Yelena Vaenga: "Victory Day is the main holiday in our family"

For many Russians, the history of besieged Leningrad, the front and Victory is not a set of dry lines from a textbook, but part of their own biography. Singer, Honoured Artist of Russia and participant in the performance "Soldiers’ Dreams" Yelena Vaenga explained why Victory Day is one of the main holidays of the year for her.

"Our family celebrates two holidays — Easter and 9 May. These are the most important holidays. We have a large family: our grandfathers and grandmothers all fought in the war. And it cannot be any other way. For me, taking part in such patriotic projects is a great honour. I grew up with these songs, I have known them since childhood, and I am very happy to perform 'Women of Leningrad' in this particular production. I now live in Saint Petersburg myself. My grandmother was a nurse in besieged Leningrad, and my grandfather was an artilleryman who helped break the siege," Yelena Vaenga said.

The singer emphasises that the theme of war has always been deeply personal for her. As a child, she and her sister listened to stories about their family’s wartime past, and those stories shaped their upbringing.

The historical performance "Soldiers’ Dreams" at the National Centre RUSSIA became one of the largest productions for Victory Day. More than 500 artists, authentic wartime costumes and a unique light curtain technology were involved. Legendary performers and artists of a new generation appeared on one stage: Lev Leshchenko, Ilya Reznik, Sergei Shakurov, Valeria, Yelena Vaenga, Klava Koka, Khabib and many others, presenting wartime songs both in their classic sound and in modern arrangements.