Igor Gorbachev is one of the prominent theatrical figures of St. Petersburg

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Leningrad has always had its own famous school of actors. Artists such as Nikolai Cherkasov, Yuri Tolubeev, Efim Kopelyan, Bruno Freindlich and many others increased the glory of Soviet art with their talent. Igor Gorbachev belongs to this generation of great artists.

Icon role

A wonderful actor who was born (1927), worked and died (2003) in the Northern capital, was very famous in his time. Millions of Soviet TV viewers watched the 4-episode historical film "Operation Trust" (1967) without looking up from their screens.

The series is based on real events and tells about the fate of the head of an underground monarchist organization, who gradually and difficultly, but accepted the new power. At first, the ardent counter-revolutionary, and then the real patriot of the country, Alexander Yakushev, was superbly played by Igor Gorbachev.

Blue Bloods

A talented actor can play both the king and the homeless, but in the image created by Igor Olegovich, the breed was striking. A hereditary nobleman by father and mother, the actor absorbedin themselves the best features of the ancestors - intelligence, to become, the desire for improvement. His father was a civil engineer who took part in the design and construction of one of the bridges across the Neva. Mother, who graduated from the Smolny Institute, taught foreign languages. According to Igor Olegovich himself, it was his mother who instilled in him a love for everything beautiful and the theater.

Childhood and adolescence

Igor Gorbachev went to school No. 9 in 1934, and after graduating from the 6th grade, remaining in besieged Leningrad, he survived the worst winter of 1941-1942. The boy, who received severe dystrophy, still worked to the best of his ability at the defense enterprises of the city. In 1942, the family was evacuated to Krasnouralsk. The Gorbachevs returned to their hometown in 1944. In 1945, Igor Olegovich graduated from high school No. 79 and entered Leningrad University (Department of Philosophy), where he studied for three years.

A bright start to a career

The University of the city on the Neva was also famous for its student theater, which was organized by the actress E. V. Karpova in 1944, immediately after the blockade was lifted. The significance of this theatre-studio is evidenced by the names of the theater masters who studied in it.

S. Yursky, N. Podgornaya, I. Krasko, A. Tolubeev, L. Kharitonov and many other masters studied there. Igor Gorbachev, an actor of great talent, first appeared on the stage of the studio in 1948 and in the same year won first place in the all-Union review competition, acting as Khlestakov. And the hero of The Inspector General was so good in his performance that the directorV. M. Petrov, who directed a film based on this famous play in 1951, invited I. Gorbachev, a student of the Leningrad Theater Institute, to play the main role.

First stage

His second major theatrical role was the sailor Shvandya in the play "Love Yarovaya", filmed and shown in the cinemas of the country. Shvandyu Igor Gorbachev played on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater then still to them. A. M. Gorky, in whose troupe he was accepted in 1952. He was also noticeable in Ruy Blas and Servant of Two Masters. The famous actor received a special higher theatrical education only in 1959.

Favorite theater

However, LATD im. Pushkin (now the theater has returned its pre-revolutionary name - the famous "Alexandrinka"), in which he was accepted in 1954, and to whom the actor will give the best years of his life, replay many famous roles, in 1975 he will become its artistic director and chief director. He will retain this post until 1991. He staged grandiose productions included in the Golden Fund of theatrical art of Russia - "Mary Tudor", "While the Heart Beats", "Veranda in the Forest", "Field Marshal Kutuzov".

Talented, in demand, lucky

It so happened that he was the first to play some roles in Leningrad. For example, Ostap Bender in "12 Chairs" or Matti's servant in a play based on Bertolt Brecht. These plays were then staged in the city on the Neva for the first time. He is also known as a talented teacher.

In the current Academy of Theater Arts, hetaught from 1958 to 1975 and from 1979 to 1991. Hero of the Social Labor actor becomes in 1987. For a certain time, he held the position of deputy chairman of the Soviet Peace Fund. Undoubted merits include the foundation in 1992 of the theatrical institute, of which he was the first rector - the School of Russian Drama.

54 great movie roles

Igor Gorbachev, whose films are known no less than performances, starred in 54 films. The roles played by him were remembered forever, because he played superbly, accurately, his game was always characterized by a subtle sense of humor. He was so original that there is no one to compare him with at once. Of the film works, in addition to the already mentioned series, the most famous were the roles in the films “Two Tickets for the Daytime Show” and its continuation “Circle”. The artist is good and accurate in "Sveaborg", "Taming the Fire" and in all others - he did not have bad roles.

Friendship-enmity

It is impossible to pass over in silence the friendship turned into enmity between Yuri Tolubeev and Igor Gorbachev. The story is not very beautiful, it is difficult to find someone to blame - Y. Tolubeev blames I. Gorbachev for the authoritarian manner of managing the theater, which is why he left. Nobody kicked him out. Obviously, two talents of this magnitude were crowded on the same site. But Tolubeev forbade I. Gorbachev to be allowed to his coffin, which was done. One died, and the second remained to live with this insult. And there is no need to talk about envy, gossip and dirt in theatrical circles.

Departure

They blame Igor Olegovich and his love for "golden tsatska". That's what they callstate awards are envious who cannot see them. Igor Gorbachev really had plenty of them - he was awarded the highest state awards. But they are not given just like that, because a person loves them.

The artist held high positions and always coped with the tasks. Igor Gorbachev, whose biography ended in 2003, is buried at the Literary Bridges of the Volkovskoye Cemetery, where all the great artists of the Russian Federation who lived, worked and died in St. Petersburg are buried. He had one wife - Honored Artist of the RSFSR L. I. Gorbacheva, and he lived with her for more than 50 years.