Artistic director of the Maly Theater Yuri Solomin celebrates his 80th birthday...
The fate of Yuri Methodievich is inextricably linked with the Maly Theater. He was accepted into the troupe in 1957, and thirty years later he headed it as artistic director. Life path from a teenager fascinated by the art of theater to a people's artist, without whom it is difficult to imagine Soviet cinema, is full of plot collisions. It is no coincidence that last season the theater released a book, fascinating in content, “And It’s All About Him” (author - Vera Maksimova). The tome is beautifully illustrated with documentary photographs that represent different stages stage life Straw. What has not happened in his lifetime. Today Yuri Methodievich turns 80 years old.
Childhood dreams
Boy from musical family grew up in an atmosphere of general creative fervor. Still living in hometown, in Chita he once saw documentary, dedicated to the anniversary Maly Theater. This childhood impression sprouted deep, and upon graduating from school, young Solomin saw no other way for himself but to become an actor. For the entrance exams to the Shchepkin School, he chose Mayakovsky's "Poems about the Soviet Passport", Neil's monologue from "Philistines", an excerpt from Tvardovsky's poem "Vasily Terkin". The heroic repertoire did not fit well with the appearance of the frail applicant, but the contrast helped to win over the strict commission headed by Vera Pashenna - the teachers burst into laughter, and the fable did not come to fruition - the boy was allowed through to the next round. Fate intervened in this process when Solomin’s father was robbed, and the question arose - when to return home to the outback. The parent advised his son to go to Pashennaya and ask directly whether she would take him to the course? Solomin spoke in detail about the new circumstances and that the length of his stay in Moscow in such a situation would be greatly reduced. The actress, after listening carefully to the boy, summarized: “Stay.”
Theater of Life
Solomin first appeared on the stage of the Maly Theater as a sophomore. Among the episodes there were very bright performances, and critics and viewers began to notice the aspiring actor. First real role overtook him in the corridor of the theater - director Igor Ilyinsky invited Solomin to play Khlestakov. A week later, a notice about the distribution of roles appeared on the notice board in the theater. Despite the great success of the play, over the next six years Solomin did not receive a single new role. Actress Rufina Nifontova drew the attention of the team to the injustice. The management listened to the young actress, and soon Solomin received a big role in the production of “The Deep” based on Ostrovsky.
Photo gallery
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Debut and conquest of Japan
In cinema, Solomin turned out to be more in demand at that time. He debuted in social drama"Sleepless Night", where he played the main character - engineer Pavel Kaurov. This was Solomin's only screen work that his father saw. In 1975, when the actor was already loved and famous, he had the opportunity to work with the master of Japanese cinema, Akira Kurosawa. The master came to the Moscow Film Festival in 1971 with the film “Dodeskaden”. Turning out to be a surprisingly accommodating person, he agreed to make a film with Soviet actors. Back in 1939, he tried to bring Vladimir Arsenyev’s novel to life on screen in Japan, but the project did not work out. In the Union he received a second chance.
When starting filming, Kurosawa asked for help choosing actors for the main roles. Mosfilm management provided seven options. Kurosawa took the idea seriously and decided to familiarize himself with the film works of each of the applicants. After watching two episodes of His Excellency's Aide-de-Camp, Kurosawa hinted that he wanted to watch the entire film to the end. After this, the question of an actor for the role of Arsenyev disappeared by itself - Solomin was approved, and without auditions. The film was a huge success in many countries around the world. The Japanese made Solomin their idol.
Royal welcome
There are many interesting people in Solomin’s biography, but one is worth mentioning in particular. In 1994, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain visited the Russian capital. The royal guest ended up in the Maly Theater building by coincidence - of the many options for holding a meeting with diplomats, Her Majesty was most interested in the Maly Theater. Such people are not accepted without a gift, and Solomin came up with the idea of making a custom-made Palekh box with a picture of his native theater. As Yuri Methodievich later said, it was a choice with a finger in the sky. But the queen's delight knew no bounds. It turned out that Elizabeth II is a collector, and her passion is boxes. A little later, Solomin received a voluminous envelope from London. It contained a photograph of the royal couple, signed personally by the queen.
Creative credo
Yuri Methodievich is not a supporter of directorial tyranny in the theater. He long ago decided for himself that there was no place for the experiments of modern directors in his domain. He believes that the works of Pushkin, Gogol and Ostrovsky are not intended to reshape and alter the plot and meaning. In his opinion, for the needs of the young and daring, there is and is developing modern dramaturgy. The viewer should feel the atmosphere of past centuries and should expand their knowledge by studying traditions. This applies to all components of the performance - from the language to the scenery, costumes and interior items. Let there be something of museum aesthetics in this. Someone must become the custodian of the ancestral heritage. Solomin likes being a conservative. The main thing is that he does it well.
On the master's birthday, colleagues and friends congratulate him.
Directed by Iosif Raikhelgauz:
“It is with great pleasure and sincere congratulations to my beloved colleague and creator Yuri Mefodievich on his anniversary. We don’t see each other often, but he always gives me the impression of an integral, “complete” theater master, the pillar, the foundation of our theater - with all the searches and experiments , the vacillations and throws of the modern Russian theater. With him, reliably, stable, clearly. In the 90s, our theatrical union was either disintegrating, then some stormy passions were occurring, one group was fighting with another, I always tried at these theater congresses. figures to sit literally in the last rows. And for me it was a tremendous support that not far from me I saw a quiet and modest one. outstanding master Yuri Mefodievich Solomin.
Actor Daniil Strakhov (collaboration with Yuri Solomin in the film "Isaev"):
“I want to congratulate Yuri Methodievich not just on his anniversary, a big significant date, but on his ability to remain in memory. I’m not only about people, about people’s love, but about very simple thing. Actor's memory. It is designed in such a way that a lot goes into one general memory of the film - so many people, impressions, events pass through the actor during filming. There were many characters in Isaev. But Yuri Methodievich occupies a special place in the picture. In it we are: father and son, endlessly loving friend friend and unable to come to an agreement - with themselves and the world. I, like many children, grew up almost without parents, and for me these rare family scenes were so alarmingly recognizable that it was very easy to frighten away this state necessary for work. I understood well what needed to be played here, what degree of melancholy, loneliness, desire to hug a loved one and the inability to do so was inherent here. The main thing was to maintain this internal vibration of recognition of what you yourself, as a person, have not fully experienced, have not loved, “not been up to...” And this correct feeling, of course, could have left, first of all, because of the partner. Solomin was so delicate, so sensitive, so simple, in the end, that he helped me a lot in these family scenes of ours. It somehow rhymed inside me with that aching filial intonation of longing for my father. As if somehow combined with him, like a reflection. Thanks to him for that."
Aleksanra Solomina, granddaughter of the hero of the day:
“Grandfather taught me a lot, and not only in terms of general cultural and creative education. From childhood, he instilled in me universal human principles, which he professes not only in the theater. Many say that he is a brilliant artist, a leader, but above all, grandfather - incredible kindness a responsive person, ready to help at the first call. No matter what the request is, he will always do everything in his power. I learned this from him. You can’t look down on another person, but try to put yourself in the best possible position. place of another. Yuri Methodievich played an important role in the fate of many actors and even creative teams when Mikhail Pletnev created the Russian one. National Orchestra, and the question arose about the host of the first concert in Moscow, grandfather, who at that time was the Minister of Culture, agreed to take part. Everyone refused Pletnev, but not grandfather. I remembered this because Yuri Methodievich recently found a badge from this historic performance.
The understanding that my grandfather was a famous and loved man by many did not come immediately. I lived in another country and came here only on vacation. I finally realized this in my teenage years. I love him very much for his amazing sense of humor, humanity, responsiveness, liveliness of mind and ability to help."
Yulia Chechikova, Irina Levkovich
Childhood
The boy Yura was born into a family of musicians. Yuri has Siberian ancestors in his family, because my parents were from there. Mother Zinaida Ananyevna lived in Tomsk. Methodius Viktorovich from Zabaikalsk. Yuri's mother had exceptional hearing and sang beautifully. My father played all stringed instruments. His brother was Vitaly Methodievich Solomin. Famous actor of Soviet cinema. We all remember him from the legendary role of Doctor Watson in the film “Sherlock Holmes”.At the Palace of Pioneers, Yuri often played in plays. In Chita, the young man saw the painting “The Maly Theater and Its Masters.” Thanks to him, Yuri Methodievich learns about Theater Institute named after Shchepkin at the Maly Theater. It was then that he decided, after graduating from school, to become an actor at this school.
Yuri entered immediately. His teacher on the course was famous actress Pashennaya Vera Nikolaevna. After graduating from college, he begins his acting career at the Maly Theater.
Theater
For the first time, Yuri Methodievich played on the stage of his native theater when he was a second-year student. He played the role of a craftsman in the play “Ivan the Terrible”. The Maly Theater became Solomin’s home. He practically lived within its walls. He was offered role after role. There were both big and small roles. Solomin will say about this later: “But we were assured then that there are no small roles, there are small artists. I don't agree with this. There are simply small roles and bad roles...” First, the young actor starred in episodes.Yuri Solomin on video
So to speak, I gained experience. So that his talent, acting, and artistry are noticed by directors. Fame, of course, comes to Solomin. He is offered the main roles in plays: the role of Bezais in “When the Heart Burns”, he was Slava and Grisha in “An Unequal Battle”, “Before Dinner”, Misha in “The Chamber”. Many other works of the actor are also known.
Yuri Solomin was a very charming young man. His inherent lyricism and humor made the images brighter and more memorable.
Solomin’s excellent performance in classic performances was noticed: “The Abyss” and “The Living Corpse”. Yuri begins to play more and more dramatic characters. How accurately he understood the psychology of characters. He shows his professional acting in the play “And I Will Repay”, where he plays the role of Nicholas II.
At the Solomin Theater, Yuri plays diverse roles. Here he is a young gentleman in Lady Windermere's Fan, then the role of Cyrano in Cyrano de Bergerac. We remember the wonderful performances with his participation: “The Living Corpse”, “The Goblin”, “Uncle Vanya”, “The Forest”, “The Mysterious Box”, “Molière”, “Lubov Yarovaya”, “Virgin Land”. This is just a small list of theatrical works. Where Solomin showed himself.
Solomin had special respect for the Soviet classics. He especially treated A.P. Chekhov. Perhaps that is why Yuri played many roles in the plays of this great writer. Later, Solomin would be called “Chekhov’s actor of the Maly Theater.” Yuri considers his best job role played in the play "Uncle Vanya".
Yuri Solomin. The fate of a person with Boris Korchevnikov
Yuri Methodievich also shows himself as a director of theater productions. His directorial works: “The Inspector General”, “The Seagull”, “The Mysterious Box”, “Three Sisters”, “The Power of Darkness”, of course, “Dowry”.
Yuri Solomin in cinema
Solomin is also trying to act in films. It was his teacher at Pashennaya’s course who unobtrusively recommended Bondarchuk to consider Yuri Solomin for the role of the prince in War and Peace. But the wonderful Vyacheslav Tikhonov was approved for this role, and he coped with his task brilliantly. Solomin played in a huge number films, series. There were roles on television. All heroes are not alike. Different tempers, dramas. Solomin coped with each role brilliantly, bringing a special personality to each image.After the release of the film “His Excellency’s Adjutant,” Solomin becomes even more famous. This is followed by his best roles: Dmitry Ulyanov in “Mother’s Heart”, Telegin in the television film “Walking in Torment”, Major Zvyagintsev in “Siege”, Innkeeper and Heinrich Eisenstein in the television films “ An ordinary miracle" and "The Bat", Vladimir Aleksandrovich in the film "The Light in the Window", Slavin in "TASS is authorized to declare...". You can simply list some of the films where he played the main roles: “Melodies of the White Night”, “Dreams of Russia”, “Moscow Saga”. Each character is unique in its own way. His heroes became beloved by many generations of viewers far beyond the borders of the USSR. He was known in Germany, Japan, Czechoslovakia, and Bulgaria.
Solomin’s best and favorite film roles are the films “And There Was Evening and There Was Morning,” where he played Stube, and “ Strong-willed"Guettel's character.
Thanks to his work in cinema, Solomin meets wonderful directors and actors: Akira Kurosawa and Ottakar Vavra, Mikhail Kalatozov and Mark Donskoy, Komaki Kurihara and Jeanne Moreau, Marina Vladi. Many of them later became friends of Yuri Methodievich.
Yuri Solomin tries himself as a cinema director. But I must admit famous actor I never thought about it. He didn't know what it was then. By the will of fate, Yuri became a famous director. Later he was appointed artistic director of the Shchepkin Theater School.
What Solomin likes most about directing is the process, the opportunity to help guide and mentor the actor in the role.
Personal life of Yuri Solomin
In his life, Solomin became a husband once and for life. Solomin's wife Olga Nikolaevna gave Yuri a daughter, Solomin Daria Yuryevna. In its turn. Daria also has a daughter, whose name is Alexandra. Grandfather is very proud of his granddaughter. He adores her. The entire Solomin family lives in extraordinary harmony and love. In their household There are: the beloved shepherd Maklay, and no less beloved dogs Lyalya, Lushka, Yashka, and the cat Dusya. Even in space, a small planet is named after him. 
Currently, Solomin lives and works in Moscow.
Awards
Yuri Solomin received many awards and titles during his life. He National artist RSFSR, USSR, Kyrgyzstan. Honored Artist of the Republic of Mari El, awarded the State Prize of the RSFSR named after the Vasilyev brothers, has the Order of Honor for Services to the Fatherland, the Order of Honor, the Order of Friendship of Peoples, the Order of the Academy of Arts of Japan "For Contribution to world culture" The “Person of the Year 2008” award from the Russian Biographical Institute was awarded to Solomin. The FSB Award in the category “Acting” for the creation of highly artistic images of security officers in domestic cinema also found its lucky winner in Solomin. Yuri Methodievich Honorary Professor of Moscow State University, Honorary Citizen of the city of Arsenyev.People's Artist of the USSR (1988)
People's Artist of Kyrgyzstan
Honored Artist of the Republic of Mari El
Laureate of the RSFSR Prize named after. Vasilyev brothers (1951, for their role in the film “His Excellency’s Adjutant”)
Laureate of the KGB State Prize
Laureate of Russian State Prizes
Laureate of the International Stanislavsky Prize
Winner of the Golden Aries Award
Best of the day
Knight of the Order of Friendship of Peoples
Knight of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, II, III and IV degrees
Knight of the Order of Japan "For Contribution to World Culture"
Awarded the medal "Glory of Chita" number 1
Laureate of the title “Person of the Year – 1998” for outstanding achievements in the field of art
About the roots of the Solomin family
Solomin Yuri Methodievich was born on June 18, 1935 in Chita. He grew up in a family of professional musicians, the elder brother of actor Vitaly Solomin. Yuri Solomin's parents had Siberian roots. Methodius Viktorovich is from Transbaikalia, Zinaida Ananyevna is from Tomsk. Both are excellent musicians, my father played them all freely string instruments, my mother had good voice– mezzo-soprano.
Chita in those years was a city of high cultural traditions. The names of Oleg Lundstrem, Nikolai Zadornov, and Konstantin Sedykh are associated with him. The Solomin family was well known in the city. Parents professionally served the muse, working as music teachers in the city House of Pioneers and in the House folk art Cheats. Methodius Viktorovich devoted his life to searching for musical talents in Chita and Buryatia. The main asset of the Solomin seniors were their sons, the famous Russian actors, People's Artists Yuri and Vitaly Solomin.
About Shchepkinsky School
Yuri Solomin - artist happy fate. Choosing a profession is always difficult for a person. For a young man living thousands of kilometers from the main cultural centers, it is doubly difficult. Fate decreed that the concept of “Maly Theater” entered the life of young Yuri Solomin “from a young age” and for the rest of his life.
While still in Chita, Yuri saw the film “Maly Theater and Its Masters,” made for the 125th anniversary of the theater. Then he learned about the Shchepkinsky School and after graduating from school he immediately sent the documents to the address: Moscow, Neglinnaya, 6.
Lucky are those who are lucky. This rule, which Yuri Methodievich Solomin subsequently felt for many years, determined the gift of fate - studying in the class of Vera Nikolaevna Pashennaya, the great Russian actress. He graduated from the Shchepkin Theater School and became an actor at the Maly Theater.
About the Maly Theater
Yuri Solomin considers the Maly Theater his home. He first appeared here as a second-year student for an internship. The first work was in the play “Ivan the Terrible”, and even the program for this performance was preserved, where it was written: the second artisan is a student at the Shchepkin Theater School, so-and-so. This is what Yuri Methodievich Solomin was.
Then the work came, the roles came. The roles were different: both big and small. “But we were assured then that there are no small roles, there are small artists. I don't agree with this. There are simply small roles and bad roles...”, says the wonderful actor Yuri Solomin.
Starting with episodic roles, the young actor soon began to play leading roles in plays of the Soviet repertoire: Bezais in “When V. Keen’s Heart Burns,” directed by A. Goncharov, Slava and Grisha in Rozov’s “Unequal Battle,” directed by D. Vouros, and “ Before Dinner,” directed by V. Monakhov, Misha in “The Chamber” by Aleshina, directed by L. Varpakhovsky, Papino in “The Consul was Stole” by Mdivani, directed by V. Monakhov.
Excellent appearance, extraordinary charm, soft lyricism with a masculine appearance promised a bright future. Starring the classical Russian repertoire - Kiselnikov in “The Deep” by A.N. Ostrovsky, director Vasiliev, Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich in tragedy of the same name A.K. Tolstoy, director Ravenskikh, Fedya Protasov in “The Living Corpse” of L.N. Tolstoy, director V. Solomin - the actor’s penchant for drama, the ability to psychologically subtly develop a character, and a special nervousness of temperament were revealed. This theme was clearly visible in the role of the last Russian Tsar, Nicholas II, in the modern play by S. Kuznetsov “...And I will repay.”
It is no coincidence that criticism often calls Solomin “Chekhov’s actor of the Maly Theater” and notes the special “Russian national touchingness” of the actor, who is inclined to embody not so much the breadth and scope of the Russian soul, but that inner strength, what is hidden in it. The versatility of Solomin’s acting talent allows him to play with equal success both Russian sufferers and the French romantic Cyrano in “Cyrano de Bergerac” by E. de Rostand, who, together with Voiminsky in the play by A.P. Chekhov's Uncle Vanya is considered his especially favorite and perhaps his best theatrical work.
About cinema
Vera Nikolaevna Pashennaya gave Yuri Solomin a ticket to cinema. She recommended him to director I.M. Annensky on main role in the film "Sleepless Night". She also recommended that Sergei Bondarchuk try Solomin for the role of Prince Bolkonsky in War and Peace; the role, however, was later brilliantly played by Vyacheslav Tikhonov. Then there were many roles, more than 50 films and series in cinema and television: diverse, dramatic, lyrical, witty, comedic - and everywhere the actor found his own, unique colors, making each role a phenomenon.
Yuri Solomin became widely known after the release of the serial film “His Excellency’s Adjutant” on television. Among his best film works: Dmitry Ulyanov in “Mother’s Heart”, Telegin in the television film “Walking in Torment”, Major Zvyagintsev in “Siege”, Innkeeper and Heinrich Eisenstein in the television films “An Ordinary Miracle” and “The Bat”, Vladimir Alexandrovich in the film “ Light in the window”, Slavin in “TASS is authorized to declare...”. You can simply list some of the films where he played the main roles: “Melodies of the White Night”, “Dreams of Russia”, “Moscow Saga”. And each of them is popular and loved by several generations of viewers in the Soviet Union, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Germany, Japan and other countries. Yuri Solomin himself considers his favorite works to be the role of Shtube in A. Saltykov’s film “And there was evening, and there was morning” and the role of Guettel in V. Georgiev’s film “Strong in Spirit”.
Filming gave the actor meetings with outstanding directors and actors. He considers his work and friendship with Akira Kurosawa and Ottakar Vavra, Mikhail Kalatozov and Mark Donskoy, Komaki Kurihara and Jeanne Moreau, Marina Vladi to be a great success for himself.
About Kurosawa
The role of Arsenyev in Akira Kurosawa’s film “Dersu Uzala” made actor Yuri Solomin famous in world cinema.
This work cannot be forgotten. A wonderful director. He is known all over the world. When they name the greats, they name them: Fellini, Bergman, Kurosawa. This trio, without which it is very difficult to talk about world cinema. And Akira Kurosawa agreed to work in Russia, then in the Soviet Union, to shoot the film “Dersu Uzala”. Yuri Solomin was very happy, these are the places where he was born and raised. This is all about the Daurian taiga and the Primorsky Territory. Solomin was offered the role of Arsenyev. Maxim Maksimovich Munzuk came from Tuva, this is the one who played Dersu Uzala. He was so very open, and Kurosawa immediately said - Dersu. He definitely said, and then they didn’t actually try Yuri Solomin and Maxim Maksimovich, but they tried makeup, they tried costumes. “Somehow everything worked out naturally, it didn’t happen, as it happens, you are approved, and you shout: “Hurray!” This was not the case, everything was so natural that even today I cannot understand how I even knew that I was approved. That’s how I was invited, I remember that, and then...,” Yuri Solomin likes to remember. It should be noted that Kurosawa was an artist. He graduated from the Academy of Arts and drew very well. Since the director and actor later had a great friendship, Kurosova always sent his Russian friend a New Year’s card that he himself created: he drew it and released it in Japan.
And once, while filming in the Primorsky Territory, he gave Solomin a painting. Kurosawa drew a huge tiger head with some kind of greenish eyes, a little Japanese ornament on the right and wrote - June 18, 1974, Solomin san, Kurosawa san. And now the painting hangs in the artist’s home, in a frame.
About directing
Yuri Samoilov never dreamed of being a director. He didn't even know what it was. When I lived in Chita, I listened to concerts from the Hall of Columns on the radio, such and such artists, such and such, and what is a director... I wanted to be an artist, I wanted to perform. I never thought of being an artistic director or any kind of boss, no. But fate decreed otherwise. Yuri Solomin was elected artistic director, and for several years he did not stage anything on the theater stage, content with graduation performances at the Shchepkin Theater School, but this is a slightly different direction, pedagogical. But the force of circumstances nevertheless led to Solomin becoming a director...
When directing, he is more fascinated by the process itself, fascinated by the opportunity to help. When you can direct a person, it is interesting to understand the author. Understand, for example, why Chekhov wrote: “To Moscow, to Moscow!”? When you start reading him, delving into it, and you can no longer live without his letters, without his notes, without any memories of him... On the Maly stage there are more classics than modern authors. Unfortunately, there are no good ones yet modern plays. And staging a play, which is now being written for two or three people, is unprofitable with a troupe of 130 people.
As a director, Yuri Solomin staged at the Maly Theater - “The Inspector General”, “The Seagull”, “Forest”, “Cunning and Love”, the vaudeville “Mystery Box”, “Three Sisters”, as well as several performances at the Higher Theater School named after M.S. . Shchepkina. In cinema and TV, Yuri Solomin directed the following films: “The Scandalous Incident at Brickmill” by Priestley, the three-part film “The Shore of His Life”, “In the Beginning Was the Word”. He worked as a director and actor in Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Germany, and Japan. Was awarded for student work in Bratislava, Slovakia, and Kobe, Japan.
About television
Nowadays it is customary to criticize television for the corruption of tastes and the mass zombification of the population. The great actor Yuri Solomin has a special opinion on this topic: “It makes no sense to scold television. It's worth criticizing its leaders. The main sin of TV is that the whole country has been turned to beer. That's horrible! Here I am walking recently theater square. Winter, cold. And a girl walks, completely frozen, and holds a bottle of beer in her hands. I stop her and say: “What, is it cold? Have a drink..." But she didn’t understand my humor...
What about advertising? I have lived my entire life without advertising. I knew this sausage was good. And everyone knew it too. And when they also tell me: “This is your style!” - fuck them all with their own style!.. Another thing that irritates me is: I never have time to write down the telephone numbers that television advertises to us. I needed to buy some heated plywood for dogs one day. I saw this advertisement, only managed to record half of the phone - that's all. And it was in St. Petersburg on tour. Then I sat stupidly in the hotel for two days, watched the whole thing, waiting for a repeat, but this advertisement was never shown again...”
About pedagogy, about appointments
At his alma mater - the Higher Theater School named after M.S. Shchepkina, Yuri Solomin is a professor and constantly conducts master classes with students from America, Japan, and South Korea.
In 1988, Yuri Solomin was elected by the staff of the State Academic Maly Theater, it should be noted - the first long history, among the theater managers, artistic director, and then appointed to this position by decision of the Russian Government. Over the past years, he managed to preserve the traditions of the theater, create almost anew the repertoire, preserving the famous play “Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich” staged by the Ravenskys and the great “ The Cherry Orchard"directed by Ilyinsky. We managed to save a one-of-a-kind theater Symphony Orchestra, theater team, more than 600 people! To preserve the unique troupe, which includes People's Artists of the USSR, nearly 30 Honored Artists of Russia, and talented youth.
In 1990, Yuri Solomin was appointed to the post of Minister of Culture in the first Government Russian Federation. During his tenure in this position, he managed to solve a number of important issues related to the organization of the life of theater groups and the development of children's creativity.
Due to the nature of his activity, Yuri Solomin had to meet with the most influential and eminent people. This includes Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, presidents of states, heads of government, prominent scientists, cultural and artistic figures, public figures. However, among them Yuri Solomin himself singles out several people who came to his aid in a difficult time associated with a serious illness. Thanks to outstanding doctors: academicians E.I. Chazov, M.I. Perelman, R.I. Akchurin, surgeon from Kyiv Yuri Ganula, doctors V.P. Mezaev and S.V. Rozanova, surgeons from Italy Ripossini and Igor Kotelnikov managed to overcome the disease.
About the secret
Yuri Solomin's wife is Olga Nikolaevna Solomina. Daughter – Solomina Daria Yuryevna. His granddaughter, Alexandra, is a special pride.
At home and at the dacha, Yuri Solomin is surrounded by his beloved dog - the shepherd Maklay, and no less beloved dogs Lyalya, Lushka, Yashka, and the cat Dusya.
The actor lives and works in Moscow. The name of Yuri Solomin was assigned to a new small planet.
Filmography:
1958 Mother's Heart
1960 Sleepless Night
1965 Musicians of the same regiment
1966 Mother's Loyalty
1966 Chase
1967 Strong in spirit
1968 Spring on the Oder
1969 Aide-de-camp to His Excellency
1969 Red Tent
1971 Criminal Investigation Inspector
1971 Sea on Fire
1971 Nomadic Front
1971 And there was evening, and there was morning...
1971 Dauria
1972 My life
1972 Fourth
1972 Right to jump
1974 Blockade
1975 Sokolovo
1976 Melodies of the White Night
1976 Abyss
1976 Crime
1976 Dersu Uzala
1977 Walking through torment
1978 Guarneri Quartet
1978 Ordinary Miracle
1978 School Waltz
1979 The Bat
1980 The Brickmill Scandal - actor, director
1980 Light in the window
1981 Cry of Silence
1983 Moonbow
1983 Morning without marks
1984 The Mystery of Villa Greta
1984 TASS is authorized to declare
1985 The Shore of His Life - actor, director
1985 Sofya Kovalevskaya
1986 Singing Rossi
1987 The mysterious heir
1989 Souvenir for the prosecutor
1991 Wanderers' Rest
1991 Anna Karamazoff
1992 In the beginning there was a word - actor, director
1992 Dreams about Russia
1992 In the beginning there was a word
2003 Early love
2003 The Motherland is Waiting - TV series
2004 Moscow Saga - TV series
The artistic director of the Maly Theater Yuri SOLOMIN staged Gogol's "Marriage". After the premiere, the People's Artist of the USSR told a Kultura correspondent about how he became a director and what Akira Kurosawa had to do with it. We couldn't avoid talking about classics and contemporaries.
culture: Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol does not let you go throughout the entire creative biography. You have repeatedly played in performances based on his works, and staged The Inspector General. Why did you decide to return to the classics?
Solomin: Gogol, as well as Ostrovsky, Pushkin, Griboyedov and other great writers, are the pride of Russian literature and dramaturgy. The Maly Theater has always relied on these authors. How to explain why the director chooses to stage a work familiar from his youth? The question is quite complicated. For approximately the same reasons why a man falls in love with a certain woman, although everyone predicts a completely different one for him as a wife. For example, do you know how The Government Inspector, which failed in St. Petersburg, appeared at the Maly Theater at one time? After an unsuccessful premiere, Nikolai Vasilyevich contacted the famous actor Mikhail Shchepkin and asked him to stage the play. He agreed, and as a result the performance was a huge success. At the same time, Shchepkin was not a director. At that time, the profession of director did not really exist in Russia. This was not taught anywhere. In my opinion, fortunately.
culture: Why?
Solomin: It seems to me that this cannot be taught: either a person initially has the ability to direct or not. Everything else is practice, finding your own style and so on. It's the same with the profession of an actor. I teach a course at the Shchepkinsky Theater School. Every year we recruit 25 people, graduate 20, and God willing, eight become artists. With rare exceptions, only one or two are included in history. We had a course by Nikolai Annenkov, from which Oleg Dal, Vitaly Solomin, Mikhail Kononov and Viktor Pavlov graduated, but this is rather an exception. It is very difficult to raise a great actor. I am now in my third year, and I have taken the liberty of not expelling anyone. If one of the guys does not become an artist, then thanks to their love for the theater and understanding of its internal structure, they will always find themselves in a related profession. For example, the Maly Theater often lacks prompters and assistant directors.
culture: Directors usually try to find the relevance of the play. During your work, did you look for parallels with today?
Solomin: In my opinion, everything is already on the surface. I think it’s not necessary to dress Gogol’s characters in jeans for the viewer to see them in modern people. Podkolesin - collective image today's indecisive man who doesn't know how to approach a woman. He fears weddings and responsibility like fire. Agafya Tikhonovna is an adult child who grew up in prosperity and does not know how to build relationships with the opposite sex. What about the matchmaking process itself?! There is no talk of any love: the grooms look closely at the bride’s appearance, find out whether she knows French, what her dowry and inheritance are. That is, they are looking for direct benefits, and they plan to enter into a marriage of convenience. Everything is as it is now - no feelings. Only we don’t present it directly, but give the viewer the opportunity to connect the threads themselves.
culture: They say that your talents as a director were once appreciated by Akira Kurosawa himself. Is it true?
Solomin: I starred with Kurosawa in Dersu Uzala. When the time came to edit the film, he instructed me and the second director Volodya Vasiliev to do the voice acting. Five years have passed. My theater group and I were on holiday in Bulgaria. At that time, everyone there spoke Russian very well, and local actors invited us to their theater. Stefan Dimitrov, the leader of the group, at the banquet invited me to stage Ostrovsky’s play with them. I was amazed, because at that time I had never even thought about directing. Then Stefan took out a Bulgarian magazine and began to read an interview where Kurosawa claimed that, they say, Solomin-san has a clear inclination towards directing and one day he will do it. As a result, my debut took place in Bulgaria, where I directed Ostrovsky’s “The Forest”. The performance was a great success and was performed about a hundred times.
culture: Was it then that you realized that you were attracted to the director’s chair?
Solomin: The point is not whether I want to be a director, but what the theater needs. There were times when at a certain period it was necessary to release a play, but a suitable director could not be found. Then we had to take responsibility ourselves. The staff of the Maly Theater trusts me: this year it will be 30 years since I headed it as artistic director. In addition, for long years I staged quite a few performances at the Shchepkinsky School, I have decent experience. But at the same time, in my case, directing is an activity for the soul.
culture: Are you strict with actors?
Solomin: Of course, as a director, I can criticize, but everything is within reason. You are forgetting the fact that I have been teaching for over 50 years. Many of my students are People's Artists of Russia, laureates of various theater and film awards. I believe that a teacher and a director are in some ways similar professions, because you need to have incredible patience to convey your thoughts to the artists. I've worked with old-school directors who were very kind to actors. They knew how to help their colleagues on stage to reveal their characters, and not to rush forward, as young directors often do today. Now everyone is looking for original solutions, but then, in my opinion, artists are not needed at all. These are already extras carrying out the director's plans. I don’t mind when there is a combination of directing and acting, but when it’s shocking for the sake of shocking... I don’t understand this.
culture: But as artistic director Are you also that humane?
Solomin: Of course not. For example, I recently removed an actress from a role because she did not show up for a performance. I got lost in the movie and completely forgot that I was going to the stage that evening. I had to make an emergency entry. The performance must be performed, period. People came to see the performance, and what should I tell them: “Sorry, we have such a movie here”? In general, when I let you go on set, I immediately warn you: “In my free time from the theater.”
culture: What, in your opinion, is the mission of the theater?
Solomin: First of all, of course, in education. Now for some reason it is generally accepted that its main task is to provide the viewer with leisure after a hard day at work. That’s all true, but at the same time, each production should have an educational function, broaden one’s horizons, and help the viewer find a way out. difficult situations. We have shows that have been going on for decades. For example, in “The Cherry Orchard,” which was staged by People’s Artist of the USSR Igor Ilyinsky, the third generation of artists has replaced itself. Ranevskaya was once played by Tatyana Eremeeva, after by Nelly Kornienko and Irina Muravyova, and now by Svetlana Amanova. We are not fundamentally changing anything about it. With such a performance you can not only get acquainted with Chekhov’s work, the peculiarities of everyday life, the aesthetics of the era, but also with the very history of the Maly Theater. I recently rewatched The Cherry Orchard. In the finale there is a scene where Ranevskaya and Gaev say goodbye to the house, to their garden, which personifies their childhood. The artists are simply holding hands. And I thought: if something happens to me, who will look after my mongrels who live in the country? Then I remembered that all my relatives were crazy about dogs, and I calmed down a little. I looked around - people also had tears in their eyes. I appreciate a theater in which, as my master Vera Nikolaevna Pashennaya said, you need to leave a piece of your heart on the stage.
culture: You teach at the Shchepkinsky School. Usually the older generation is critical of young people. And you?
Solomin: There is no need to fit everyone into the same mold. The guys are all different, mostly wonderful. But look at what they grow on. You know, I recently spent a month in a sanatorium, sometimes watching TV. Lord, what are they showing us? Fights, family squabbles, explosions, violence. I was terrified. Let’s say I have a strong psyche, I’m an adult, educated person, but what is it like for our children to see? The question is, why broadcast all this?
culture: Do you think there should be censorship?
Solomin: Have you seen how many terrible things have happened in schools over the past Lately? Here you have complete freedom. Teenagers have watched enough movies and get into fights, thinking that life is like in the movies. I am not calling for the return of censorship, but I think that every person, be it the head of a television channel, theater director, film scriptwriter or producer, should have his own internal filter. If everyone asks themselves whether I would like my children to grow up watching such programs and films, then we will have much more fewer tragedies among young people.
Denis Sutyka