People's Artist of the USSR

People's Artist of the USSR ({{lang-ru|???????? ?????? ????}}; fem. ???????? ???????? ????), also translated as National Artist of the USSR, was a title bestowed for exceptional achievements in performing arts in the former USSR. Its recipients include many of the most aclaimed composers, dancers, singers, film and theatre directors and actors of every republic. It shouldn't be confused with the award of ???????? ???????? ????, which was granted by achievements in fine art rather than in performing.

Related Topics:
USSR - Fine art

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The title was introduced in 1936, replacing an earlier title of "People's Artist of the Republic". The first recepient of the title was the actress Maria Yermolova. The last persons to be honoured with the title were Oleg Yankovsky and Alla Pugacheva, just hours before the Union's demise.

Related Topics:
1936 - Maria Yermolova - Oleg Yankovsky - Alla Pugacheva

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Originally, the title was bestowed on theatre actors, ballet dancers, and opera singers only. Gradually, it came to be bestowed upon film actors (e.g., Lyubov Orlova), composers (e.g., Dmitry Shostakovich), pop singers (e.g., Leonid Utyosov), comics (e.g., Arkady Raikin), and even clowns (e.g., Oleg Popov).

Related Topics:
Lyubov Orlova - Dmitry Shostakovich - Leonid Utyosov - Arkady Raikin - Oleg Popov

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Normally, a person was named the People's Artist of the USSR after 40 years of age. Exception was made for ballet artists, e.g., Nadezhda Pavlova received the title at the age of 28. Among the actors, the youngest recipient was Sergey Bondarchuk (age 32). The youngest actress to receive the title was Yuri Andropov's daughter-in-law, Lyudmila Chursina (age 40).

Related Topics:
Nadezhda Pavlova - Sergey Bondarchuk - Yuri Andropov - Lyudmila Chursina

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As of 2005, the earliest living recipients of the title were three ballet artists: Olga Lepeshinskaya (1951), Igor Moiseyev (1953), and Maya Plisetskaya (1959).

Related Topics:
2005 - Olga Lepeshinskaya - Igor Moiseyev - Maya Plisetskaya

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Each Soviet Republic, as well as the Autonomous Republics (ASSRs), had a similar award held previously by virtually every receiver of the higher title of People's Artist of the USSR.

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• Russian SFSR ???????? ?????? ?????
• Ukrainian SSR ???????? ?????? ??????????? ???
• Byelorussian SSR ??????? ?????? ?????????? ???
• Kazakh SSR ????? ???-? ????? ??????
• Lithuanian SSR Lietuvos TSR liaudies artistas
• Moldavian SSR ?????? ?? ????????? ??? ??? ????????????
• Latvian SSR Latvijas PSR Tautas m?kslinieks
• Estonian SSR Eesti NSV rahvakunstnik

Sofia Rotaru, for example, was named Distinguished Artist of the Ukrainian SSR in 1973, People's Artist of the Ukrainian SSR in 1976, People's Artist of the Moldovian SSR in 1983, and finally People's Artist of the USSR in 1988.

Related Topics:
Sofia Rotaru - 1973 - 1976 - 1983 - 1988

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People's Artist of the USSR: See also ►