Valery Leontiev’s kindness and humility during a 1981 concert in Chita left a lasting impression on a young photojournalist. The encounter, part of a project called “What the Photos are Silent About,” highlights the artist’s accessibility and genuine nature, contrasting sharply with a less pleasant experience with another Soviet pop star.

In June of 1981, a then 19-year-old Evgeny Epanchintsev, working as a letter counter and aspiring photojournalist for the newspaper “Komsomolets Zabaikalya,” was assigned to photograph Leontiev’s performance at the District House of Officers of the Soviet Army (ODOSA). Overcoming a stutter that made communication challenging, Epanchintsev found concert photography a comfortable way to hone his skills.

Leontiev, already recognized as the best singer of 1980 by “Komsomolskaya Pravda” readers, was known for his captivating performances that combined music, dance, and meticulously crafted stage presence. The artist had toured extensively across the USSR, performing for workers and rural communities before arriving in Chita. Leontiev shared that he had a diverse background, including work as a mail carrier, draftsman, and miner. He participated in amateur artistic activities before attending the All-Russian Creative Workshop of Variety Art.

Despite technical difficulties with the low-sensitivity film, Epanchintsev managed to capture a few images during the performance. After the concert, with the help of Vladimir Afanasyev, the administrator of the philharmonic, Epanchintsev was granted a brief backstage meeting with Leontiev. The singer willingly agreed to pose for additional photos on stage, demonstrating patience and openness towards the inexperienced photographer.

Epanchintsev, overwhelmed by the opportunity, felt he didn’t make the most of the situation, but he always remembered Leontiev’s warmth and kindness. Though he missed Leontiev’s subsequent Chita performances in 1994 and 2018, Epanchintsev had hoped to gift the singer a copy of his photo book “Ch. Region” as a token of gratitude for the positive experience.