2024-04-26
04/26/2024, 13:12
Victor Shamanin
Ostuzheva Street is probably familiar to every Voronezh resident. But how many people remember who gave her the name? Meanwhile, the life of Alexander Ostuzhev is a vivid example of strength of character and loyalty to his calling.
Alexander Pozharov (real name Ostuzhev) was born in Voronezh. And most likely, he would have followed in the footsteps of his father, a railway worker. But at the age of 10 the boy took part in the play. Apparently, it was then that the future People’s Artist of the USSR fell ill with the stage. He began performing in Voronezh. According to one legend, the pseudonym arose like this: the public shouted so loudly “Fires! Fires!” that a team of firefighters rushed to the theater. According to another version, he changed his last name in Moscow, where he soon went to study.
After completing the courses, he ended up in the Maly Theater troupe. Romeo, Chatsky, False Dmitry – magnificent appearance, beautiful voice and energetic temperament allowed Ostuzhev to successfully create romantic and heroic images. A sudden illness almost ruined his career: at the age of 35 he became completely deaf. But he did not give up: having memorized all the roles, Ostuzhev understood from the lips of his partners at what moment to pronounce his text. He not only continued to play, but each time amazed the audience with the depth of the images he created – Quasimodo, Othello…
In June 1941, it was Ostuzhev who performed the poem “Holy War” on the radio, which soon became a song. This and other recordings of the artist can be found on the Internet. Made in the middle of the last century, they still convey the scale of the talent of the outstanding actor, who was born in our city 150 years ago – on April 28, 1874.
