Name: Leonid Yakovlevich Portnoy
Date of Birth: November 6th, 1950 | scorpion
Place of Birth: Odessa, USSR (Ukraine)
Date of death: August 30, 2016 | 65 years old
A place of death: Moscow, Russia
Career: Singer
Genre: variety chanson
Biography
Leonid Yakovlevich Portnoy was born on November 6, 1950 in Odessa in a creative family. My father taught at a famous dance school. And her mother, a graduate of the Kyiv Conservatory, was a professional vocalist (coloratura soprano). It is not difficult to guess that since childhood, the family had a great influence on the development and direction of the interests of the future chansonnier.
By the age of 20, Leonid had established himself as a serious soloist in the then very popular VIA "Crickets". The team was a kind of beat group that did not disdain performances in restaurants and performed world songs by The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.
In parallel, he also showed himself in the House of Folk Art, thanks to which he mastered acting skills to perfection. And just two years later, the Odessa Philharmonic found a new star. Subsequently, when Leonid had to immigrate to the United States, he repeatedly recalled with gratitude these years, which became for him, quite precisely, decisive.
From 1977 to 1983 Portnoy lived in Chicago. Pleasure and nostalgia are embodied for him in the possibility of musical performance. And Leonid does not miss the slightest opportunity. Soon he is recognized by local musical figures and offered a joint project in Canada.
In 1983, he moved to Toronto, where he was offered a place in the best institution in the city. Here he works with Spanish, Russian and Italian musicians. Such a wealth of experience and daily honing of vocals almost automatically leads to the recording of the first album "On the Half Way" in 1985, with which concert tours begin in the USA, Canada, Israel, Germany. As Leonid himself later admits, it was the period of work in Toronto that turned out to be important and directly influenced the sound of his compositions.
Subsequent records are not long in coming. And one after another, "Night Stars" (1987), "Be with me" (1988), "And life goes on" (1989) are published.
In 1990, Leonid Portnoy took first place at the Italian Song Festival in Toronto. Almost immediately this is followed by the release of the new album "Symphony of Love". Around the same period, he makes acquaintance with Philip Kirkorov.
And a little later, in 1994, Portnoy decides to visit Russia to shoot a video sequence for the song "Son and Daughter" from his new album "Freeze Frame" (1994). Here, the already established artist also meets Igor Krutoy, Philip Kirkorov, Tigran Keosayan (who will become the director for the video “Son and Daughter”, as well as for some other works), Mikhail Tanich, Igor Demarin. According to Leonid, it is they who will play a decisive role in the artist's decision to move to Moscow.
In 1995, together with the album "Give me hope", the most recognizable track to this day, "Who created you like this", is presented. The following years will also become no less successful: "Son and Daughter" (1996), "Let's disperse" (1997). In the period from 1999 to 2002. Portnoy repeatedly tours many cities in America, Canada, Israel and Germany. In May 2002, the artist arrived home, in Moscow, and, inspired by a long tour, almost immediately began work on the collection Life Goes On (2003).
In 2008, the next collection “Who Created You Like This” was released, which included the most famous hits, previously published on separate albums. A kind of recognition for the artist was a state award. Leonid Portnoy was awarded the Highest Order of Public Recognition "Honorary Citizen of Russia".
On August 30, 2016, Leonid Portnoy died in Moscow at the age of 66. The cause of his death was heart problems that haunted him for a long time.
Leonid Portnoy is known in Russia as a popular performer of his own songs, composer and author of poetry. One of Portnoy's most famous hits was the song "Son and Daughter", performed by Philip Kirkorov. In addition to it, the Russian listeners were especially popular with the song “Who created you like this”, which Leonid Yakovlevich himself masterfully sang and his other works. He lived most of his creative life abroad, so the Russian-speaking population of the United States and Canada is better known than the listeners of our country. The cause of death of Leonid Portnoy was not officially announced.
He was born in Odessa, in 1950, in a family related to vocal art. Leonid's mother, a professional singer, had a beautiful coloratura soprano. The boy was fond of music since childhood and showed great abilities in this. He began to sing early and in 1970 he entered the children's VIA "Crickets", and later became an actor in the Odessa House of Folk Art. In 1977, Portnoy left for Chicago, where he began to sing in restaurants. At that time, the Italian stage was in vogue and he sang in Italian. In addition, he learned English well.
In 1983, Portnoy moved to restaurants in the Canadian city of Toronto, where he continued to hone his vocal skills. Since 1985, Leonid Yakovlevich began touring the cities of the USA and Canada, then moved to Germany and Israel. In 1990, he even won the Italian Song Festival held in Canada. During these trips, he accumulated a wealth of musical experience and tried his hand at composing his own songs. His first visit to Russia after his departure took place 17 years later, in 1994. Portnoy arrived with a wealth of creative baggage: he had many of his own songs, among them - "Son and Daughter", which he wanted to shoot with a video. During this trip, Leonid met many figures of culture, art and music, made interesting acquaintances and connections.
During the period from 1988 to 1997, Portnoy released 7 albums that reached Russian listeners and many lovers of Russian chanson were familiar with his work in absentia. The vocal data of Leonid Yakovlevich deserved attention and he became one of the favorite chansonniers for connoisseurs. In 2002, after a big concert tour, Portnov, along with his third wife Tatyana and stepson Kirill, who loved him like his own, came to Moscow with the intention of settling in the Russian capital. The singer was no longer going to lead a hectic life full of trips, concerts and troubles. Tired and feeling his fifty years as a special milestone, the musician was attracted by the warmth of the hearth and thoughtful creative work. Health also made itself felt once unrestrained in emotions and bad habits Leonid.
He was happy in his third marriage and his wife shared his hopes for a calm measured life. Previously, Tatyana usually accompanied him on tour and also got tired of the nomadic life with its anxieties and worries. However, towards the end of his life, Leonid Yakovlevich's health problems became more complicated. The son recalled that he began to complain more and more about his heart, get tired and depressed. Producer Iosif Prigogine said that two months before his death, Portnoy talked to him for a long time on the phone and complained about the public, which very quickly forgets those whom it recently applauded with delight. According to rumors, he continued to drink and smoke a lot, despite the danger of complications, the advice of doctors and the persuasion of relatives.
He died in August 2016, suddenly and unnoticed, at night. Tatyana, who came up to wake him up in the morning, saw that he was dead. The doctors of the called "Ambulance" ascertained the death of 65-year-old Portnoy and did not draw hasty conclusions until the examination of the pathologist, the press reported. Guesses why Leonid Portnoy died are leaning towards the version of the failure of the cardiovascular system, most likely the heart, but no specific conclusion has been received. If the relatives of the deceased have reasons to hide some other conclusion, they have every right to do so, but perhaps everything will become clear later. According to media reports, Portnoy's body was taken to Canada to be buried next to the graves of his parents: his wife decided so.
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Born on 11/06/1950 in Odessa, in a family of professional musicians. Mother graduated from the Kyiv Conservatory in vocal class (coloratura soprano). My father taught at the dance school. In the 70s he was a soloist of the VIA "Crickets" (Odessa), worked at the House of Folk Art, and after that at the Odessa Philharmonic. In 1977 he immigrated to the USA. From 1977 to 1983 he sang in restaurants in Chicago. In 1983 he moved to Toronto (Canada) where he worked in a restaurant with Italian, Spanish, Russian musicians. In 1985 he recorded his first album "Halfway", 1987 - "Night Stars", 1988 - "Be with me", 1989 - "And life goes on", 1991 - "Symphony of love", 1994 - "freeze frame", 1995 - "Give me hope", 1996 - "Son and daughter", 1997 - "Let's disperse", 2003 - "Life goes on" (collection of hits), 2008 - "Who created you like this." In 1990 he won the Italian Song Festival in Canada. In 1992, Philip Kirkorov, after coming from me from Canada, released a joint vinyl disc "Moscow-Toronto". In 1994 he came to Moscow, where he shot a video for the song "Son and Daughter" (director T. Keosayan), 1995 - the video "Old Friend" (director T. Keosayan), 1998 Mikhail Tanich and Igor Dimarin wrote a wonderful song for me "Come on let's disperse", for which the video of the same name was shot (directed by Andrey Orlov, cameraman Pavel Timofeevich Lebeshev), from 1999 to 2002 toured the cities of Israel, Germany, America, Canada. After such a long tour, in May 2002 he returned to Russia (Moscow), where I live, work and do creative work to this day.In this article, you will learn about who Leonid Portnoy is. Biography, photos and features of the creative path of this artist will be given below. We are talking about a chanson performer.
Biography
So, our hero is the singer Leonid Portnoy. His biography began in Odessa. It was in this city that he was born in 1950, on November 6th. His parents are professional musicians. The mother of our hero graduated from the Kyiv Conservatory, choosing a vocal class. My father was a dance school teacher. It is obvious in what creative environment Leonid Portnoy was brought up. His biography received a new round of development in the seventies. During this period, while in Odessa, he was the vocalist of the Crickets group.
Creation
It was in the composition of the vocal and instrumental ensemble that Leonid Portnoy began his activity. His biography during this period was closely connected with the House of Folk Art. Later he worked at the Odessa Philharmonic.
But it turned out that the musician emigrated. America for later life was chosen by Leonid Portnoy. His biography at that time was filled with performances. They took place in restaurants in Chicago. This continued from 1977 to 1983. In 1983, the artist moved to Canada, namely to Toronto. There he sang together with Russian, Spanish and Italian musicians.
In 1985 Portnoy recorded his debut work. She became the album "Halfway". In 1987, the disc "Night Stars" was released. In 1988, the album "Be with me" appeared. In 1989, the work "And life goes on" was recorded. In 1991, the "Symphony of Love" appeared. Also, his authorship belonged to the albums: “Freeze frame”, “Give me hope”, “Let's disperse”, “Life goes on” - one of the most famous.
Fame
In 1990, our hero became the winner of the Italian song festival, which was held in Canada. In 1992, Philip Kirkorov, returning from Canada, where he visited the chansonnier, released a joint vinyl disc, which was called "Moscow-Toronto". In 1994, Leonid Portnoy went to Moscow. In the Russian capital, Tigran Keosayan, a well-known director, shot a video for the musician for a composition called “Son and Daughter”. This work has not left television screens for a long time.
In 1995, the same director shot the next video clip for the song "Old Friend". In 1998, Igor Dimarin and Mikhail Tanich wrote a song specially for our hero called "Let's disperse." The video clip was shot by the director and cameraman. This work was also broadcast on television for a long time.
In the period from 1999 to 2002, the singer actively performs in the cities of America, Germany, and Israel. After a long tour, he returned to Russia. It happened in 2002, in the spring. The artist's songs are incredibly popular today, especially in karaoke bars. The most famous works "Son and Daughter" and "Who Created You Like This" later also became part of Philip Kirkorov's repertoire. In recent years, he has retired from show business. He led a quiet life.
The musician passed away when he was 65 years old. The death of his father was confirmed by the musician's son, Cyril. Now you know who Leonid Portnoy is. The biography of the artist is described in detail above.
