When Stalin came to power, making music became a dangerous endeavor. Russian composers now had to create works that served the socialist state, and all works of art were subject to scrutiny for any possible vandalism or traces of what was now called “Formalism.”The Sound of Utopia presents a vivid portrait of Soviet musicians and composers who struggled to create artistically in this climate of terror. Some of them have succeeded in toeing the ideological line, following the whims of the powerful and diluting the quality of their work in the process; While others ended up facing forced labor camps (gulags) or even death.In a fast-paced, lively style, Michel Kreilaars tells stories of intrigue, betrayal, and stunning reversals of fortune, from a folk singer arrested at the height of his fame to a blacklisted composer who wrote his greatest music on scraps of paper in a forced labor camp.
Offering a new perspective on famous figures such as Svyatoslav Richter and Sergei Prokofiev along with suppressed and forgotten artists such as Vsevolod Zadirassy, The Voice of Utopia provides a comprehensive picture of Soviet musical life.Dramatic and immersive, this work is a rich exploration of the absurdity and richness of Soviet musical life – and a tribute to those who created great melodies under the darkest of circumstances.
