Vertinsky(2021)

Vertinsky is a biographical series about Alexander Vertinsky, the legendary Russian chansonnier who became one of the twentieth century's most celebrated performers. After fleeing Russia in 1919, Vertinsky built a glittering career across Constantinople, Paris, Berlin, New York, Los Angeles, Harbin, and Shanghai, captivating audiences from royalty to street thieves. A bohemian charmer adored by beautiful women, he lived a life of apparent frivolity and success. Yet the series reveals his deeper nature: his profound kindness, his refusal to judge others, and his capacity for genuine compassion. In 1943, during World War II, Vertinsky made the fateful decision to return to the Soviet Union. Vertinsky traces how an artist's seemingly carefree existence can embody both envy and respect, ultimately rewarding him with late-found family happiness and an enduring legacy.