Yuri Alexandrovich Gulyayev (1930-1986)

The performer whose name can be associated with the whole epoch in the Soviet variety art was borne in Tyumen in 1930. The Gulyayevs family lived in an ordinary wooden house in an old Tyumen street.

In 1954 Yuri graduated from the Ural conservatory on the vocal class. Then he was engaged in Sverdlovsk and Donetsk opera theatres. Since 1960 he was a solo singer in the Ukraine opera and ballet theatre. In 1975 Yuri was invited to the Moscow Bolshoy theatre. His vocal was referred to as a lyrical baritone.

In his repertory there were over 200 songs of varied styles. Yuri was often the first performer of musical compositions by leading soviet composers. He acted in films, and wrote songs that later became classics of the Soviet art. Among them are the songs ‘Russia Has Given Me a Keepsake’, and ‘I wish you’. One of the concert halls in Tyumen was called after Yu. Gulyayev, where All-Russian vocal competitions have been held since 1993 in his honour. The name of a famous Tyumenian was given to secondary school No. 25, where Yuri spent his early years.