The man who laughed: they said goodbye to Igor Zolotovitsky at the Moscow Art Theater. Chekhov

On January 17, a farewell ceremony for actor and rector of the Moscow Art Theater Igor Zolotovitsky took place on the stage of the Chekhov Moscow Art Theater. He died a few days earlier at the age of 64. The cause was cancer. Relatives, his numerous students and colleagues came to say goodbye to the artist — Konstantin Khabensky, Nikolai Tsiskaridze, Evgeny Mironov, Igor Ugolnikov, Marina Zudina, Igor Vernik, Alla Sigalova, Leonid Yarmolnik, Nikita Efremov, Maxim Matveev and others. For more information, see the Izvestia report.

"At five in the morning, he was ready to help"

On Wednesday, January 14, Igor Zolotovitsky, Honored Artist of Russia, head of the Actor's House and one of the pillars of the Moscow Art Theater, passed away at the age of 65. The farewell ceremony took place on January 17 on the main stage of the Art Theater, with which the artist was connected almost all his life. An endless stream of his relatives, colleagues and fans carried scarlet and white carnations to the stage. The quiet music was interrupted by speeches in which those who knew Igor Yakovlevich shared their fondest memories.

— It's not easy to say. The soul does not accept such proposed circumstances," said Vladimir Mashkov, People's Artist of Russia. — I've known Igor all my adult life, we met after the play "Cinzano", where he was absolutely magnificent. It just so happens that today is Artist's Day. Konstantin Sergeyevich Stanislavsky, a man who was one of the founders of the Moscow Art Theater, was born on this day. Igor devoted his whole life to this stage and gave all his strength to the Moscow Art Theater Studio School. And, of course, the passing of such a true artist is a huge tragedy for the entire theater community and for all the viewers who loved him.

In 1983, Igor Zolotovitsky graduated from the Moscow Art Theater Studio School and immediately joined the theater troupe. Soon he began teaching there himself, and in 2013 he was appointed rector. He raised a whole galaxy of Russian stars. Among them are Viktor Khorinyak, Mark Bogatyrev, Maxim Stoyanov, Artyom Bystrov and many others. They all came to say goodbye to the teacher. Actors Maxim Matveev, Pavel Tabakov, Kristina Babushkina, Sofia Ernst were among those who stood guard at Igor Yakovlevich's coffin. The students of the rector of the Moscow Art Theater Studio School could not hold back their tears.

— Igor, you see, everyone has come who loves you, — Igor Vernik addressed from the stage. — Everyone says how much they love you, what you were like. It is impossible to realize this, such people should not leave. You and I lived in laughter, humor, and warmth. I remember how I entered the first year of the Moscow Art Theater Studio School and immediately saw you. It was impossible not to see you — there was humor around you, everyone was attracted to you. My aunt called me Gogulya, and I also called the only person in my life, Igor, Goguley.

"He looked at me intently and said, "Wow!""

The audience grieved not just for the actor and the rector, who left a deep mark on the history of theatrical education, but for the man who was a support and a true friend for many.

— He was interested in people. This is a very rare quality. When Oleg Pavlovich (Tabakov. – Ed.) got to the hospital at night, it turned out that he then needed to go to another hospital. It was about five in the morning. I called Igor, and he picked up the phone. This is a unique human trait. At five in the morning, he was ready to help," Marina Zudina recalled.

Igor Zolotovitsky himself was admitted to the hospital a few days before his death due to an exacerbation of cancer.

— The scariest encounter that we are all waiting for and afraid of is probably the encounter with death. When Dad was supposed to be taken to the intensive care unit, and he was already in serious condition, an intensive care specialist came to him. He asks: "Igor Yakovlevich, how are you feeling?" And Dad, coming out of some kind of dream, looked at him very intently and said "Wow!". He left like that," said Alexei Zolotovitsky, the artist's eldest son.

Many noted Igor Yakovlevich's rare talent — the ability to live joyfully. Therefore, it was not easy to find even photos for a video clip for the funeral ceremony.

— My God, how difficult it was to choose them! — Alexander, the actor's youngest son, shared. - Not only morally, but also because in the photo Dad is standing in a funny costume, or he's wearing a cat, or they're naked with Alexander Alexandrovich Kalyagin. Or when he put a bag on his head and stood with a beer. It's a kind of purpose to give this lightness, this joy, this irony.

On the stage of the Chekhov Moscow Art Theater, Igor Zolotovitsky played in "Winnie the Pooh Readings", was Ronnie in Vladimir Mashkov's hit "No. 13" and Zhevakin in "Marriage". There are dozens of different roles on the account. The moviegoer remembers the artist from the films "Taxi Blues", "Luna Park", "Lily of the Valley silver", "Turkish March". His last film work was the TV series Shakespeare Street, where he played the role of the Gypsy baron Czerwoni.

— No one knows how much we have been measured. But the terrible thing is that no matter how much I'm measured, I won't be able to get used to the fact that Igor is gone," Leonid Yarmolnik said.

After the funeral service, Igor Zolotovitsky's coffin was taken outside to prolonged applause. The Honored Artist of Russia, teacher and friend were buried at the Troekurovsky cemetery.