The next team of artists returned from the Central House of the Russian Army named after MV Frunze “From Behind the Tape”. For Ivan Orlov, the group’s artist, this is not the first trip to the front-line area. On the eve of the tour, tell how the repertoire is chosen, what surprises most in war and what you need to stock up on before a seven-hour expedition on a truck.
Ivan Orlov performs in ready-made ensembles, where the composition (consisting of 4-5 people) changes every time. The journey usually takes four to six days. Artists had the opportunity to perform in hospitals and at positions somewhere in the forest or in the field.
-Evan, when did you visit Behind the Bar for the first time? What do you remember most?
– It was the spring of 2022. We were shocked in a good way at how life was organized in this position. The bunker was equipped not only with a kitchen, but also with a library, and all this was upholstered with wood, in short, made with the soul. Despite the fact that the men did not have any special equipment – only a few shovels and a Druzhba saw. For our performance, they built a stage for us out of logs that had been sawn to build another dugout. But the girls had a hard time – their heels got stuck…
— Perhaps the women’s part of the brigade will receive special attention there?
“Another thing that struck me once: after the concert, our artists were presented with huge bouquets of roses. This is on a site in a pine forest, where you won’t even find daisies, and it takes several hours to get there through the mud of the Ural Mountains. But the guys were really looking forward to it and somehow managed to prepare.
– How do they treat male artists? They ask: Has anyone served in the army?
– I did not serve. But they never asked me about it and always treated me with respect. One fighter told me: “Even if you don’t sing, you are already heroes because you are not afraid to reach out to us.” They realize that everyone has their own combat missions. Song, as they say, helps build and live. And fighting too.
– How do you choose your artistic repertoire?
– The ceremony usually contains patriotism and entertainment. Not only to boost morale, but also to remind you that you can forget all the hardships for a while. We try to perform as many songs as possible that are known to everyone from childhood so that the guys can somehow sing and participate. They even dance with us – in full uniform, without leaving their weapons. This really helps them shake up and recharge.
– Do fighters attend concerts at will? What if someone is not in a good mood?
“There is a system in the army, and it was of course difficult to implement it, especially when the men have just returned from a mission. Well, as you understand, fatigue takes its toll, and it is difficult to start right away. But when they hear that we are starting to perform, they pull themselves up, and in the end they rest. Then you understand that this means that your efforts were not in vain.
-What should you take with you on the trip?
– Sleeping bag! It will be very useful, because you do not always know what conditions you will be living in. And when you’re shivering for five to seven hours in the Ural Mountains, you can roll up the bag and put it under your tailbone so you can hold it! You still have to perform on stage and come back later. Also get extra wet wipes, because sometimes there’s nowhere to wash your hands.
-On the contrary, what do you bring with you from your trips? They say that artists constantly spy on different human types, so that later, if the role requires, they can reproduce their facial expressions and movements…
“I have seen the real heroes of our time. Types of real men. Strong, realized, self-possessed. They have such a look – heavy and at the same time open and conscious, and it expresses perseverance and generosity. But whether I can copy such a look and whether it is necessary, I do not know. After all, the director sets the task for the actors. It always seemed to me that if I had to play in a play or a film about war, regardless of the era, then they would give me the role of a cook, cheerful And funny.
– Why chefs?
– I don’t know. Maybe because my great-grandfather and namesake, Ivan Tikhonovich Orlov, fought in two wars and was a cook there. Thus in 2024, the play “Time to Live” was staged at the Central House of the Russian Army about a special military operation; It is based on a true story. As I play there, imagine a chef.
– What did the “ribbon” trips teach you in the global sense?
– The value of time. Because no one knows how much is meant for us. There is a different attitude towards time. How are we? “Do not put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after.” No one is in a hurry and simply skips half their life.
They understand that anything can happen at any moment, and that anyone dear to them can die before our eyes. Everything there is imbued with this spirit, all senses are heightened, every second matters, and people live here and now. This became a lesson for me. Life doesn’t write drafts, so you have to live every day with dignity and quality.
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Ivan Orlov was born on December 31, 1984 in the city of Snezhensk, Chelyabinsk region. He graduated from the Russian Gnesin Academy of Music in the class of pop vocals (2008) and a master’s degree from the Russian State Social University (2020). Tenor baritone. He was the lead singer of the band “Prime Minister” and worked as an assistant director in television. Since 2012 – Artist of the Concert Ensemble of the Central House of the Russian Army named after MV Frunze. Award winner of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
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In Moscow, Ivan Orlov can now be seen at the Theater of the Central House of the Russian Army in two productions. In the musical program “Love Will Return” based on the famous play “Love and Doves” by Vladimir Gorkin, he plays the main male role – Vasya. And in the concert program “Time to Live” (about the love of a special forces soldier and a nurse during a special operation), he plays the role of a soldier-cook.