How Toto Cutugno sang at the wedding of his son Valery Gazzaev
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Russian director Akim Salbiev recalls the deceased famous Italian singer
Toto Cutugno died Tuesday at the age of 80. The famous Italian singer not only made a stunning career in music, but also influenced many other creative personalities, including in Russia. Director Akim Salbiev told how the art of the Italian maestro influenced his own creative path.
“Abroad, Toto was a great success. His songs were performed by great musicians in France and Germany. And in Russia he was No. 1, ”said his colleague Al Bano on the day of the musician’s death. For the Frenchman Dassin, the Italian Cutugno wrote two hits: Salut and Et si tu n’existais pas. (“Salute” and “The world in which there is no you” – ed.). In Russia, the first performer of these songs was the singer, artist and film director Akim Salbiev.
“He was simple and accessible, without a crown,” Salbiev shares with MK. – Since the 80s of the last century, the Italian stage has been a secret for many, their brightest star for me was Toto Cutugno, who wrote songs that all of Italy sang. Once, while relaxing in Sicily, Joe Dassin heard them, made a French translation, and his songs raised the Italian Cutugno to an unprecedented height of popularity in Europe. These two songs are: Salut, comment tu vas? “Hello” and the second – Et si tu n’existais pas “A world in which there is no you.” We all loved Joe Dassin. While studying at VGIK at the acting and directing department, I wanted to sing. And once, having met with the composer David Tukhmanov, I told him about my intention to sing songs. David Fedorovich recommended that I turn to the work of Toto Cutugno, who sang the songs of Joe Dassin (by that time he had already died). I met Toto Cutugno several times. He listened to songs, smiled and said: “Good. It’s different than Joe Dassin. Yes, may be…”.
– Toto Cutugno is forever! – continues the film director Salbiev. – If it were not for him, maybe I would never sing. Surprisingly, Cutugno died in the last days of summer, on the same dates as Dassin – August 22. There is some mystical connection between them. Their songs have been in Russian versions for 25 years. They were first prepared for Joe Dassin’s 60th birthday in 1998. The authors of the Russian texts are the songwriter Igor Kakhanovsky, the greatest and only friend of Vladimir Vysotsky. Kokhanovsky translated the Salut song “Hello”, and the author of another Russian text of Cutugno’s second hit Et si tu n’existais pas “A world in which there is no you” is Mark Podberezsky.
Toto Cutugno loved Russia very much. Official and not quite. Unofficial Russia – when he could fly to any part of the vast country for a wedding or an anniversary. I remember when the legendary coach Valery Gazzaev married his son, Toto Cutugno flew to this wedding and sang a few songs. I sang two of his songs at this wedding. Cutugno heard his songs in Russian live for the first time. After my performance, Toto performed the same songs in Italian. There were also handshakes and hugs. After this story, our friendship began, I received the permission of the master not only to perform them, but even to publish them on my disk. He was confused, because on stage he saw me only as a singer. Later, he met me and found out that I was a filmmaker who made documentaries about such world stars as Michael Jackson, Alain Delon, Julio Iglesias. In response, Toto Cutugno asked me, “Well, then I’m next in line”?
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