchuk and other singers. The film enjoyed significant success. After the film was released, Rotaru received an offer to work in the Chernivtsi Philharmonic Society and with a backing ensemble called [[Chervona Ruta (ensemble)|Chervona Ruta]]. Anatoliy Yevdokymenko, Rotaru's husband, became the artistic director of the ensemble.<ref name="АФ"/>
As a result of collaborating with Volodymyr Ivasyuk, a cycle of songs was written based on the [[roots revival]] material in an orchestration characteristic of the 1960s and the 1970s in [[Continental Europe]]. Resulting works brought Rotaru great popularity in the Soviet Union, especially in Ukraine. This was largely due to the fact that the Soviet authorities eagerly promoted her art as an example of international Soviet culture, as she was an ethnic Moldavian/Romanian singing in Moldavian/Romanian, Ukrainian and Russian languages. Consequently, Rotaru gained regular airplay on state radio and television and was systematically billed for state-organized concerts.
In 1972, Rotaru and Chervona Ruta participated in a tour in Poland with the programme ''Pesni i tantsy Strany Sovetov'' (Songs and Dances of the Country of Soviets).
In the same year Sofia Rotaru collaborated with [[Don Backy]], performing the Ukrainian version of his hit from the 60s L'immensità - "Syzokrylyi ptakh".
In 1973, she received First Prize at the international contest of [[:ru:Золотой Орфей|Golden Orpheus]] in [[Burgas]], Bulgaria, performing the song "Moy gorod" ("My city") and Second Prize in the category of foreign performance of a song in the Bulgarian language. In 1973, she also was awarded the Meritorious Artist of the Ukrainian SSR. Later, the songs which she performed in the Moldavian/Romanian language, "Codru" and "Moy gorod", became soundtracks for the film ''Vesenniye sozvuchiya – 73''.<ref name="imdb"/>
===1974–1979: New authors and Moldavian lyricism===
In 1974, Rotaru graduated from the Chişinău Art Institute of [[Gavriil Musicescu]] in the choral conducting class with professor [[Lydia Axionova]] and participated in the [[Sopot International Song Festival]] in Poland, performing "Vospominaniye" (''Remembrance'') by B. Rychkov, and "Vodohrai" by Ivasjuk. She received second prize in the category of ''Polish song'' for her performance of "Ktoś" ("Someone"). In 1976, she moved from Chernivtsi to [[Yalta]], transferring from the Chernivtsi Philharmonic Society to the Crimean Philharmonic Society. After the death of Volodymyr Ivasyuk in 1979, a number of songs by Moldavian composers appeared in her repertoire penned by the Teodorovici brothers. By that time, Rotaru had ceased collaboration with Moldavian authors, primarily [[Eugen Doga]].<ref name="АФ"/>
Rotaru's songs of the period were created in collaboration with the following composers and lyricists: [[Arno Babajanian]] wrote "Verni mne muzyku" (''Bring Me the Music Back''); Aleksey Mazhukov – "A muzyka zvuchit" (''But the Music Plays'') and "Krasnaya strela" (''Red Arrow''); Pavel Aedonitskiy – "Dlya tekh, kto zhdyot" (''For Those Who Wait''); [[Oscar Feltsman]] - "Only For You"; [[David Tukhmanov]] – "Aist na kryshe" (''Stork on the Roof''), "V dome moyom" (''At My Home''), and "Val's" (''Waltz''); [[Yury Saulsky]] – "A Usual Story" and "Osennyaya melodiya" (''Autumn Melody''); [[Aleksandra Pakhmutova]] – "Temp" (''Tempo''); [[Raimonds Pauls]] – "Tanets na barabane" (''Dance on the Drum''); [[Aleksandr Zatsepin]] – "Sovsem kak na Zemle" (''Just like on Earth''); Vladimir Migulya – "Zhyzn'" (''Life''), and others.<ref name="АФ"/>
She was the first performer of [[Eugene Martyunov]]'s songs, including "Lebedinaya vernost" ("Swan Fidelity"), "Yabloni v tsvetu" ("Blossoming Apples"), and "Ballada o materi" ("Ballad About Mother"). A patriotic song, "Shchastye tebe, Zemlya moya" ("Be Happy, My Earth"), caused some political controversy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.peoples.ru/art/music/stage/rotaru/index.html|title=Россияне больше всех певиц любят Софию Ротару, а москвичи - Валерию, Жанну Фриске и Алсу, Вокруг света |website=www.peoples.ru|access-date=17 December 2018}}</ref>
===1980–1983: Acting career and new connections===
In 1980, at the international song festival held in Tokyo, Rotaru won first prize for her performance of the [[Yugoslavia]]n song "Obeshchaniye" (''Promise'') and received the [[Order of the Badge of Honor]]. She continued to experiment and was the first Soviet female singer to appear wearing trousers on stage. While doing this, she performed a [[Hip hop music|hip-hop]] style song "Temp" (''Tempo'')<ref name="АФ"/> with music composed by [[Aleksandra Pakhmutova]] and lyrics written by Nikolay Dobronravov. The songs "Temp" and "Ozhidaniye" (''Waiting'') were specially written for the cultural programme of the [[1980 Summer Olympics]] in Moscow. The song was used as the soundtrack theme for the drama film ''Ballada o sporte'' (''Ode to sports''), produced by [[Yuri Ozerov (director)|Yuri Ozerov]]. In the same year, for her performance of "Ozhidaniye", Rotaru won the All-Union Song of the Year award.
In 1980, Rotaru starred in the leading role in a film released by [[Moldova-Film]] and called ''[[Gde ty, lyubov'?]]'' (Where are you, love?). Among other songs in the film, Rotaru performed "Pervy dozhd'" (''First Rain''). The movie featured her riding a motorcycle on a narrow sea embankment without a stunt double. According to the autobiographic plot, a village teacher is invited to join an ensemble and wins the Grand Prix at an international festival with the song "Gde ty, lyubov'?". The music for the song was composed by Raimonds Pauls and lyrics by Ilya Reznik. A double album of the soundtrack was released. More than 25 million movie goers viewed the film in 1980. The title song of the film was banned from state radio by Gennadiy Cherkassov, director of the music department.
In 1981, at the XIVth All-Union Cinema Festival in [[Vilnius]], the film received the jury's prize for popularisation of the singing art of Soviet composers, in the section of drama films. This movie was the first public exposure for Rotaru in a dramatic role. Critics lambasted the film but it garnered support from audiences and some of its themes became popular. Rotaru's next artistic period began with a new style – rock music. The film ''[[Dusha]]'' (Soul) with Rotaru's new rock band [[Mashina Vremeni]] was released in 1981, including songs by [[Aleksandr Zatsepin]] and [[Andrey Makarevich]]. As she was ill, her doctors recommended she not participate in the movie production and that she cancel all concert performances.
This incident caused [[Alexander Borodyansky]] and [[Alexander Stefanovich]] to write an autobiographical scenario for the film using the dramatic situation in the singer's life, characterising her loss of voice with an opening of her soul. This was shown in dialogue on a pier with an older man and included a reevaluation of her values. After having seen the new rewritten scenario and new songs, written in a completely new style, Rotaru agreed to star in the movie and decided to temporarily forego all concert performances. In 1983, Rotaru performed a national concert tour of Canada, organised by the National Concert Agency Inc. The concerts were supported by the issue of an LP, titled ''[[Canadian Tour 1983]]'' and released by Cansov Exchange Inc.<ref>Sofia Rotaru: Canadian Tour 1983. Cansov Exchange Inc., Toronto, 1983</ref>
===1985–1989: Change of style – Europop and hard rock===
The mid-1980s evolved into a turning point in the creation of the singer's image. Contrary to the previous ''Vas priglashaet Sofia Rotaru'' (Sofia Rotaru Invites You) (1985), the new film ''[[Monologue of Love (film)|Monologue of Love]]'' (1986) explored the aesthetics of the new art.<ref name="imdb">{{IMDb name|id=0744719|name=Sofia Rotaru}}. Retrieved 4 January 2016.</ref> Only one song, "Techët voda" (''Water Flows'') by [[Ihor Poklad]], carried on the folk music theme, presenting an image of a farm girl who became a star.
A new collaboration began in 1985 with the song "Lavanda" (''Lavender''), written by Vladimir Matetskiy for a duet with [[Estonia]]n [[Jaak Joala]]. In 1986, she reversed artistic direction with the relatively unknown Moscow songwriter. He managed the transition of Rotaru to a [[Europop]] style ("Bylo no proshlo" (''Once It Was But Now It's Over''), "Luna" (''Moon'')), including elements of [[hard rock]] "Moya vremya" (''My Time''), "Tol'ko etogo malo" (''That's Not Enough''). During the next 15 years, Matetskiy and his co-author, Mikhail Shabrov, collaborated heavily with Rotaru. They produced songs, most of which became part of her concert programmes in 1990–2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://romir.ru/en/news/res_results/68.html|title=Самый популярный певец России|access-date=17 December 2018|archive-date=26 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110826085806/http://romir.ru/en/news/res_results/68.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
===1990–1991: Among different cultures===
The transition to a repertoire in the Russian language caused a certain amount of animosity in Ukraine. Accusations in betrayal of national culture were supported by the state producer unions, philharmonic societies, and concert companies who were losing control over the financial side of the concert and tour activity of Rotaru as a result of economic reforms.
To avoid large scale provocations, she refused to participate in the Chervona Ruta festival which took place in Chernivtsi in 1989. The diminution of proportion of Ukrainian songs was caused by the absence of high-quality lyrics in Ukrainian. Rare exceptions included the songs of [[Nikolay Mozgovoy|Mykola Mozghovyi]], "[[Kray, miy ridniy kray|Krai, myi ridnyi krai]]" (''Homeland''), "Minaie den'" (''Day Passes''); Blizniuk, "Vidlunnia virnosti" (''Echo of Fidelity);'' Rybchinskyi, "Bal razluchennykh serdets" (''Ball of Separate Hearts''); and Kvinta, "Chekai" (''Wait''), "Odna kalyna" (''Lone [[Viburnum opulus|Guelder-Rose]]''), "Tuman" (''Fog'').
In 1991, during a concert in [[Lviv]], some people from the audience put up a poster in Ukrainian, translating into: "Sofia, a heavy penalty is waiting for you". Due to the incident, Rotaru did not perform in Ukraine until the end of the 1990s, after a personal request by the [[president of Ukraine]] [[Leonid Kuchma]].<ref>[http://www.trumptaj.com/photos/index.cfm «Тадж-махал»] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120802085951/http://www.trumptaj.com/photos/index.cfm |date=2012-08-02 }}</ref> At the same time, Rotaru prepared a new concert program, presented to the public in 1991.
===1991–2004: New times===
After the collapse of the USSR<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pesnyagoda.my1.ru/1985_87.html|title=ПЕСНЯ ГОДА. 1985-87|website=pesnyagoda.my1.ru|access-date=17 December 2018}}</ref> and commercialisation of post-Soviet music, Rotaru has kept her top position in the market and has a stable public, including the Russian speaking diaspora in Europe, USA, Australia and Israel. In 2000 Rotaru was named the Best Ukrainian Pop Singer of the Twentieth Century. In 2001 Rotaru performed in a new solo concert program ''Zhyzn' moya – moya lyubov''' (My Life Is My Love). The programme blended new songs with the hits of the previous years in a new manner. In 2002 Sofia Rotaru was awarded the title "Hero of Ukraine".
After the death of her husband in 2002, and the loss of her parents, Rotaru stopped touring for a period and joined a [[nunnery]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsru.com/religy/07jun2007/rotaru.html|title=Sofia Rotaru went twice to monastery|date=7 August 2007|access-date=22 February 2008}}</ref> Following several months of mourning, Rotaru resumed her concert and recording activities and topped the Russian, Ukrainian and Moldavian charts again.
A new period started in 2003 with performances in the ''Koncertny Zal "Rossiya"'' of Moscow, dedicated to the opening of her statue in front of the hall. Composers working with Rotaru included Ruslan Kvinta ("Odna kalyna"), Oleg Makarevič ("Bely tanets") and [[:ru:Константин Меладзе|Konstantin Meladze]] ("Ya zhe yego lyubila" and "Odin na svete"), as well as lyricist Vitalij Kurovskij. She released the following albums: ''[[Yedinomu|Yedynomu]]'' (''For the Only One'', 2003; with new songs and arrangements in Ukrainian and Moldavian/Romanian languages), dedicated to the memory of her late husband ("Nebo – eto ya" ("Heaven – It's Me", 2004), and "[[Ya zhe yego lyubila]]" ("Didn't I Love Him", 2005).
===2007–2016: 60th birthday ===
In 2007, she celebrated her 60th birthday. Hundreds of fans, as well as artists and politicians, came to Yalta to congratulate the singer. The President of Ukraine awarded Sofia Rotaru with the II Degree Order for Merits. Her official reception and birthday party took place at the [[Livadia Palace]] in Yalta, in the presence of the [[president of Russia]], the [[president of Ukraine]] and the [[president of Moldova]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.karavanlubvirotaru.narod.ru/|title=КАРАВАН ЛЮБВИ|website=www.karavanlubvirotaru.narod.ru|access-date=17 December 2018}}</ref> The event was covered live by Ukrainian and Russian state TV channels. Celebrations for her birthday continued into September in [[Sochi]], where one of the young performers' music festival days, called "Five Stars", was dedicated to Rotaru. In October 2007, more birthday concerts took place in Moscow, at the State [[Grand Kremlin Palace]], featuring Russian singers performing her songs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sofiarotaru.blog.cz/|title=София Ротару|website=sofiarotaru.blog.cz|access-date=17 December 2018}}</ref>
2006 and 2007 were busy for Rotaru. Three albums were released: ''[[Tuman (album)|Tuman]]'' (''Fog'') in Eastern Europe, and two albums exclusively for the German market, ''[[Serdtse ty moe|Serdtse ty moë]]'' (You Are My Heart) and ''Kakaya na serdtse pogoda'' (What's the Weather Like in the Heart). The year included participation in numerous TV shows and concert programmes and a documentary made for Ukrainian TV. A Russian Anniversary Tour lasted from March until June 2007. Another TV musical show, ''Krasota Trebuet'' (''Beauty Requires''), with Rotaru singing the song "Lavanda" ("Lavender"), premiered on 8 March 2008.<ref name="imdb"/>
=== Anniversary tour (2012–2013) ===
=== 2017–present ===
In 2022, she condemned the Russian Invasion of Ukraine.
==Politics==
{{Listen
|pos=right
|filename = Sofiarotarurodina.ogg
|title = "Rodina" (''Motherland'') (original version)
|description = "Rodina", a controversial song by Rotaru}}
Rotaru does not support any particular political ideology. Nevertheless, her multicultural identity has both helped and harmed her. Soviet authorities, persecuting her family for celebrating Christmas,<ref>[http://www.kp.ru/daily/23409/34318 Soviet authorities persecute Rotaru for celebrating Christmas], kp.ru; accessed 27 June 2015.</ref> simultaneously lauded her as the top singer of the USSR. The German press wrote about her as "The [[Nana Mouskouri]] of the Soviet Union". Some of her albums were recorded in Germany. After recording "[[L'immensità]]" (''Immensity'') in Italian, and "[[Stand By Your Man|Wer Liebe sucht]]" (''Who's Looking for Love'') ("Deine Zärtlichkeit" (''Your Tenderness''), "Es muss nicht sein" (''It Mustn't Be''), and "Nachts, wenn die Nebel ziehen" (''At Night When the Fog Spreads'') in German, [[Ariola]] proposed releasing a larger studio album with these and other songs in French and English, and launching a concert tour in Western Europe.
However, a directive came from the Soviet government (Goskontsert)<ref name="text.newlookmedia.ru">[http://text.newlookmedia.ru/?p=1466#more-1466 Profile], newlookmedia.ru; accessed 27 June 2015.</ref> to sing only Soviet songs. Thus, only the initial single was released "[[Deine Zärtlichkeit]]". The concert administration of the USSR prohibited her from leaving the USSR between 1983 and 1988. This interdiction was put in effect after the 1983 tour in Canada and the release of her [[Canadian Tour 1983]] album.<ref name="text.newlookmedia.ru"/>
During the [[Orange Revolution]] in Ukraine, Rotaru, together with her family, sent food packages to people who came to the ''[[Maidan Nezalezhnosti]]'', regardless of their [[Political party|political affiliation]]. In 2006 Rotaru took active part in [[2006 Ukrainian parliamentary election|parliamentary elections in Ukraine]], balloting for the deputy chair as a second number in the list of [[Volodymyr Lytvyn]]'s political formation [[Lytvyn Bloc]]; however, the bloc could not gather enough votes to enter Parliament, one of the major surprises of the elections. She held an all-Ukrainian charitable campaign tour the same year. Rotaru cited her personal trust of Lytvyn and his steadiness, as well as her own interest in lobbying for arts issues in Ukraine. As a Crimean resident, she refused [[Citizenship of Russia|Russian citizenship]] following Russia's [[Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation|annexation of the peninsula]].<ref>[http://www.rosbalt.ru/federal/2014/03/29/1250137.html Rotaru refuses Russian citizenship], rosbalt.ru; accessed 21 June 2015.{{in lang|ru}}</ref>
==Personal life==
Aurica, Sofia's younger sister, has also performed professionally, combining a solo career with performances as a back-up vocalist, as well as dueting with sisters Lidia and Eugenia. In 1992, Aurica ended her singing career. Sofia's husband, Anatoliy Kyrylovich Yevdokymenko (1941–2002), was a People's Artist of Ukraine. He was the son of a conductor from [[Chernivtsi]]. He first saw Rotaru on the cover of the magazine ''Ukraine'' No. 27 in 1965 and immediately fell in love with her. At the time, Yevdokymenko was a serving his military duty in [[Nizhny Tagil]], [[Ural region]]. After military service, he looked Rotaru up. Yevdokymenko had graduated from a musical high school, played the trumpet, and planned to create his own band. As a student at the [[University of Chernivtsi]] and a trumpeter in the student pop orchestra, he helped Rotaru discover the pop orchestra.{{cquote|I rather owe my coming into being as a singer and, probably, my personality, to those women with whom I worked in the village. It is really from them that I learned to understand the meaning of life. I received help – simple and magnanimous – from them in difficult times.<ref name="excluded">{{cite web|url=http://www.rian.ru/review/20070807/70501136.html|title=Sofia Rotaru has been almost excluded from pioneers for singing|date=7 August 2007|access-date=22 August 2008}}</ref>|cquote}}
Singing in different languages caused fierce arguments about which culture Rotaru identifies with: Moldavian/Romanian, Ukrainian, or Russian.
==Discography==
{{Main|Sofia Rotaru discography}}
* 1972 ''Chervona Ruta''
* 1973 ''Poet Sofia Rotaru''
* 1974 ''[[Sofia Rotaru (album)|Sofia Rotaru]]'' (aka ''Ballada o skripkakh'')
* 1976 ''Sofia Rotaru'' (aka ''Lebedinaya vernost'')
* 1977 ''[[Sofia Rotaru poet pesni Vladimira Ivasyuka]]''
* 1978 ''Sofia Rotaru'' (aka ''Rodina moya'')
* 1979 ''[[Tolko tebe]]''
* 1981 ''[[Where Has Love Gone? (album)|Where Has Love Gone?]]
* 1981 ''[[Sofia Rotaru and Chervona Ruta]]''
* 1985 ''[[Tender Melody]]''
* 1987 ''[[Monologue of Love]]''
* 1987 ''Lavanda''
* 1988 ''[[Heart of Gold (album)|Heart of Gold]]''
* 1991 ''Caravan of Love''
* 1995 ''Khutoryanka''
* 1998 ''Lyubi menya''
* 2002 ''Ya tebya po-prezhnemu lyublyu''
* 2004 ''Nebo – eto ya''
* 2005 ''[[Ya zhe yego lyubila]]''
* 2008 ''[[Ya – tvoya lybov'!]]''
* 2010 ''Ya ne oglyanus''
==Awards==
Rotaru is a Meritorious Citizen of [[Crimea]] and [[Yalta]]. She has received numerous awards, including Meritorious Artist of the Ukrainian SSR, [[People's Artist of Ukraine]], People's Artist of Moldavian SSR, [[People's Artist of USSR]], Laureate of the YCL Prize, Hero of Moldova, and Cavalier of the Republican Order of Moldova. In August 2002, [[President of Ukraine]] [[Leonid Kuchma]] and [[President of the Russian Federation|President of Russia]] [[Vladimir Putin]] honoured Rotaru on her 55th birthday, bestowing upon her the high rank of [[Hero of Ukraine]] for her "outstanding personal merits in the sphere of art",<ref name="ukraine-hero">[http://zakon.rada.gov.ua/cgi-bin/laws/main.cgi?nreg=691%2F2002 Presidential decree bestowing "Hero of Ukraine" on Rotaru], zakon.rada.gov.ua; accessed 4 January 2016.</ref> and the Russian [[order (decoration)|order]], ''"For merits before the Nation"''.
She is an Honorary Citizen of [[Chișinău]], Moldova<ref name="Dorin Chirtoacă i-a înmânat Sofiei Rotaru însemnele de cetățean de onoare al Chișinăului">[http://unimedia.info/stiri/dorin-chirtoaca-i-a-inmanat-sofiei-rotaru-insemnele-de-cetatean-de-onoare-al-chisinaului-81902.html Dorin Chirtoacă i-a înmânat Sofiei Rotaru însemnele de cetățean de onoare al Chișinăului], unimedia.info; accessed 27 June 2015 (in Moldovan)</ref>
{{s-start}}
{{s-ach|aw}}
|-
! colspan="3" style="background: #DAA520;" | [[Slavianski Bazaar]]
|-
{{succession box
| title = Through Art - to Peace and Understanding<ref>{{cite web|url=http://festival.vitebsk.by/en/news/2007/07/13/143200.html|title=Contrasts of "Slavianski Bazaar"|date=13 July 2007|access-date=22 May 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080325234252/http://festival.vitebsk.by/en/news/2007/07/13/143200.html|archive-date=25 March 2008}}</ref>
| years = 2007<br />Sofia Rotaru
| before= 2006<br />[[Alla Pugacheva]]
| after = 2008<br />[[Aleksandra Pakhmutova]]
}}
|-
! colspan="3" style="background: pink;" | [[Golden Orpheus]]
|-
{{succession box
| title = First Prize
| years = 1973<br />Sofia Rotaru
| before= 1972<br />[[Zdzisława Sośnicka]]
| after = 1974<br />[[Sergei Georgievich Zakharov|Sergei Zakharov/Nereida Naranjo]]
}}
|-
! colspan="3" style="background: cyan;" | [[Muz-TV|Muz-TV Music Awards]]
|-
{{succession box
| title = Contribution to pop music development
| years = 2004<br /> Sofia Rotaru
| before= 2003<br />[[Valery Leontiev]]
| after = 2005<br />[[Oleg Gazmanov]]
}}
|-
{{s-end}}
==See also==
*[[Russian pop|Russian pop music]]
* [[Pop music in Ukraine]]
* [[Melancolie (Sofia Rotaru song)|Melancolie]], Moldavian/Romanian song
==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
==External links==
{{wikiquotepar|Sofia Rotaru}}
{{Commons category|Sofia Rotaru}}
*{{Discogs artist|artist=София Ротару|name=Sofia Rotaru|accessdate=4 January 2016}}
*{{MusicBrainz artist|id=0ac235b8-26bc-403d-8e0b-b5d8d5a284b2|name=Sofia Rotaru|accessdate=4 January 2016}}
* [http://forbes.ua/magazine/forbes/1361661-rejting-zvezd-2013/1361691#cut Sofia Rotaru profile], Forbes.ua
* [http://news.yandex.ru/yandsearch?grhow=clutop&rpt=nnews&text=%D0%EE%F2%E0%F0%F3+ News about Sofia Rotaru], yandex.ru (in Russian)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090201183342/http://rotarusofia.ru/ Rotaru lyrics], rotarusofia.ru
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20071223200031/http://megalyrics.ru/main.php?mod=src Lyrics of Sofia Rotaru]}}
{{Sofia Rotaru}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:
[[Category:
[[Category:
[[Category:Bulgarian-language singers of Ukraine]]
[[Category:English-language singers from Ukraine]]
[[Category:French-language singers of Ukraine]]
[[Category:German-language singers of Ukraine]]
[[Category:Italian-language singers of Ukraine]]
[[Category:People's Artists of the USSR]]
[[Category:Polish-language singers of Ukraine]]
[[Category:Romanian-language singers of Ukraine]]
[[Category:Serbian-language singers of Ukraine]]
[[Category:Soviet actresses]]
[[Category:Soviet women singers]]
[[Category:20th-century Ukrainian women singers]]
[[Category:Ukrainian pop singers]]
[[Category:Ukrainian women pop singers]]
[[Category:Ukrainian people of Romanian descent]]
[[Category:Ukrainian people of Moldovan descent]]
[[Category:Recipients of the title of Hero of Ukraine]]
[[Category:Fabrika Zvyozd]]
[[Category:Soviet pop singers]]
[[Category:Russian folk-pop singers]]
[[Category:Ukrainian folk-pop singers]]
[[Category:Chernivtsi University alumni]]
[[Category:People's Artists of the Moldavian SSR]]
[[Category:Winners of the Golden Gramophone Award]]
[[Category:Russian-language singers of Ukraine]]
[[Category:Recipients of the National Legend of Ukraine]]
| |||