When Dmitry Hvorostovsky was still a child, he was already prophesied by fame. But in the distant past no one suspected that he would conquer the whole world. Today he is famous, he has many fans. How was his life? Why did he decide to develop his vocal talent?
Family of Dmitry Hvorostovsky
This great man was born in Krasnoyarsk in 1962, on October 16. His parents worked at prestigious posts in Soviet times. My father was a chemist, and my mother worked as a doctor in the gynecological department of a local hospital. From childhood, it became clear that Dmitry Hvorostovsky would not follow in the footsteps of his parents. His biography is very interesting and full of wonderful facts. As a child, he began to show interest in music, loved to listen to his father's records. The boy's singing talent was discovered at the age of 4. He sang old songs and romances with pleasure. Dmitry inherited a wonderful voice from his father. In the evenings the family arranged home concerts. Dad sang and played the piano with his mother, and his son often took part in this.
School years
Dmitry studied at a regular school. She was near the house. Parents decided to send the child to study in parallel at the music school in piano. It did not work out for him to play this musical instrument. The ratings were poor. And Hvorostovsky left the school bench with an unflattering characteristic. The biography says that he was neither an excellent student, nor an exemplary student. The singer does not like to remember and talk about this period of his life.
Getting an education
After school, he went to enter the pedagogical school in the music department. At that time he became interested in rock - a new musical style for Soviet youth. Unexpectedly for myself, I became a keyboard player and soloist in the Rainbow band. The collective performed in restaurants and local clubs.
Dmitry really wanted to be like a real rocker not only externally, but also internally. He constantly got into fights, rowdy and hooligans, missed college, going off the beaten track with his hobby friends. Sometimes he had a desire to quit his studies and live for his own pleasure, but something held back. Dmitry somehow graduated from college and became a music teacher.
In 1982 he entered the Krasnoyarsk Institute of Arts at the Hvorostovsky vocal faculty. The biography says that the guy got on the course to the best teacher is not accidental. His future teacher, Katerina Iofel, already had a group. But thanks to connections and acquaintances, Dmitry’s parents were taken to the group.
At first, study was hard. The first two courses were devoted to retrain the student to be not a choirmaster, but a soloist. He was constantly irritated and impatient. After two years, he liked to study. After all, now I understood my teacher from the word Hvorostovsky. The biography tells about the fact that a quick-tempered and restless student never missed the pairs that E. Iofel conducted. And in 1988, he graduated from the institute and received his red diploma of higher education.
First steps to fame
Student Dmitry in 1985 received an invitation to work in the Opera and Ballet Theater in his native Krasnoyarsk. He was invited to perform minor parts. But very soon Dmitry went up and began to sing in his first voice. He performed Verdi and Tchaikovsky, Leoncavallo and Gounod. After a year of performing on the stage of the theater, the young singer becomes the laureate of the first All-Russian vocal competition, and after a few months - of the All-Union.
World star
After graduating from the institute, the singer decided that a career should be built in Europe. He began to take part in various vocal contests of international class. The first European international competition in which he decided to show his talent was held in France. There he became the owner of the Grand Prix.
The next contest, which interested Dmitry, was organized by the Air Force. Held it in Wales. It should be noted that for the first time among the participants of this festival was a Russian opera singer. Having performed his favorite operas by Tchaikovsky, Verdi conquered the audience with Hvorostovsky. The biography says that one of the jury members even compared it with Pavarotti himself. Participation in the festival and victory brought him recognition, the whole world spoke of a Russian opera singer.
By 1990, Hvorostovsky became one of the most legendary world opera singers. He was invited to participate in the production of The Queen of Spades by Tchaikovsky in the New York Theater. Representatives of the Philips Classics record company really liked his voice. Dmitry was asked to sign a contract, he agreed. At the studio, Hvorostovsky recorded more than 20 albums. Especially popular in the USA (and in Europe too) was the album “Black Eyes”, which consisted of romances and folk songs.
In 1994, the opera singer moved to London. Here he first buys a huge mansion of 5 floors, and later receives a document of a British citizen.
The singer constantly tours the world and takes part in concerts, festivals, performs solo with his program. He is a star. The best opera houses invite him to perform on their stages. Do not forget Hvorostovsky and his native country. In 2004, he performed on the main Moscow square and sang to a symphony orchestra. He was awarded the title "People's Artist of the Russian Federation."
Meeting with the future wife
His first wife was the ballerina Svetlana Ivanova. The singer met her in Krasnoyarsk, while working in a local theater. Dmitry immediately fell in love with a woman and decided to win her heart. The young man was not embarrassed that Sveta had already been married in the past and alone raised a child. Their romance lasted two years, and after the guy transferred his lover to his communal apartment. Soon they got married.
Years later, the family moved to live in London. Then in 1996, the wife of Hvorostovsky gave birth to twins: Sasha and Daniel. Almost immediately, their relationship deteriorated. Sveta did not want to learn a foreign language, and she did not spend much time with her husband, did not seek to help with her career. Every day they moved away, feelings faded away. Hvorostovsky began to seek solace in alcohol.
In 1999, the singer at a rehearsal meets Italian Florence Illi. She was a singer. The girl fell in love with Dmitry at first sight. But he did not respond to feelings. After all, he was married and did not think about divorce, dreaming that relations with his wife would improve.
In 2001, he filed for divorce. Hvorostovsky’s wife seized almost all the property from the singer, and also achieved 170 thousand pounds of annual maintenance for children and herself. The singer was very worried about divorce, drowned his broken personal life Hvorostovsky in alcohol. His health condition worsened every day. But, it seemed, the singer did not notice this. Soon, due to experiences and the constant intake of alcohol, he developed an ulcer. And only Florence was nearby. It was she who brought the singer back to life and supported his desire to cope with alcohol addiction. The woman helped establish the health of Hvorostovsky and made him start a new life.
New love
At some point, Dmitry realized how dear Florence was to him. Soon, lovers began to live together, later legalized their relationship. In 2003, they had a son, who was named Maxim. After 4 years, Dmitry becomes father again. Florence gave him daughter Nina.
This woman has become a faithful companion of the opera singer. She traveled with him around the country, sometimes performing at his concerts.
Horrible diagnosis
In early summer 2015, it became known that the poor health of Hvorostovsky was the reason for the cancellation of all his concerts until the end of August. Fans were worried. What could happen to their idol?
The week before the cancellation of the concert in Vienna, the singer did not feel very well. I went to the doctors. After the examination, Dmitry Hvorostovsky recognized his terrible diagnosis: a brain tumor requiring immediate treatment. The disease progressed. The singer’s voice has not changed yet, but with a sense of balance he has serious problems.
