Vladimir Vysotsky - The Foreign House

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Russian Влади́мир Семёнович Высо́цкий (1938 - 1980) was perhaps the brightest artistic mind in the former Soviet Union. A highly anti-establishment song-writer and singer, he became somewhat of a folk hero. His main occupation was as a lead actor at the Taganka Theatre in Moscow, where he became particularly famous for playing Hamlet in an off-stream performance of Shakespeare's play. Vysotsky appeared in several movies. He also wrote songs and soundtracks for many movies and often sang them himself. Being in a constant conflict with Soviet authorities resulted in periodic bans of his songs. He became known for his unique singing style and for his lyrics, which incorporated social and political commentary into often humorous street vocabulary. His lyrics resonated with millions of Soviet people in every corner of the country; his songs were sung at house parties and amateur concerts. He died at age 42 in a hospital in Moscow during the 1980 Olympic Games. It was estimated that over one million people attended Vysotsky's funeral, almost as many as that of Pope John Paul II in 2005. Soon after his death an asteroid was named Vysotsky in his honor. Cosmonauts took his music on tape cassette into orbit. Vysotsky was married to the French actress (of Russian descent) Marina Vlady. Vysotsky's impact in Russia is often compared to that of Bob Dylan in America.

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