In mid-February of this year, the cultural center of the city of Smolensk held an evening dedicated to the People’s Artists of the USSR, laureates of the State Prize, teacher-advisors of the first graduation of the Theater Department of the SGII (2004 – 2008) – our compatriot, theater and film actress Lyudmila Ivanovna Kasatkina (1925 – 2012) and director Sergei Nikolaevich Kolosov (1921 – 2012).
We immediately express our gratitude to the organizer of the evening – VI Frolova. This warm, touching and good evening was attended by our young artists from the Book Theater – Lada Rogozhnikova and Milana Romanova.
“The land of Viazma gave birth to me”
The scenes telling about the childhood of the future actress were especially interesting. Based on the script LS Lisyukova took fragments of LI Kasatkina and SN Kolosov “Fate for Two”, as well as archival materials, excerpts from personal letters to Lyudmila Stepanovna, who had a chance to teach acting with outstanding personalities of culture and art, to be the curator of future actors.
A kind of prologue of the program was an episode of the play “The land of Vyazma gave birth to me”, in which Lada Rogozhnikova appeared in the image of little Lyudochka Kasatkina. According to the plot, the girl and her great-grandfather Spiridon Kalinovich, after a “trip” from Novy Selo, where they lived, came to Vyazma, having traveled 10 kilometers. In a tiny photo studio, the very first shooting of the future actress took place. The photographer’s command sounded: “One, two, three… Now a bird will fly away… Aren’t you afraid of birds?” And the girl, to the surprise of the photographer, begins to expressively and penetratingly read Pushkin’s “bird”. Something flashes and stays in memory for a lifetime! And also the words: “Well, you, my daughter, you are a real artist!”
In an adult and serious way, as if feeling that something important is contained in these words, Luda asks Spiridon Kalinovich: “What is an artist?”
This performance took part in the municipal open competition of youth projects “Enter your line”, becoming the winner (I prize), as well as a participant in the project of the Russian Youth Union “Student Spring ONLINE”.
At the “Fate for Two” party, “children’s” scenes of the future actress were shown, which immediately caught the attention of the audience. Then Lada Rogozhnikova shared her impressions of the creative work of the project (2019 – 2020), giving an “adult” interview – serious, deep, sincere. To the question: to whom or what would she compare LI Kasatkin, Lada, smiling, said: “With the sun.” She also performed the song “Sunny Bunnies” (her mother, ES Rogozhnikova, accompanied by the young artist).
Passion for ballet and Pushkin
An amazing note associated with the creative engraving and determination of the future “great” LI Kasatkina, brought by Milan Romanova, presenting to the audience excerpts from the book “Fate for Two”. She read the lessons of schoolgirl Lyuda Kasatkina (then the family had already moved to Moscow because of the threat of “dispossession”) with real art. The chapters on her passion for ballet and participation in performances, on the difficulties that arose with love for this form of art and a sad separation (due to her health and the insistence of a doctor) were superbly read (rather experienced). However, the passion for ballet and dance classes remained with LI Kasatkina for life. A wonderful addition to the reading was a charming ballet number performed by Maria Lomtikova (choreography by EI Egorova).
Milan Romanov wonderfully presented a fragment from the book “Fate for Two” about Luda Kasatkina’s endless love for the work of AS Pushkin, about classes in the artistic speech workshop of the Palace of Pioneers in Moscow, about the precepts that their teachers transmitted to him and to the other participants of the workshop.
Words pierced from the lips of Milan about how they – the schoolchildren of that harsh and terrible time – forgot about war and hunger and lived by Pushkin.
The warmest memories
An interesting presentation about the life and creative activity of LI Kasatkina and SN Kolosov was prepared by Maria Manushkova, a student of the Smolensk State Institute of Arts. The audience was amazed by Dasha Lagutina, who performed the folk song of the Smolensk region, penetrating into the soul of the Russian people who lived on our ancient land. The art, the sincerity, the depth of the performance fascinate, leaving no one indifferent.
A warm and touching word was spoken by the former rector of the SSII, Professor EA Sergeyev. It was Evgeny Alexandrovich who was able to “persuade”, “persuade”, “beg” the great masters of theater and cinema (who were already 80 years old at that time!) LI Kasatkin and SN Kolosov to become professors-advisers of the first acting class in Smolensk. The course leader was a talented young director VL Prokopov (who, like LI Kasatkina and SN Kolosov, graduated from GITIS, the course outstanding director AA Goncharov).
Creative Communication and Study
Painful, sincere and sincere – with joyful tears of happy memories – there are impressions of creative communication with the masters of the course of the current leading actresses of the Smolensk theaters – Polina Silina and Anastasia Krivtsova (in those “distant” years – Kletsova) . The screen showed photographs and scenes from the graduation show “Tomorrow there was a war” based on the story by BL Vasiliev.
This show, created in May 2008, has become a real event in the cultural life of the city. VL Prokopov with the guidance of LI Kasatkina and SN Kolosov managed to create in the performance the atmosphere of this pre-war period, which contributed to the birth of the emotional basis of existence on the stage. The performance was presented at many theater festivals, including the IV International Youth Theater Forum “M.ART.CONTACT” in Mogilev (2009), the Theater and Television Festival “This Victory Day” (2010) in Moscow, etc. praised the performance: “Good work is like a solution: when the water goes away, there are crystals left. The performance “Tomorrow there was a war” was resolved simply, but this simplicity makes more sense than modern techniques! VV Mayakovsky and received a diploma signed by the Minister of Culture, as well as VM Zeldin, AA Kalyagin, VA Etush. LI gave kind words and parting words to the novice actors. Kasatkina – First Vice President of the Foundation. THEM. Smoktunovsky. During the performance of her students – both in Smolensk and in Moscow – Lyudmila Ivanovna cried.
This is captured on film, now archived. We also note that in the performance, together with their students – students of the State Institute of Fine Arts, their teachers – Honored Artists of Russia – LS Lisyukova (Valendra), IV Golubev (director of the school), SB Tyumin (Lyubertsy) .
living memory
Honored Artist of Russia IG Netsina, who taught vocals. At the creative evening, Irina Grigoryevna performed two works – the romance “Hands” and M. Dunaevsky’s song “Oh, the viburnum blooms.” His current students, members of the opera studio and students of the music school. mid. Glinka delighted the audience with a talented performance of works: Olga’s song from the opera “Mermaid” by AS Dargomyzhsky was wonderfully sung by Yu. Soldatova; the Russian folk song “Will I Comb My Little Head” was performed by Zakhar Gerasimov; The Neapolitan folk song was sung and played by Y. Soldatova and Z. Gerasimov to the jubilation of the audience. M. Blanter’s song “Rostov” was performed in a touching performance by K. Vinnik and Z. Gerasimov. The accompanist is the magnificent Irina Goncharova. Emotional was the performance of the gymnasium students. NM Przevalsky. Stepan Stepanov and Polina Litvinchuk performed a patriotic song (Professor IV Kostenko)
At the end of the creative evening, its participants had a unique opportunity to get acquainted with archival video materials: with a report by SN Novikov about the shooting of the TV movie “Lost in Paradise” (based on the short story “Mother ” by N. Teffi), which took place in Flenovo. It is the last cinematic work of an exceptional director and a great actress. The television report by E. Levitskaya on the premiere of this film at the Smolensk Drama Theater was also interesting.
The evening ended with the words of a poem by Maria Petrovs: “… Imagine – you are gone, As if it had not happened at all, But your secret trace shines In other hearts. Or is it not enough to leave a light in living hearts, a light that does not go out. The “Fate for Two” creative evening proved it brilliantly. *** And one more thing. During the evening dedicated to LI Kasatkina and SN Kolosov, it was proposed to install a commemorative plaque dedicated to their work in the SSII. It was unanimously supported by the participants of the event.