“Soul of Ukrainian song”: who was Nina Matvienko and how Ukrainians remember her

[ad_1]

People’s Artist of Ukraine Nina Matvienko died on October 8 at the age of 75. Her daughter Tonya Matvienko reported her death.

“Ukrainian truth. Life” tells what the life and creative path of the legendary singer was like and how she was remembered by Ukrainians.

She was born in a family of eleven children

Hero of Ukraine, actress and singer Nina Matvienko was born in Nedilysh, Zhytomyr region. She was the eleventh child in the family. Mother paid more attention to education, while dad worked in the cemetery across the street.

Her childhood was difficult – especially because of the economy and the attitude of her parents.

“As a child, I was beaten all the time… I mean, we were rarely called sons” – the singer recalled in old interviews.

Nina Mitrofanivna often had to run away and dream of a better future. At the age of 11, she and her sister entered a boarding school. It was there that she was pushed to connect her life with music.

Photo: Nina Matvienko/Facebook

A creative legacy that will remain forever

In 1966, on the advice of her teacher, Matvienko enrolled in the vocal studio of the choir named after Verivka, and in 1968 she became its soloist.

After more than twenty years in the choir, she joined the “Kyiv Camerata” ensemble.

“It was already what I dreamed of. Solo concerts… It’s much more interesting, what I was subconsciously looking for. It was difficult in the Veryovka choir. There I sang out of my range, I was too low, I coughed a lot and got sick from it “ – she said in an interview.

She performed in Ukraine, Canada, Poland, France and many other countries. Ukrainian folk songs prevailed in the singer’s repertoire: calendar-ritual, household, lyrical humorous, ballad songs, Ukrainian songs of the XVII-XVIII centuries.

Previously, she also worked with the ensembles “Mriya”, “Berezen”, “Kobza”, choirs “Dudaryk” and “Khreshchatyk”, the chapel named after A. Revutskyi

The most famous of her performances were “Lullaby”, “Soul Flower”, “Laughing Nightingales Crying”, “The Power of a Bird”, “What’s the Yarn”, “Oh Wild Geese Were Flying”, etc.

Nina Matvienko has many awards. Hero of Ukraine, Woman of Ukraine, the award of the Order of Princess Olga of the 3rd degree are only a small part of the honors that the singer received during her lifetime.

The war that made me repent for my mother

The singer met the full-scale invasion with her friend. A friend of mine in Obukhiv district had a house on a kind of elevation – like a hill.

“And planes under the windows, Russian planes and ours, and that’s all… We ran, of course, to the cellar, sat there, hid, both at night and in the evening.” – the artist mentioned in an interview.

At the beginning of the full-scale war, the woman found moral support in the well-known words spirit, and especially “the spirit that tears the body to battle”, because, according to her, they describe the essence of Ukrainians.

“Ukrainians have such charisma – when it is most difficult, they are courageous, they gather together and do not panic. This is our happiness, this is our way out of the situation.” – said Nina Matvienko.

For a certain time in 2022, she went abroad, but had an internal protest. In the interview, she said so – there was no need to go.

During the war, the singer even went to the priest. This was caused by the use of profanity due to stress.

“To the Muscovites, of course, to the Orcs, I say “you bastards, you’re dead.” – said the singer.

At the same time, Nina Matvienko supported the Ukrainian defenders and said that she would really like to see victory.

“I so want everyone to see how the violets have sprouted, how snowdrops are blooming under the bushes, dandelions… and how triumphantly the tulips are raising their flags, their flowers – demonstrating that Ukraine is alive! I will go out into the street, where I will hug and kiss all the people around! I will tell everyone how much I love him, how much I love the Ukrainian people! I know, the birds are already singing. They bring spring, bring us hope! And very soon we will win.” – she said in an interview in April 2022.

A great loss for Ukraine

In social networks, Ukrainians and stars express their sincere condolences about the death. Singer and presenter Anzhelika Rudnytska said that she was afraid to see this message in recent months.

“Nina Matvienko’s soul flew into the light. Nina Mitrofanivna was the salt of our earth. A legend. A keeper of songs. She knew many folk songs. She protected the memory of her Kindred. She felt the world subtly, and with a word she could heal and cut to the point of pain.” – she writes.

Iryna Fedyshyn also reacted to the loss. She thanked the artist for all her heartfelt songs. She also remembered all the joint meetings and concerts.

“Your presence was very important and inspiring for me. We sang carols together with you. And there were many joint filmings, funny conversations and sincere advice. It was easy and interesting with you. Thank you for everything. Thank you for your incredible contribution to Ukrainian culture. Rest in peace with peace. You are forever in our heart. Bright memory, Kingdom of Heaven.” Fedyshyn said.

In her post, journalist Gromovytsa Berdnyk recalled how her father called Nina Matvienko the Soul of Ukrainian song.

“And at one time, when everyone was afraid to say the word “Ukraine”, Mrs. Nina sang “Oi Rodu nas krasnyi” at government concerts. And this, too, was a spiritual pebble in the wall of the future Independent Ukraine.

We were friends as families, we were neighbors in Grebeny.

Fly, Ms. Nino, like an autumn swallow to the house of Mr. God, sing the best Ukrainian song with your amazing voice, so that the support of Ukraine in its struggle does not stop in the Mountain Worlds.” Berdnyk added.

Maria Burmaka, an artist, called the singer beautiful, wise and absolutely unique. She added that an entire era has passed away from Matvienko.

“Our Legend is gone, our Mother is gone, our story is gone,

I was happy to know you, work with you, see you and listen to you.

Thank you for the songs, thank you for the love, thank you for Ukraine.” – wrote producer Vlad Solotnikov.

Kateryna Osadcha, the presenter, did not believe in this sad news.

“Nino Mitrofanivna, I don’t believe it, it’s early … it’s too early, this news is not about you. Your energy could feed the entire Ukrainian show business

You are a person who always went to all creative experiments, factories were in order, smiling, energetic and always with faith in the best, that everything will be fine… I admired that.” – wrote Osadcha.

Nina Matvienko is survived by a daughter, two sons, and a husband

Read also: Crimean historian and writer Oleksa Hayvoronsky died

[ad_2]

Original Source Link