From Russia to Love by Eva Chapman
From Russia to Love is the biography of the violinist Viktoria Mullova, who plays with breathtaking technical virtuosity and brilliance. To be published in 2012 it will be one of the first titles from Jeremy Robson’s new imprint The Robson Press.
Viktoria Mullova's life consists of two radically different halves – the first spent in the austere totalitarian society of the USSR and the second half in the expansive liberalism of the West. The story of Viktoria’s life is one of striking contrasts, huge tests, adventure, great fear, struggle, success and love. And drama. She grabbed world headlines in 1983, when she defected from the USSR as a 23 year old with her Georgian lover, leaving her 1720 Stradivarius behind. The defection was carefully planned for a year and finally executed in true James Bond style.
With nothing but her bow, her stunning good looks and a Tchaikovsky gold medal, she conquered the classical world stage, as well as engaging in a tempestuous love life. She has had 3 children by different fathers; Claudio Abbado, the world famous conductor is the father of her first child. A major theme of the book is freedom - an exploration of how Viktoria has managed to struggle free from the oppressive regime which guarded her prodigious talent jealously.
Eva Maria Chapman was born in Czechoslovakia in 1947. With her Ukrainian mother Olga she escaped from the Communist regime to Australia in 1950. She recorded her experiences in ‘Sasha & Olga’, a memoir, (Lothian 2006).