Solominskaya hat: the legendary artistic director's office was opened in the Maly Theater

Portraits of teachers, statuettes of dogs, an issue of Izvestia, and an 80-year-old Persian carpet. The memorial office of Yuri Solomin was opened in the Maly Theater. For 35 years of his life, the People's Artist of the USSR was the artistic director of the renowned collective. Now everyone can look at the place where he worked almost every day. Izvestia was among the first to know what the visitors would see.

"I can fight for Chekhov"

On June 18, the Maly Theater and all fans of Yuri Solomin's talent will celebrate the 90th anniversary of his birth. By the anniversary date, the management decided to open the holy of holies for access — the office of the artistic director, who recently passed away. Every Saturday, viewers can visit Solomin's office, where one of his students will be waiting for them. Now there are fifty artists in the troupe, whose teacher was Yuri Methodievich. The first tour will take place on May 31, and People's Artist of Russia Lyudmila Titova will receive the guests. June 7 — People's Artist of Russia Viktor Nizovoy. And on June 14, Alexandra Solomina will tell about her grandfather. The granddaughter of the master works at Maly as the deputy director for special and children's theater projects.

— The artists remain faithful to the professional precepts of the head, the team carefully treats the previously established way of life, — said Tamara Mikhailova, director of the Maly Theater. — In honor of Yuri Methodievich's anniversary, we are opening a new exhibition space in the theater for the audience. We can still feel his presence here invisibly.

Izvestia was among the first guests of Yuri Solomin's memorial office and found an interview of the People's Artist to our newspaper among the documents on the desktop. "I can fight for Chekhov," the master shocked us at the time. A yellowed copy of Izvestia lay next to a graphic portrait sent by a young fan. There is also a maroon book with a pass to the Maly Theater, an order awarding Yuri Methodevich with the title of "Hero of Labor" and a crust for the award. And also postcards from Japan. Beloved director Akira Kurosawa, who shot him in his film "Dersu Uzala", congratulated Yuri Methodevich on Christmas and New Year. With his own hand he wrote "Solomin —san" in Russian letters.

— And today we received this dish as a gift from the audience, — said Tatiana Krupennikova, head of the museum and information center of the Maly Theater. "It's a happy coincidence. People didn't know, but they came to the theater on an important day for us. The dish was released especially for the 125th anniversary of the Maly Theater building. The anniversary was celebrated in 1949. By the same date, the documentary "Masters of the Maly Theater" was shot. Yuri Solomin saw the film while still studying at school in Chita, after which he said that he would only enroll in Shchepkin College, the alma mater of Maly.

In an interview with Izvestia, Yuri Methodievich recalled his teachers. Vera Nikolaevna Pashennaya was his mentor at Shchepkinskoye. The portrait of the People's Artist of the USSR hangs in the most prominent place in the office. And next to it in the frame is a picturesque image of her teacher, Alexander Pavlovich Lensky. Above Solomin's desk is the patriarch of the Maly Theater, Mikhail Semyonovich Shchepkin. Yes, Yuri Methodievich revered the founders. That's how he raised his students. Honoring the traditions of a Small Town is in the blood of its artists.

Orders behind glass

A huge and beautiful Persian carpet is spread out in the spacious office. Blue, with gold and red oriental ornaments. He appeared here back in 1947. A gift to the theater. Despite the fact that visitors to this office have been walking on the carpet for 80 years, it is in excellent condition. All the furniture is antique. The set is made of Karelian birch. This is also the legacy of the Imperial Theater. Sometimes parts of the headset were used as decorations for performances. The carved gilded desktop is large and roomy. But Yuri Methodievich liked to sit at a small oval table on a cozy sofa. He received guests there.

"The first thing I asked was to feed the guest and give him tea and sweets," Tamara Mikhailova recalls. — Now at this table we are solving creative issues of our theater.

The only modern furniture is a leather office chair by Solomin. It is more convenient than handmade furniture.

As we were leaving the office, we noticed a brown felt hat on the hanger.

— Yuri Solomin came to the Maly Theater for the first time after the renovation. I put it on the table in the reception area, and now my granddaughter, Alexandra Yurievna, has given it to the museum," said Tatiana Krupennikova.

On the screen, we see how the actor is being made up for the play "Woe from Wit." Famusov is one of the last roles of Yuri Solomin. When he felt that he could not play it to its full potential, he handed it over to Valery Afanasyev. "We must leave on time," said Yuri Methodievich.

A part of Yuri Solomin's high awards is collected in a glass case. There is the star of the Hero of Labor, the certificate and badge of the People's Artist of the USSR, the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun, the Golden Mask, and the Order of Merit for the Fatherland. As part of a photo with Vladimir Putin, Margaret Thatcher, Queen Elizabeth II of England, and colleagues.

It's hard not to notice that there are dogs in every corner of the office. Yuri Methodievich was very fond of animals. Students and friends, knowing this passion, gave him figurines of dogs. A mannequin with a royal costume was placed next to the desk. A velvet cape, embroidered with gold, decorated with stones. He played the main role in the play "Tsar Fyodor Ioanovich". He replaced Maly Innokenty Smoktunovsky on stage, who went to Oleg Yefremov at the Moscow Art Theater.

Female misfortune: a new reading of "Uncle Vanya" presented at the Mayakovsky Theater

The play appeared in the playbill for the first time in the century-old history of the famous stage

In the office where Yuri Methodievich recently spent time at work, everything remained as it was during his lifetime. Each piece of furniture reflects the habits and style of behavior of an extraordinary person. He was here almost daily. I planned to come on November 4, 2023. But…

"He was getting into the car to go to work when he had a stroke," Alexei Dubrovsky, the chief director of the Maly Theater, told Izvestia. — But he worked until the last one.

"Then everyone reacted quickly, and he was immediately taken to the Botkin Hospital," Tamara Mikhailova adds. — We have been hoping for a long time that he would recover. He already had problems with his arms and legs, but then he did…

Now, as part of the tour, anyone can purchase a ticket for an excursion and a creative meeting with the artists of the Maly Theater, which will help visitors create a detailed portrait of Yuri Solomin, a multifaceted man, an undisputed leader who aroused the absolute admiration of colleagues and viewers.

For the anniversary of the master, the theater has also prepared an exhibition that will open on Tsvetnoy Boulevard. And on June 24, a gala concert will be held on the Historical Stage with the participation of the entire Maly troupe.