Vitaly Solomin's charm on stage and screen had no limits, but in life he set strict rules for himself and for others, including those closest to him.
In 1966, a 17-year-old Leningrad student Masha Leonidova Together with my mother, like the entire Soviet country, I excitedly watched the film “Women.” Despite the title, there was an important male role: a son who, in spite of his authoritarian mother, decided to marry a woman with an “illegitimate” child. “If only you, Masha, had such a husband - serious and reliable,” the mother said and prophesied her daughter’s fate.
Strength is in brother
Yuri And Vitaly Solominy– a rare occurrence in our cinema. You won’t surprise us with relatives in art, but for two siblings from the deep provinces to become favorites of the USSR, spoiled by actors, such cases can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Each has a track record of roles that have been called cult. Yuri Solomin is loved for his films “His Excellency’s Adjutant”, “Criminal Investigation Inspector”, “ An ordinary miracle", "The Road to Calvary". Movie " Dersu Uzala"(dir. Akira Kurosawa) with his participation received an Oscar in 1975.
Vitaly was rated immediately after “Women” and “Big Sister”. Then there was “Siberiada” (dir. Andrey Konchalovsky, Special Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival), “Sincerely yours...”, the unfading “Winter Cherry”, but most of all the audience adore Solomin - Dr. Watson.
There were films where the brothers played together - for example, the light “Die Fledermaus” and the dramatic “Dauria”, which was filmed in their native places, not far from Chita.
Yuri is six and a half years older than his brother. Together with his father, he walked through the snowdrifts to pick up the boy, born on December 12, 1941, from the hospital. Although the war was far away, life was difficult. Parents, Methodius Viktorovich And Zinaida Ananyevna, were music teachers and wandered around the entire region, working part-time wherever possible.
Since childhood, Yuri read poetry well and studied at the Palace of Pioneers. The mother dreamed of making the youngest a pianist. Vitalik hated his classes, but his love for music and his dream musical performance, not an operetta, but a serious thing, I carried through my whole life. He realized his dream at the age of 60, and at this performance he was struck down by a fatal stroke.
Yuri was the first to go to Moscow. The handsome, talented young man was accepted into “Sliver”, and from there he had a direct path to the Maly Theater, especially since the “old people” treated him very favorably. Vitaly hesitated for a long time about what to choose: he had noticeable success in sports, but he did not like performing poetry. But either following his brother, or having watched the film “The Fate of a Man,” he decided to show himself to the visiting commission that came to Chita in search of young talents. The younger Solomin liked it and went to enroll, also at Shchepka. The already experienced Yuri helped him prepare.
Rules for the wife
Vitaly felt uncomfortable in Moscow; he did not get close to anyone. He was especially surprised by the idle life of the capital’s “golden youth.” It happens - whatever you renounce, you will get burned. He fell in love with a student at the Shchukin School Natalia Rudnaya, the daughter of a writer. They got married, but family life was not like the one that young Solomin had planned for himself: a hot dinner, leisurely conversations at the table and always two children. Natasha spent time at parties. The marriage quickly fell apart, and Solomin vowed not to marry for 10 years.
But at the very end of the 60s the director Peter Todorovsky launches with the film "Urban Romance". A big-eyed and very touching student of the textile institute, Masha Leonidova, was approached right on a Leningrad street and offered to act in a movie. And Masha timidly asked that male role we tried Vitaly Solomin, the same one from the film “Women”. By the way, this was almost the only case when Solomin was not approved for the role; he was filming Evgeniy Kindinov. But Masha remained in Vitaly’s life forever.
They met infrequently - they lived in different cities. But the meetings were unforgettable: flowers, restaurants. Masha didn’t know that her boyfriend was spending almost everything he earned on this. Eventually they got married. Moreover, the beginning of family life was completely different from everything previous. Solomin escaped from Moscow for several days and simply invited Masha to go to the registry office. When the young wife saw off Vitaly, already at the station he said: “Give me your word that you won’t act in films anymore.” For a year they went to “visit” each other.
Solomin believed that young beautiful woman on set is too much of a temptation, and he has learned the lessons of his first marriage well. Masha happily agreed to do as her beloved wanted. Only occasionally did she manage to be on the set. Together with her husband, she played in “Silva” and in one of the series about Sherlock Holmes.
Maria Antoninovna did what Vitaly dreamed of: her work never interfered with her family. She bore him two beautiful daughters. The authority of Vitaly Methodievich was so unquestioning that she herself felt like a child compared to her husband
Not everything in their family was always perfect. A period came when Solomin withdrew into himself and in solitude wrote a diary, which he kept throughout his life and in which he mercilessly judged himself for his actions. Maria realized that someone had appeared with him. She gathered her strength and invited her husband to make a choice. What was it like for a woman who lived behind her husband as if stone wall? She waited painfully for an answer for two days, and finally Vitaly announced that he was staying in the family.
As Maria Antoninovna herself said, she had to “forgive” her husband twice. Rumor attributes Solomin to having affairs with the beauties of the Maly Theater - Elena Tsyplakova And Svetlana Amanova. But, no matter what, the family survived. Their marriage lasted 30 years. Solomin was a wonderful father and grandfather, a real master. He managed to build a dacha, equipped a workshop there and taught his grandson himself Kirill carpentry.
“Alexander Andreich Chatsky to see you”
Many people wonder how two extraordinary Solomin brothers got along in the same theater. Probably not always easy, they were very different, both in appearance and in character. But, as Vitaly’s close friend testifies Vasily Livanov, never junior said one bad word about the elder. Vitaly Solomin’s wife recalled that in the first years of family life she heard only admiring reviews about her brother from her husband.
Another thing is that the Maly Theater is one of the most conservative, and Vitaly Solomin did not always like the roles that were offered to him. At 34, he seemed to have had his finest hour. on his Chatsky, who at the beginning of “Woe from Wit” flew onto the well-deserved stage, plopped down, threw away his felt boots and adjusted his Lennon glasses on his nose, all of Moscow came down. But then there was a break again.
In 1986, Vitaly Solomin even left Maly for the Theater. Mossovet. And what’s interesting is that as soon as the artistic director of “House” Ostrovsky“Yuri Methodievich became, and immediately returned. True, Solomin Sr. did not hide the fact that his mother, Zinaida Ananyevna, played a big role in this, who highly valued Yuri and believed that he knew exactly what was best.
Death on stage
Fate gave Solomin the role of Doctor Watson. But it wasn't the role that made him famous, it was he who made it famous. Until then, no film about the great detective had such a bright Watson (Watson).
By the way : At the very beginning of filming, Vasily Livanov went on a bit of a spree. Solomin, who was outraged by this, suggested his partner at the Maly Theater for the main role - Boris Klyuev. Several scenes were even filmed. Then Klyuev played a cameo role Mycroft Holmes.
They didn’t want to approve Solomin, saying that Watson couldn’t be red-haired and snub-nosed. But the director Igor Maslennikov showed the “experts” a photograph Conan Doyle, and they were forced to remain silent.
Livanov and Solomin, who did not get along at first, gradually became close friends. Not only they were friends, but their wives and children. Solomin, who seemed to many to be reserved, unsociable, a man who could actually walk by without saying hello, was very generous to those he loved. He could arrange for his theatrical like-minded people New Year with Christmas tree and gifts in April. I invited only my closest ones to the anniversary – and there were 300 of them. Although most of his friends were not artists. There were many doctors among them.
They were the ones who warned Vitaly Methodievich to take his health seriously. Solomin was tormented by hypertension from his youth. But the actor brushed it off, and generally forbade his wife to talk about this topic.
IN last years life literally smiled at him: he acted a lot, and the theater was allowed to stage the musical “Wedding Krechinsky" In this performance, Solomin played the main role, sang, danced, and at almost 60, he did the splits with a flourish. Often during intermission he was given an injection to relieve his blood pressure. But on April 24, 2002, he finished the first act already half-paralyzed. To this day, those who were on stage with him that evening cannot understand how he managed to finish the words of the role. Then he was taken to the Sklifosovsky Institute.
Yuri Methodievich recalled with bitterness: “I, as the artistic director of the theater, was forced to go out to the audience, say that we could not finish the performance, and offer those who wanted to return the money. More than half lined up at the checkout.” The actor and director still cannot understand this.
Vitaly Solomin fought for his life for another 34 days. He had surgery. Sometimes he regained consciousness, and then, it seemed, everything was still fixable. But on May 27, 2002, he passed away.
“I saw him live twice, and neither I recognized him nor he recognized me. Then it became clear that it was my grandfather’s brother, but we had no communication,”– Kirill said. Previously, the brothers communicated well and visited each other. After their mother Zinaida Ananyevna passed away, they stopped keeping in touch. The woman spent her whole life trying to bring her two sons together, often inviting them to family holidays.
capelino.com
“They communicated when my grandmother was alive. We went to visit each other, Yura came to us: alone and with his family,”– said Vitaly Solomin’s daughter, Elizaveta.
1tv.ru
Yuri Methodievich himself claims that he and his brother never competed or were jealous of each other. Everyone had enough roles in films. Vitaly Solomin was able to play comedic characters, and Yuri - dramatic ones. The whole country loved the actors and never compared them. Everyone was able to contribute to the national cinema.
trust.ua
“Vitaly is not a serious person. When he said something seriously, it always seemed that he was deliberately carrying some kind of “blizzard”. It was this readiness to smile that gave him a certain charm and charm. His older brother is a dramatic artist, but comedy is more difficult for him,”– Andrei Konchalovsky summed up.
It is a pity that in this life, the brothers were never able to make peace.
The calling card of actor Vitaly Solomin is the restrained and serious Doctor Watson. He was almost always the same real life. But sometimes he unleashed the hussar part of his soul and then there was a feast for the whole world - banquets with friends, mountains of flowers for his wife and a fireworks display of good jokes.
This actor had a bright and rich creative biography, and several dozen memorable roles. The actor’s first fame came from the film “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.” Then there were “Winter Cherry”, “Bat”, “Silva”.
Childhood and youth
Vitaly Solomin was born on December 12, 1941 in Chita, in creative family. Father Methodius Solomin and mother Zinaida Ryabtseva taught music, and tried to pass this love on to their sons. The eldest son Yuri was already growing up in the family. Thanks to his parents, Vitaly quickly mastered the wisdom of playing the piano; he was sent to music school to continue studying. Vitaly did not like this instrument, but did not argue with his parents. His favorite pastime was reading; the boy preferred Conan Doyle among authors, whom he read for long periods of time. winter evenings sitting by the stove.
Soon the parents realized that their son would not make a musician, and allowed him to do what he wanted. The guy became interested in sports and was enrolled in all the clubs he could find in hometown. He went to volleyball, basketball, athletics and gymnastics. But he still preferred boxing.
After graduating from school in 1959, Vitaly decides to go to Moscow and try his hand at the Shchepkin Theater School, which his brother had once graduated from. Luck was on the side of the young, handsome applicant, and he joined the ranks of students. Nikolai Annenkov became his teacher, and fate sent Vitaliy to be his fellow students.
One feature of Vitaly Solomin was his amazing maximalism, because of which he almost dropped out of school after his first year of study. The future artist was accustomed to receiving only excellent grades, and when he was given a 4, he even wanted to quit his studies.
Theater
But still, common sense won, and the young man continued his studies at a theater university. Vitaly Solomin's debut on the theater stage took place in his second year of study. He was invited to the Maly Theater to participate in the production of “Your Uncle Misha.” After receiving his Slivers diploma, Solomin was accepted into the troupe of this theater. His repertoire included mainly classic images– Chatsky, Astrov, Khlestakov, Protasov. In the 70s, Solomin developed an interest in directing. He released the plays “The Living Corpse” and “My Favorite Clown,” which his fans liked.
Vitaly Solomin served not only at the Maly Theater, at one time he appeared on the stage of the Mossovet Theater. Fans of the artist remember his innate talent as a reader, especially evident during the recording of the novels “The Adventures of Father Brown” and “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign.”
Movies
The cinematic biography of Vitaly Solomin started with the film “Newton Street, Building 1”, in which he became the philologist Boyartsev. It was a cameo role, which gave the aspiring artist his first experience of working on a film set. Then Vitaly was invited to a film called “Women,” in which he had to become Zhenya, the son of the central character. After this role, they started talking about actor Vitaly Solomin.
But all-Union fame covered the artist after he became best assistant Sherlock Holmes - Doctor Watson in the film "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson." Holmes got the role, and he fit perfectly into this image. The first two-part film was released in 1979. Then director Igor Maslennikov wanted to continue the adventures of the two detectives, and he made four more films, each containing several episodes. The duet of Livanov and Solomin took part in the film adaptation of twelve stories by the famous writer.
It is the Soviet film with the main characters, masterfully brought to life by Solomin and, that is considered the best of all that were filmed based on the works of Conan Doyle. As a sign of gratitude and recognition of the skill of the actors, a monument to the great detective and his permanent assistant was erected in Moscow, next to the British Embassy. Taking a closer look at the faces and figures of these two characters, you can see that they are an exact copy of the actors who so talentedly portrayed them on screen.
Another significant film in the career of actor Vitaly Solomin was “Winter Cherry”. His character is very ambiguous and each viewer perceives him differently. In this film, Vitaly became Vadim Dashkov, married lover main character. The character seems to be repulsive, but as performed by Solomin, he turned out to be not so bad. The film found its audience and was especially liked by the female half of the audience. It was decided to film a sequel, and two more seasons of the beloved story were released at an interval of five years.
No less interesting were Solomin’s works in the films “Silva” and “Die Fledermaus,” directed by Jan Fried. These films helped the actor demonstrate to everyone his comic talent, thanks to which the stories are watched in one go.
Personal life
In the life of Vitaly Solomin there were two official marriage. The first time he married actress Natalya Rudnaya. They met in 1962, during a student production, and in 1963 they got married. Very soon their family life went wrong, and the young people divorced. After the divorce proceedings, Solomin decided that he would never marry again.
Several years passed, and Vitaly was invited to audition for the film “City Romance”. Among those invited to the casting was Maria Leonidova, who studied at the textile institute. The director's assistant really liked this girl, whom he met by chance on the street, and he invited her to audition for a movie. Vitaly Solomin did not manage to get into this project, but he really liked the girl. So in 1970, his personal life completely changed - the young people got married. In 1973, a daughter, Anastasia, was born into the family, and in 1984, another daughter, Elizaveta. Lisa continued her father's work and became an actress and producer. Married to director Gleb Orlov.
Solomin was a reserved and serious person, but sometimes he could arrange a real holiday of the soul, especially in the middle of ordinary weekdays. One day he decided to organize new year holidays at the height of spring.
Cause of death
Vitaly Solomin long years complained of hypertension. An exacerbation of the disease occurred on April 24, 2002, during the production of “Krechinsky’s Wedding.” From the very morning, the actor felt something was wrong; he was very dizzy and had absolutely no strength. But he was a real actor, and he had no idea what could cause the performance to be cancelled. He managed to hold out only the first act, and lost consciousness. The actor had to be carried away in his arms. Doctors made a disappointing diagnosis - a stroke, and began to fight for his life. For a month, doctors tried to improve the actor’s condition, but almost all the time he was in a coma.
Photo: Grave of Vitaly Solomin Solomin often repeated that he would like to die like Moliere or, that is, like real artists, on stage. Probably somewhere in the heavenly office his words were heard, because he never returned to the stage. Vitaly Solomin passed away on May 27, 2002. Became a place of eternal rest Cemetery Vagankovsky capital Cities.
Selected filmography
- 1963 - Newton Street, building 1
- 1967 - Indian Kingdom
- 1972 - The Last Days of Pompeii
- 1979 - Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson
- 1979 - The Bat
- 1981 - Silva
- 1982 - Queen of Spades
- 1982 - Fight at the Crossroads
- 1983 - Return from orbit
- 1985 - Winter Cherry
- 1991 - Cuckold
- 1996 - Tests for real men
- 2001 - Stop on demand
- 2003 - Pan or gone
Links
- The whims of Dr. Watson. The real face of Vitaly Solomin
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A favorite of the public, a talented actor, reverent and gallant on the screen... Why was the charming Watson called the Stone Flower?
The most famous works Vitaly Solomin got roles in the films “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson”, “Winter Cherry”, “Die Fledermaus”, “Silva”, etc. Charming, enthusiastic and good-natured on the screen, in life he was completely different. His friends and family say that behind the scenes he was often sullen, withdrawn, uncompromising and cruel. True, as shy as in many of his films.
Yuri and Vitaly Solomin
They say that due to his difficult character, Vitaly Solomin even had a conflict with his brother, no less famous actor Yuri Solomin. In all interviews, Yuri refused to talk about his brother. Their families do not communicate with each other. Viewers constantly compared the brothers, although there was never any reason for envy or competition between them - both were equally talented, successful and popular.
Vitaly Solomin in the film *The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson*
Andrei Konchalovsky says that Vitaly Solomin was an introvert and had difficulty communicating. For this he received the nickname Stone Flower from him. When Dr. Watson needed to kiss the heroine according to the script, the process stalled - Solomin could not overcome the embarrassment. Perhaps it was precisely thanks to the duality of character that the actor was equally good at both comedic and dramatic roles.
Vitaly Solomin as Doctor Watson
Vasily Livanov and Vitaly Solomin
The role that brought the actor all-Union popularity was the role of Doctor Watson. At first, Vitaly Solomin and Vasily Livanov did not have a good relationship on the set - both were distinguished by their strength of character and stubbornness, both played the main roles in the film and considered it necessary to explain to the director and each other their vision of certain scenes. But during the filming process they turned into a real creative tandem, and after that they and their family members had warm, friendly relations. Vasily Livanov admits: “In our attitude to life, we coincided in many ways. Vitaly shared deeply personal experiences with me, and I think he never shared these experiences with anyone else.”
Vitaly Solomin in the film *The Bat*, 1978
Vitaly Solomin with his wife Maria Leonidova in the film *Silva*, 1981
Having lived almost his entire life with one woman, Maria Leonidova, the actor was still not constancy. The wife admits that twice she had to forgive his infidelities. In many ways, the actor repeated the fate of his hero from “Winter Cherry”: he also fell in love while married, and also never decided to leave his family. Solomin had two whirlwind romance with actresses. The wife not only forgave, but also justified her husband: she said that this was a source of inspiration for him.
Vitaly Solomin with his family, 1985
Still from the film *Winter Cherry*, 1985
At the same time, Solomin did not know how to demonstrate his feelings, especially in public. In the family he was demanding, categorical and uncompromising, he dictated his terms and expected unquestioning obedience. He insisted that his wife leave acting profession. Moreover, he set this condition when he made the offer. “Earning money and arranging everyday life was considered his duty. And mine is to make sure that all family members feel good at home. We had a house-building, but by mutual agreement,” admits Maria. And one day, when his wife stayed late talking to a friend after work and didn’t warn her about it, Solomin took her down the stairs and slammed the door in her face.
Vitaly Solomin with his family
Vitaly Solomin with his wife and children
However, the actor was demanding not only of his loved ones, but first of all of himself: suffering from high blood pressure, Solomin did not spare himself even to last days came on stage. In his last performance, “Krechinsky’s Wedding,” he sang, danced and even did the splits! He said that he dreams of dying on stage, like Andrei Mironov. Unfortunately, that's almost exactly what happened. On April 24, 2002, the actor was barely able to finish the first act, and during the intermission he was carried off the stage in his arms. Doctors diagnosed a stroke, Solomin spent about a month in the hospital and died on May 27.
People's Artist of Russia Vitaly Solomin
During the New Year holidays, many glorious Soviet movies. So the two-part musical film “The Bat” (Lenfilm, 1979, directed by Jan Fried) came in handy. Yuri and Vitaly Solomin, wonderful Maksakova and Udovichenko, Shurik - Alexander Demyanenko in cameo role, Filippov, Olga Volkova (shooting with the eyes), Oleg Vidov, who has not yet emigrated to the States, Vesnik, Dmitriev, Svetin...
Falk - in "Die Fledermaus"
Many of this magnificent ensemble of actors are no longer with us. As well as one of the main characters of the film - Vitaly Methodievich Solomin. Life gave me two meetings with this deep man and actor. He would have turned 70 last December...
***
When I arranged an interview with Vitaly Solomin (it was the very beginning of May 1999), he invited me to come early in the morning to the airport, where he was going to see off Irina Rozanova, who played for him and with him in the enterprise play “Sirena and Victoria” (run-in before the premiere in Moscow). The fact is that Irina’s dressing room the day before, during the performance in the Latvian Art Theater, during the intermission a thief came to visit under the guise of an electrician - fortunately, he took away only the money, but not the documents... Therefore, Vitaly Methodievich, in order to avoid misunderstandings, decided to escort the dejected actress to the flight personally. We talked for some time over a cup of coffee at the airport, saw Irina off, and Solomin, realizing that I was in the mood for a serious conversation, invited me to continue it already at hotel room. We returned to Riga and talked for about two hours. I offer fragments of our conversation, collected by me from a surviving clipping from the Riga newspaper “SM”. Of course, this interview has not yet appeared on the Internet...
Proficinema.ru
NEW RUSSIANS
Vitaly Methodievich, unlike enterprise performances, where they make do with one bedside table or an inflatable mattress to create the interior, you have very rich scenery, not to mention excellent actors. Painted fabrics hanging from the ceiling, a table and chairs, which, as the action progresses, “with meaning” suddenly fly up...
The viewer missed real scenery and painted backdrops. We have central heroine- “new Russian”. The topic itself is boring for me. I really don’t want to figure out what it is, who invented it. But nevertheless, we tried to come up with what a nouveau riche apartment might look like. After all, according to the text, our new Russian lives almost on Red Square itself. In the end, we decided to abandon the literal symbolism - the glowing stars on the backdrop. And to create the image, they came up with a table and chairs floating in the air - something that probably no one has.
During the course of the performance, everyone is constantly drinking from cups - different, random ones. I have met such a person in my life, although such idiocy exists everywhere, in every country. When money starts to dominate, all the ugliness comes out. But intelligent people, scientists - they are not adapted to this. Therefore, when one of the heroines tries to adapt, she immediately loses her level, like, by the way, everyone who goes abroad.
This idiocy is also present in the play, when the doctor of science grooms the fox terriers. But for our new Russian, with her natural impudence and lack of education and culture, all is not lost.
It's good that you didn't make her a complete idiot...
So that's the point. She becomes a little different from communicating with smart people. This gives me hope. Therefore, we all need to tense up and make the same small movement towards each other. This is the whole meaning of life. Especially for Russia, when now fear of each other, hostility, and disrespect are instilled by all means. When the state deceives, constantly insults the people, humiliates them with beggary, embitters them.
But, fortunately, unlike your hero, you don’t cut fox terriers...
In general, the actor should national theater don’t work anywhere else, devote all your strength only to your business. Moreover, there are only a few years left ahead...
(How scary and prophetic this sounds now! Honored Artist of the RSFSR and National artist Russia, Vitaly Methodievich did not hide his bitterness, resentment towards the theater and his brother - artistic director Maly Theater - Author)
Yuri Solomin and Vitaly Solomin rusactors.ru
When you're thirty extra years worked in this theater, you must have definite plans for several years. To prepare for serious roles, which, alas, does not exist. I really want to do a play at the Maly Theater. But for two years they have not responded to all my proposals. No way. This is a kind of rudeness. But I’m at such an age that I don’t take offense at them.
The theater offered me to stage only one play - “Krechinsky’s Wedding” (Vitaly Solomin died in Moscow on May 27, 2002 from a stroke that happened to him on April 24 on stage in the first act of “Krechinsky’s Wedding” - Author). Now for two years I’ve been standing again as if I were 20 years old. I'll have to go back to where I started - doing independent work, outside of plans, outside of time. I understand that in this case they will not take into account how busy the actors are with me, and maybe they will be deliberately pulled out for other performances. Well, I'll find something more cunning. But I really don’t want to look for money. I already did this for the same “Krechinsky” and for the film...
- ...“Hunting”?
Yes. But I think that it will all end with me finding money for the performance, and then it will be possible to get down to planning work. I have a play that I really want to stage. I can’t wait long, otherwise I won’t play in this play due to my age. I won’t name the author, but he is very complex. It took me a long time – 20 years – to get to this point. And now I already know.
Before I start rehearsing, I have already written the whole play, I can tell it, play all the roles so that I know how to make it interesting, what can surprise me in this play, find something new that makes it's worth doing.
Returning to the enterprise. Why did you turn specifically to Galin’s play?
One elderly director who worked in Alexandrinka, he is now 90 (this is my father-in-law), once advised me: “Vitalik, pay attention, this good play! He still reads all the plays and, by the way, shoveled more than me. But I don’t really like comedies, I don’t laugh when I read them. “The Twelve Chairs” isn’t funny to me either – I couldn’t finish reading it.
Galina also slipped through at first. Then I re-read it and started double-checking it with my loved ones. By the way, my wife has very good taste. She liked the play. She told me: “At first I laughed so much, and then I cried.” This was decisive for me. Then I took up “Sirena and Victoria” for the third time and saw how everything could be done, what artists to invite, so that it would not only be funny, but also meaningful.
Did you have any doubts when you invited Larisa Udovichenko, who had never played in the theater before, to play the role?
The fact is that I worked with her in many films. I had no doubt that she would succeed. Although there is a pattern that film actors who come to work in the theater become dim and lost. Therefore, we rehearsed for six months, slowly, until Larisa felt everything. But she herself has a taste for the Maly Theater, she likes the way they speak here, the way the speech is - it is full, not like a dog, when there are no vowels. And the vowels are the whole point.
Larisa really wanted to play on stage and learned a lot for this. She is unusually individual in the movies too - with a romantic, fragile appearance and at the same time very pragmatic. So in the play she builds her role very prudently as an actress. This is a rare combination of lyricism, comedy, and even farce, which she also has in her film works. Larisa has a very wide range, and there are very few actresses of this type.
Larisa Udovichenko and Vitaly Solomin in the film "The Bat"
I was lucky with Rozanova too. I have never worked with her and I am very glad that together with the production team I did not make a mistake. After all, there can be depth and strength of character, but humor is absent. Ira owns both.
How is your creative, and not only, relationship with Yuri Methodievich - brotherly or?..
I would not like to talk about this, because he is precisely the head of the Maly Theater.
When was it easier: when your brother was the Minister of Culture or now?
I don't care what he becomes when. Because I live my whole life on my own, I don’t depend on anyone at all. Of course, every actor dreams, like a woman, to be noticed. I had very difficult relationships with Mikhail Ivanovich Tsarev, who directed the Maly Theater. But he saw me as an actor-leader. And, despite the conflicting relationship, I understood that only I could play Chatsky. And direct and act. He gave me a lot of freedom. With him, oddly enough, I played almost my entire repertoire.
WHAT WERE YOU FIGHTING FOR?
Still from the famous "Winter Cherry"
Chernukha in life, in the press. Is this why old Soviet films are so successful? What were they fighting for? Do you regret that you stood on the barricades in 1991?
No, there is no need to compare this at all. We basically had a criminal state. Now, however, it is also criminal, but in a different way.
Have you swapped the awl for soap?
What do you mean changed? It's a process. Suddenly no one becomes anyone. We all need to get out of this disgusting thing of ours. And no Uncle Yeltsin or anyone else will ever do anything.
There may be favorable or unfavorable conditions, but it still depends on people. Even our very rich man, dressed even like Versace, can still be distinguished anywhere abroad. We all have restless eyes. But it will pass, you just have to resist. The Maly Theater follows the right policy, preserves the classics, and the audience returns, bringing their children to see real play, real actors, and not these American action films with tricks and tricks.
Have you been offered to engage in professional politics?
I am not giving any signals or hopes for this. It's none of my business at all. I'm not interested. Although I think that there may come a time in everyone’s life when they need to go to the podium or barricade and say: well, that’s enough! And they will chase all these supposedly professional politicians in the neck. This is a complete disgrace! They get fat, their eyes are greasy, they grab apartments, millions of bills abroad, villas here and there. Don't squander what hasn't already been squandered. The whole country has been criminally seized, and several people are making fortunes for themselves!
After all, it is necessary to create an economic system so as not to collapse production and not restore it. Now we, like post-war Germany or Japan, have the opportunity to immediately make a huge leap. Do not restore the old, but make everything new, introduce new technologies. And we can jump out of this hole pretty quickly.
When things get especially difficult, many turn to God. Tell me, do you follow any church canons?
I am not baptized, such times were when I was born. And my children are baptized. Their godfather is my closest friend. I am very happy about this, I now have confidence that even if I am gone, there is someone to take care of my children.
For myself, I realized a long time ago that regardless of whether you believe or not in God, Christians need to attend church. After all, humanity is able to emerge from the bestial state thanks to the same ten commandments.
It’s the same in the country: you need several laws that must be followed, even if you are the president. You can’t lie that your daughter isn’t building a dacha on Nikolina Gora. People live nearby, there are builders, and finally, I was there and saw it myself. This is a huge plot with seven-meter fences. A person who has lied or stolen once cannot enjoy trust. It is impossible, for example, for people from guarding Gulag camps to rise in rank and suddenly become FSB employees. It must be said that the party that led the country for 70 years is a criminal party! She must be condemned and should not exist.
Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson
Were you yourself a communist?
No, never, and I’m proud of that. They treated me and wanted me to join the party: they say, a leading theater actor cannot be non-party. But I moved on from that. I was later awarded both the title of Honored and People's, much later than other actors of my age.
Where do you feel protected from everything that happens around you?
In our country, no one can feel protected anywhere. Only the knowledge that I have friends allows me to more or less feel some kind of support. This is the only thing that supports us, protects us and helps us stand.
Family is different. The family must be protected. And friends, too, by the way. Such a mutual responsibility. There is someone who will stand up for me, even when I am wrong.
Of course, we get together with friends, go to Sanduny, have a drink. This is a way to relieve stress, nervous tension, and feelings of fear for your loved ones, for yourself. None of my friends, highly qualified professionals in various fields, have funds in reserve. If, for example, you get sick and stop working, then there is no hope of surviving. All men have this in their heads. And you are constantly afraid for your car - they will steal it, burn it, and you will not get anything from anyone. I won't be able to buy a second one tomorrow.
UNROMANTIC ROMANTIC
The story of how you met your wife on the set of “City Romance” is like a plot from a romantic movie. You have been together for almost 30 years. Tell me, is there still romance in the relationship or have all the secrets about each other been known for a long time?
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I'm not a romantic at all. It was one thing when we had an affair. Masha was filming in Odessa, I was in Moscow at the time. So I saved up money and flew to her in Odessa for as much as I had enough money for - for three, four days. Therefore, it turned out that she flew to Moscow, and our theater went on tour to the same Odessa. From there I already flew to Moscow. You can call it romance, or you can call it a romance with limited means. We started with the fact that we had no housing. Therefore, for the first year she continued to live with her parents in Leningrad, while I built a cooperative in Moscow. It was never completed, and I moved her to the Maly Theater dormitory, where I lived. In our communal apartment there lived two more janitors and one artist, who had a motorcycle with a sidecar in his room on the fourth floor. He assembled it himself, couldn’t put it down, but from time to time, when he was drunk, he started it up.
I transferred Maria to the textile institute, transported her to Moscow and on the same day left for Armenia for a month on tour. So she stayed, and there was one janitor who was a terrible swearer - not that she was evil, she just didn’t know any other words, and only expressed her thoughts with obscenities. She was embarrassed by me, and that’s why she was completely silent. And when I left, my wife had heard enough in a month - 70 percent, although she didn’t understand. Then she sometimes asked me right on the street: what does this mean?.. People turned around sharply and did not understand what was happening.
We went through this very difficult everyday life together. The wife is an artist-fashion designer with an ideal appearance lyrical heroine. She can dress better than anyone - new, old Russians and others. And she naturally wants this as a woman. But she also understands whether she can afford it, whether I have the means or not.
I always work a lot. Because the Maly Theater could never support me. Meager wages, both under socialism and under capitalism. I'm there only because it's the Maly Theater. You have to constantly work in parallel. It's pretty hard work. But the most important thing is that both my wife and both daughters understand everything perfectly, are very concerned and follow my work. Especially when there comes a period of waiting for a job, when I come up with it for myself, I don’t sleep at night, I suffer.
I'm lucky with my wife. She loves what I do, she is proud of it, she believes that I still have a lot of unfulfilled things. I am very worried that at the Maly Theater everything happens in such a way that I turn out to be unnecessary. I was also worried about Sirena and Victoria. She waited until we released this performance, did not say that she had health problems. She developed a blood clot on her leg, and as soon as the performance was over, we went to the hospital that same day. She immediately underwent surgery because it was impossible to delay any longer.
You have two daughters, a grandson – Kirill. The eldest, Nastya, has her own family, and the youngest, Lisa, is still in school. Who do you think will continue the acting dynasty of the Solomins?
Nastya is already continuing, although not directly. She is 25 years old, she dances in the Moiseev ensemble. I think she could very well be a very good actress, she has natural talent. If the opportunity arose, I would gladly make a play or film aimed at Nastya. She is very artistic and comedic at the same time. She remembers the lines so accurately and so accurately shows the same Ranevskaya or some acquaintances! In addition, constantly dancing, she maintains excellent shape. I'm guessing though. That my ill-wishers might hit her if I take her off in leading role- they say, I’m pushing my daughter through.
The youngest, in the 9th grade, she is now looking for something to devote herself to. While he is intensively studying mathematics.
In the family
You said: ill-wishers. Do you have a lot of them?
Yes, but what would we do without them? Now the Moscow theater beau monde and critics are venting all their accumulated bile at the Maly Theater. It seems that they are trying to exclude Maly from theatrical life altogether. We are given prizes and almost never invited to festivals. This kind of thing rubs off on me. And then, I am a fairly straightforward person in relationships - I can offend. I don’t like all sorts of sleazy things, mediocrity that impudently pushes itself forward. That's why many people are afraid of me. I can hit you in the face...
TWO MONTHS BEFORE...
Three years later, Vitaly Solomin showed in Riga the premiere of another enterprise - the play “The Mousetrap” with a large star cast and traditionally rich scenery, which not every stationary theater has in stock. At the reception after the premiere, Vitaly Methodievich funny, with his ears sticking out, showed his six-month-old second grandson Fyodor, talked about the elder Kirill - a great dreamer... Then at the end of a short interview I asked the actor:
You staged “Ivanov” based on Chekhov in your Maly Theater, play in enterprises, took the course of the deceased Romashin at VGIK... Working hard?
Why wear and tear? - answered my question with a question great actor. – I like teaching. I come and see young energetic people who want to know everything, everything is interesting to them. So it's a pleasure. But, of course, everything takes time and effort. When the twelfth hour of continuous work begins, some fatigue appears. But as long as I have the strength, I will do this. I like it…
... And after two months the body could not withstand such inhuman loads. Vitaly Methodievich got his hands on his favorite job, from which he had been excluded for so long. And - I got stressed...
Karen Markaryan.
(photos from open sources on the net)