Konstantin Yakovlevich Listov |

Konstantin Listov

Listov is one of the oldest composers of the Soviet operetta and masters of the song genre. In his compositions, melodic brightness, lyrical sincerity are combined with conciseness and simplicity of form. The best works of the composer have gained wide popularity.

Konstantin Yakovlevich Listov was born on September 19 (October 2, according to a new style), 1900 in Odessa, graduated from a music school in Tsaritsyn (now Volgograd). During the Civil War, he volunteered for the Red Army and was a private in a machine gun regiment. In 1919-1922 he studied at the Saratov Conservatory, after which he worked as a pianist, then as a theater conductor in Saratov and Moscow.

In 1928, Listov wrote his first operetta, which was not very successful. In the 30s, the song about a cart, written to the verses of B. Ruderman, brought wide fame to the composer. The song “In the Dugout” to the verses of A. Surkov, one of the most popular songs of the Great Patriotic War, enjoyed even greater success. During the war years, the composer was a musical consultant to the Main Political Directorate of the USSR Navy and in this capacity visited all operating fleets. The maritime theme was reflected in such popular songs by Listov as “We went hiking”, “Sevastopol Waltz”, as well as in his operettas. In the post-war period, the composer’s creative interests were mainly associated with the operetta theater.

Lisztov wrote the following operettas: The Queen Was Wrong (1928), The Ice House (1938, based on a novel by Lazhechnikov), Piggy Bank (1938, based on a comedy by Labiche), Corallina (1948), The Dreamers (1950), “Ira” (1951), “Stalingraders Sing” (1955), “Sevastopol Waltz” (1961), “Heart of the Baltic” (1964).

People’s Artist of the RSFSR (1973). The composer died on September 6, 1983 in Moscow.

L. Mikheeva, A. Orelovich