Anatoliy Solovianenko - a Ukrainian voice from Donetsk region who spoke to the whole world.

"His mother and father had wonderful voices. As you know, in Ukraine surnames were not given just from a boult. So, most likely, their ancestors also had wonderful, nightingale voices," - Svitlana Solovianenko.

The boy was interested in music from an early age, but the son of a miner could hardly even dream of entering enter the conservatory? Having learned about such intentions of the son, the father cut it short: first get a profession, and then sing. That's why Anatoliy, having the ability for exact sciences, chose the profession of a designer of machines for mining operations at the Donetsk Polytechnic.

As a student, he participated in artistic amateur activities, and during the holidays he made an attempt to enter the Leningrad Conservatory. Despite the failure, he was noticed by the leading soloist of the Donetsk Opera and Ballet Theatre, Honoured Artist of the RSFSR Oleksandr Korobeichenko.

"My teacher, Oleksandr Mykolayovych Korobeychenko, was an artist and teacher from God," recalled A. Solovιanenko. — He drew beautiful landscapes, created and sewed costumes for the stage, and he gave me a costume for my first performance at the Kyiv Opera... He was a brilliant teacher! At the very first meeting, he made it clear that he could make something out of me if I put my mind to work. Warning: in order to become a professional singer, you will have to spend six or even eight years... But I was ready for anything for the sake of singing."

The milestone that changed the fate of Anatoliy was the year 1963 and the selection of vocalists from the opera houses of the former USSR for internships in Italy - at La Scala. There were 80 applicants, and five were selected, two of whom were from Ukraine — Anatoly and Mykola Kondratyuk. Although Solovyanenko did not have a professional musical education at that time, he conquered the members of the commission with his voice.

He was always very busy, but still managed to find time for his family, helped me, because I first studied, then taught at a university. I didn't ask for it, Anatoly himself saw with what and when to help. He could take care of the baby, cook something, wash the dishes. Life taught him: his mother was ill for a long time, and his father worked hard at the mine, so Tolia took care of his younger sister, took her to kindergarten, then to school, and kept order in the house. There has always been perfect cleanliness, they all got used not to litter and clean up after themselves. And so were brought up our children. – (Svitlana Solovianenko)

Anatoly Borysovych came from a simple family from the suburbs of Donetsk and he had the opportunity to achieve what he achieved. And despite the fact that he was not the member of communist party, he became a People's Artist of the USSR and a laureate of the Lenin Prize. 

He gave this award to the Peace Fund.

"He gave every penny to the Peace Fund. 10,000 rubles is a lot of money, but dad survived the war when his family was evacuated. It was a very cold, cold winter, his brother caught a cold and got sick, and then he died on the way. And father decided as follows: "I want my children to live in peace, because I have never seen anything worse than war." 

Solovyanenko's unique voice is unmistakable. It still - though in recordings - does not leave listeners indifferent... During 30 years of work at the National Opera and Ballet Theater, Anatoly performed 17 opera parts, recorded 18 gramophone records (arias, romances, songs) ...

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSsh07NotOnc52GunRcdThSawzMCQZnl4&si=cpCFlzcgUgpIBXPz