Lev Leshchenko: On the eve of his eightieth birthday, Lev Valeryanovich caught a cold. Even his velvety baritone sounded a little slumped. But for the anniversary concert “Constellation of the Lion”, which will be held today at the “Crocus City Hall”, he promised to fully recover.
“No, no, I don’t have an omicron,” Leshchenko clarified by phone just in case. – Mood is good. To charge others with it, we are doing this concert.
Tired of panic. Tired of talking about a pandemic, strains, “delta”, “omicron” … We need to look at life more positively.
– You know better, you were among the first to suffer from covid two years ago.
– I’m jokingly talking about myself now: I was headlining at that time. Then there were no treatment algorithms, no vaccinations yet. Plus, a well-known lady (Leshchenko intentionally does not name Ksenia Sobchak. – Ed.) Said that I infected someone at some event. It was pure slander. When you realize that this is not true, resentment arises. All journalists should re-read Vasily Shukshin’s story “Resentment”.
– How do you feel today? Covid did not affect the voice?
– Influenced the general condition. Sometimes breathing is not enough. Heart problems worsened. But covid hit the creative life much harder. I think we will collect 3/4 of the audience at my anniversary concert. This is good for today. We will cheer up the audience. The concert will be attended by 35 artists, choir, ballet – there will be no random people (watch the TV version of the concert on Channel One on Saturday, February 5. – Ed.).
Only those with whom I communicate in life. There will be many unexpected musical collaborations – duets and trios that will perform in the genre of cheerful congratulations, such as a skit. It was very difficult to get everyone together. What is it like to bring the singers Jasmine, Zara and Alsou together in one number. Or Stas Mikhailov, Soso Pavliashvili and Valery Meladze. Alexander Buinov, Alexey Glyzin and Alexander Marshal. Natasha Koroleva, Elena Sparrow and Alena Sviridova – these girls will sing my song “Love, Komsomol and Spring.” They will start part 2.
And in the first I will sing my hits, the Soviet stage. I will also participate in collaborations. There will be new songs. I will sing with rapper Lok Dog “We will live.” Today I am more inspired by new songs. During the pandemic, I released a record with opera arias and romances. Recorded 4 albums – about 40 songs. There was nothing to do, there were few concerts, the tour was suspended, so I recorded songs at the studio.
– Lev Valeryanovich, you seem to have everything. And glory, and people’s love, not to mention material well-being. Is there some cherished desire?
– Desire to be healthy. And live longer.
– Up to a hundred years, like your father.
– I would like to, but that was a different generation. We live on stress, on bad products and bad ecology…
