Disease of Valentina Tolkunova. “Tolkunova did not believe that her illness was incurable, therefore she did not prepare for death and did not write any will

We were very close and similar in character. We always had something to talk about, - Evgenia Nikolaevna recalls. - We constantly went somewhere ... I loved to sing, and my mother also sang ... But since we lived poorly, in a simple family, there was no opportunity to become an artist. I have worked in a railroad depot all my life. But Valya was able to fulfill our family dream! She sang in a children's choir, went on tour around the country, studied at the Institute of Culture ...

According to Evgenia Nikolaevna, her daughter seemed to feel that she would face a serious illness. All her life she helped the terminally ill, under her care there were always several people who did not know the refusal of either money or attention.

“Valya helped her first vocal teacher, who was seriously ill,” recalls the singer’s mother. - Gave money for an operation to a fan from Nizhny Novgorod, helped one girl from the Far East, who suffered from multiple sclerosis. Valya sent her money to the last, and then paid for the funeral and the monument. Yes, and with her second husband, although they no longer lived together, she acted humanly. When he became seriously ill and almost blind, he stopped hearing, took him to her, hired a nurse. And there is nothing to say about me! She fully provided for me, the wardrobes were full of clothes that she gave. And she bought the apartment where I live.

The second husband of Valentina Tolkunova, 86-year-old journalist Yuri Paporov, died a month and a half after his wife. After the death of his wife, he was actually orphaned, felt himself useless and was very worried. After all, Paporov also had oncology, he fell ill even earlier than Tolkunova. A few days after Tolkunova's death, he ended up in the hospital and never left. Paporov was buried next to Valentina Vasilievna, at the same Troekurovsky cemetery.

The Almighty helped her die without pain.

“Valya shared everything with me, so I was the first to know about her illness,” says the artist’s mother. - After the first operation, she felt fine for quite a long time, it seemed that the disease was stopped ... But in 2006, new metastases were found. She did not take care of herself, worked hard and did not tell anyone about her illness. I told her: you need more rest. But she went on tour until she collapsed...

The singer's mother claims: Tolkunova had a chance to live longer! Doctors offered her different treatment options. But the singer did not agree ...

- After the second operation, Valya felt better, - says Evgenia Nikolaevna. The doctors suggested chemotherapy. But she refused! I could not imagine that I would be left without hair. She said: “No matter how long I live, I will remain the same as the people knew me until the end of my life.” She was very strong-willed. Of course, "chemistry" probably would have helped her live for some time. But maybe she's right. She left earlier, but at least without insane pain. Until the last, even under a dropper, which was put in because of a blood clot, I did not believe in the bad. I was always greeted with a happy smile at the hospital. When they took her to the intensive care unit for the last two days, she was very weak. But she also reassured me: “You know, mom, everything will be fine. I saw God today, and he told me: "I love you and I will help you." Those were the last words I heard from her. He helped her get rid of the excruciating suffering that could await her.

For Valentina Vasilievna, her long luxurious hair was a kind of amulet, a talisman. It seemed that if she lost them, she would lose herself. Relatives knew this and therefore did not insist on fighting to the end. Only now sometimes, when it becomes especially bitter, they regret it.

Best of the day

On February 17, Valentina Tolkunova was hospitalized in the Botkin hospital after she became ill during a tour in Belarus.

She had to undergo another course of treatment. At some point, medical procedures helped Valentina Vasilievna. She felt well and even decided to give up chemotherapy. Only the closest people knew about the serious condition of Valentina Vasilievna - the artist forbade doctors to disclose information about her illnesses.

On the night of March 20, while in his room, he felt a sharp deterioration in health. Doctors immediately took all necessary measures and transferred her to intensive care. Unfortunately, all the efforts of doctors were in vain.

A few hours later, Valentina Vasilievna asked to bring her a priest. Batiushka conducted the unction procedure right in the ward.

The immediate cause of her death was acute heart failure. The artist was conscious during her last hours. At 6 o'clock in the morning, Tolkunova fell into a coma, after which she was connected to a ventilator.

Three years ago, the people's favorite was diagnosed with breast cancer. the artist underwent the first operation to remove the tumor and underwent several sessions of chemotherapy. It seemed that the disease receded. But, as it turned out, she just hid. Some of the cancer cells survived and metastasized to the liver, lungs and brain. Last summer, doctors again had to resort to surgery. Then the doctors did not hide their fears about the degree of the disease - Valentina Vasilievna was diagnosed with "the third stage of cancer."

Despite the painful illness, Valentina Vasilievna took part in concerts until recently. She expected to perform at the Theater of the Russian Army on the eve of the 65th anniversary of our Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

Valentina Vasilievna Tolkunova deserved truly popular love in the 70-80s. She was a performer of many popular songs, including "I'm standing at a half-station", "Silver weddings", "My dear, if there were no war."

Valentina Tolkunova was born on July 12, 1946 in Armavir, Krasnodar Territory. A year later, her family moved to Moscow. In 1964 she entered the conductor and choral department at the Moscow State Institute of Culture, graduating in 1976. In 1971 she graduated from the Gnessin Music College.

In 1966, composer and conductor Yuri Saulsky organized the VIO-66 vocal and instrumental orchestra and invited Valechka Tolkunova to join the vocal group, or rather the jazz band. She devoted five years to the ensemble as a jazz vocalist.

The solo debut of the singer took place in 1972 at the creative evening of the poet Lev Oshanin, where she sang Vladimir Shainsky's song "Ah, Natasha." Since 1973, Valentina Tolkunova has been a soloist of the Mosconcert, and since 1987 she has been the artistic director of the Moscow Theater of Musical Drama and Song organized by her.

In February 1986, the premiere of the play "Russian Women" based on the poem by Nekrasov, based on poems by Pushkin and Koltsov, where Valentina Tolkunova played the main roles, took place. Along with her debut in opera, the singer starred in the same year in the fantasy film I Believe in Rainbows. Since 1989 - the head of the theater of musical drama and song of the creative association "ART", in which a number of musical performances were staged.
As a theater actress, she appeared on stage in the performances “Waiting” (1989), “I can’t do otherwise” (1990), “Champagne splashes” (1991), “Do not leave me, love” (1992) “I am your dewdrop, Russian woman "(1995), "New Spring of Valentina Tolkunova".

Honored Artist of the RSFSR (1979), People's Artist of Russia (1984). Has toured to Finland, Japan, India, Germany, Luxembourg, USA, Canada, Greece, Australia, Vietnam, Singapore, Israel. The singer has released 12 records and CDs. Only in musical films and theatrical performances she performed more than 300 songs. V. Tolkunova 23 times became the laureate of the television contest "Song of the Year".

Valentina Tolkunova was called the soul of Russian song and the crystal voice of the Soviet stage. It is interesting that the stage image of the artist (long hair, aristocratic posture, maxi dress and a minimal set of cosmetics and jewelry) was preserved throughout her long career.

Valentina was born in the city of Armavir, Krasnodar Territory, but for the first year and a half she lived in the village of Belorechenskaya. Tolkunova's father, Vasily Andreevich, a military railway worker, served there. Mom Evgenia Nikolaevna worked at the railway station. The family came from Transbaikalia, although the father was from the Saratov region. Three years after the birth of Valya, his younger brother Sergei appeared, who also became a singer, Honored Artist of Russia.

In 1948, the Tolkunov family moved to Moscow. Valentina grew up not only in a friendly and loving family, but also surrounded by good vocal music. Records were constantly played in the house,. And Valya learned their songs and sang along with her favorite performers.

In 1956, the girl was accepted into the choir of the Central House of Children of Railway Workers. Semyon Osipovich Dunayevsky managed the team, and Tatyana Nikolaevna Ovchinnikova became the girl's teacher, who helped the future singer master the basics of musical literacy and learn the secrets of vocal mastery.

After school, the girl entered the conductor and choral department of the Moscow State Institute of Culture, and then she also graduated from the legendary Gnesinka. The first team of Valentina Tolkunova was the vocal and instrumental orchestra "VIO-66", which was led by the artist's future husband. There, the young singer performed songs to jazz music, and later began a solo career.

Music

A star start for the creative biography of the young artist was the performance of songs to the verses of Mikhail Ancharov and the music of Ilya Kataev for the musical accompaniment of the film Day by Day. After the release of the film on the screens, the song performed by Valentina Tolkunova “I am standing at the half-station” was sung by the whole country. The singer instantly became famous, and the record with musical compositions did not linger on the shelves of music stores. Later, at the Artloto competition, the young singer won the first prize with this hit.

The first solo performance of Valentina Tolkunova took place in 1972 as part of an anniversary concert. The artist performed the song "Ah, Natasha", and since the concert was broadcast on television, the young singer was seen and heard by a million audience. Together with the aspiring artist, they went on stage that evening,. There, Valentina Tolkunova first met with, the singer whom the girl had idolized since childhood.

Soon the artist's repertoire was replenished with musical compositions by Eduard Kolmanovsky, Mark Minkov. And since 1973, Tolkunova regularly became a participant in the TV contest "Song of the Year". The melodious gentle voice of the singer made her a truly popular artist. Bags of letters from the audience came to television with requests to see the performance of their favorite singer again.

Valentina began to appear in the Morning Mail and Blue Light programs, as well as at creative evenings of outstanding composers from the Column Hall of the House of the Unions.

The second wave of fame overtook Tolkunova after the premiere of the song "Talk to me, mother" on the All-Union radio. The composer wrote it for, but, having heard the composition performed by Tolkunova, he changed his mind.

The highlight of Tolkunova was that the artist always sang about people and for people, in the repertoire there were virtually no Soviet slogans and socio-political overtones, which was rare for that time. For Valentina, each song is someone's destiny, someone's life story.

In 1975, the fateful meeting of Tolkunova and her stage partner, instrumentalist and composer David Ashkenazy, took place. Colleagues collaborated for 18 years. The jointly performed hit was the romance "The Gray-Eyed King" to music and poetry.

The songs “I can’t do otherwise”, “Silver Weddings”, “Evening of School Friends” were very popular. Tolkunova's voice also sounded in the soundtracks of famous movies and cartoons. For example, in the cartoon "Winter in Prostokvashino" the singer performed the song "If there was no winter", and in the melodrama "Romance of Lovers" - "Lullaby", in the comedy "The Bride from the North" - "White Fluff".

And, of course, one cannot fail to mention the children's song "Tired Toys Are Sleeping", which became the headpiece of the evening program "Good night, kids!", on which more than one generation of children was brought up. Another children's song by Tolkunova - "Snub Noses" - was especially loved by fans of the singer's talent.

In 1979, Valentina Tolkunova gave her first solo concert. Creative evenings consisted of popular and folk songs, but more and more often the singer began to pay attention to musical compositions about the Great Patriotic War, the first of which was "If there was no war." For 10 years, 22 songs about the military share appeared in the artist's repertoire, which Tolkunova released as a separate disc.

Tolkunova's talent required new forms, and in 1986 Ilya Kataev produced the opera Russian Women, which was created with Tolkunova's performance in mind. The premiere of the opera took place in the concert hall "Russia". In the same year, the artist made her debut in the full-length musical film "I Believe in the Rainbow" directed by Vitaly Fetisov.

A year later, the singer organized the Moscow Theater of Musical Drama and Song, whose performances Champagne Splashes, Expectation, How to be Happy were especially loved by the audience. The last concert performance was the solo musical program “Today I will break my vows of silence”, which appeared on the stage of the theater in 2010.

In the 2000s, Tolkunova's repertoire was replenished mainly with spiritual songs - "My Angel", "Christmas Night", "Save and Save", "Prayer". Thanks to the album "My invented man", which included songs by the author Vasily Popov, Valentina Tolkunova received an award from the international charitable foundation "Russian Culture".

Personal life

In the first ensemble, Valentina Tolkunova met the composer and conductor, who became her first husband, but this marriage lasted only 6 years. The big difference in age affected, because the singer at the time of the marriage was only 19 years old, and her husband was 37.

Three years after the divorce, Tolkunova met the elegant international journalist Yuri Paporov at a social evening at the Mexican embassy. The novel developed rapidly, and after a couple of months the lovers became husband and wife. Soon the son Nikolai was born, the only child of the People's Artist. But Valentina did not succeed in female happiness in her second marriage either. Yuri Paporov traveled on business trips abroad, and at one time was absent from home for 10 years.

According to the former director of the singer Nikolai Basin, Valentina had another romantic page in her personal life, associated with the name of physicist Vladimir Baranov. Valentina called this man “a husband from God,” but neither he nor she decided to leave the family. The woman lived with Yuri Paporov until the last days of her life, and her husband survived his wife only for a month and a half.

Valentina Tolkunova was always drawn to the church, and later became a church. The singer even bought a house near the monastery in order to be able to devote more time to church services and prayers. In addition, the artist financially helped the restoration of temples by giving charity concerts.

Illness and death

Back in 1992, Valentina Tolkunova was diagnosed with breast cancer. After surgery and a course of chemotherapy, the disease receded, but after 16 years it returned. And later, the singer was additionally diagnosed with a brain tumor. Valentina Vasilyevna refused to go under the knife again and continued to tour.

The singer gave her last concert on February 16, 2010 in Mogilev, after which the woman was hospitalized. Since then, Tolkunova has been in the hospital, but the help of doctors was already powerless. On March 22, the singer fell into a coma and passed away a few hours later. Metastases caused the artist's death.

The singer was buried at the Troekurovsky cemetery, where relatives and fans now come. On the grave, next to the sculptural statue, there is a portrait photo of the singer.

Discography

• 1972 - "I'm standing at the half-station"
• 1974 - "Year of Love"
• 1976 - “The hay hay showers have already rang out”
• 1980 - "At the Christmas tree"
• 1981 - "If there was no war"
• 1986 - "Conversation with a Woman"
• 1995 - "I can't help it"
• 1997 - "I'm country"
• 2002 - "My invented man"
• 2011 - "How to be happy"

A year ago, the most sincere Soviet singer passed away.

Valentina Tolkunova was called the soul of Russian song. Her quiet, penetrating voice, singing "Nosiki-Kurnosiki", "I'm standing at a half-station", "I can't do otherwise" became part of the history of the Soviet stage. Just like the singer herself. A beautiful brown-haired woman with a long braid almost immediately became famous. Tolkunov was adored by the audience and revered by the high leadership. Not a single concert was complete without her participation.

This was the case in the Soviet Union and continued after its collapse. In recent years, Tolkunova, however, has performed less and less. In 2006, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and in 2009 she already had a malignant brain tumor. Valentina Vasilievna passed away slowly and painfully. She became very ill on February 16 after a concert in Mogilev. There she was taken to the hospital, and then transferred to Moscow, to the Botkin hospital. She never left from there. A month later, the singer's condition deteriorated sharply, Valentina Vasilievna fell into a coma and passed away on March 22 ...

Not many people know that in her youth, Valentina Vasilievna often visited Poltava with her aunt and cousin Lyudmila. After the unexpected death of Lyudmila, Valentina Vasilievna took upon herself all the worries for raising her daughter. Svetlana(pictured) . She became her second mother...

“Coming to Kyiv, Valentina Vasilievna always stayed with me for the first time”

- Svetlana Vasilievna, you were probably born when your aunt's fame was already gaining momentum?

When Valentina Tolkunova became popular throughout the Soviet Union, I went to first grade. I was terribly proud that the beautiful, slender singer with a long braid, which was often shown on TV, was my aunt. Valentina Vasilievna came to us in Kyiv, and then we went to Poltava with my mother. Valechka's aunt Sofya Nikolaevna lived there. Unfortunately, she is no longer alive. Valentina Vasilievna used to stay in Poltava with her son Kolya and brother Seryozha. Mom and I only visited for a while. Mom had a lot of work. She graduated from the Kyiv Conservatory, becoming a fairly well-known singer. Unfortunately, my mother passed away early. She was only 37 years old...

- Valentina Vasilievna did not want to take you to Moscow?

- It was very difficult, because she was touring all the time. Therefore, I lived in Kyiv with my grandparents. But Valentina Vasilievna constantly watched how my life went. If I had free time, I came to Kyiv. By the way, I love this city. After graduating from school, I entered a Moscow university and lived with Valentina Vasilievna. True, she did not stay in Moscow. After graduating, she returned home to Kyiv.

I remember when telephone conversations were not yet so accessible, Valechka wrote letters to me. Even while on tour. Later they called each other almost every day. Especially lately, when my aunt was already ill... She kept lamenting that she could not, as before, pamper her loved ones with gifts.

- Did you like to give gifts?

- What do you! Never came without gifts. Always brought huge suitcases. And not only for relatives, but also for friends. And in Kyiv she had a huge number of them. Yury Rybchinsky and Alexander Zlotnik always came to us for tea. By the way, when Valentina Tolkunova was just starting her career, her repertoire included a lot of Ukrainian folk songs... The first years, when she came on tour to Kyiv, my aunt stayed with me. Later, of course, she was received like a real star - in the luxurious rooms of the central hotels. True, at the same time, she always looked at me for tea and said that only here she really rests.

It was said that during the tour to Valentina Tolkunova, a queue of her fans lined up, who could complain about life.

- It happened. Valentina Vasilievna was a very gentle, caring person. She also had such a voice - affectionate, melodious, she would never yell at anyone. Relatives knew that she did not refuse to help anyone. She was also approached with material problems, and Valyusha gave money without much thought. I remember once a fan wrote her a letter in which she said that she was in poverty, she had nothing to wear. What do you think?! The next day, her aunt packed a package for her, packing a solid part of her wardrobe.

“Even while in the Botkin hospital, Valyusha was still preparing a concert for May 9”

But the dresses of Valentina Tolkunova were famous throughout the Soviet Union. She ordered them specially in Arkhangelsk.

Yes, I go there several times a year. She had a favorite dressmaker there, who perfectly knew the tastes of her famous client. By the way, the beautiful cream dress in which Valentina Vasilievna was buried was also sewn by her. They wrote that Tolkunova bequeathed that it was in it that she was taken on her last journey, but this is not true. Valyusha did not fully believe that her illness was fatal. Even the doctors decided not to tell her that the disease was incurable. Only we, close relatives, knew about the true situation. They also decided not to tell Valentina Vasilievna's mother.

- They say that Tolkunova fought a terrible disease to the last.

- Until the last days, she believed that she would defeat the disease, rise and go on stage again. Even while in the hospital, she prepared a concert for 9 May. I called Alexandra Pakhmutova from the clinic and asked me to write a song especially for her. Tolkunova did NOT prepare for death and, as many said, did not write any will. Aunt so wanted to live ... Somewhere a couple of days before her death, director Lev Leshchenko came to her ward. Valentina Vasilievna immediately began to tell him how to get up as soon as possible, to go on stage again.

- This is despite the fact that Valentina Vasilievna has already been treated for cancer.

- Yes, in 2006 she was diagnosed with a terrible disease, her aunt underwent chemotherapy. Unfortunately, due to constant concerts, tours, she did not pay due attention to herself. No matter how we tried to persuade her to “stop”, she answered all the time: “The main thing for me is the stage ...” She often repeated that she wanted to leave as many of her songs as possible. One of the last recorded a disc of spiritual songs.

- Do you remember the last conversation with Valentina Vasilievna?

This was a few days before her death. She was still conscious. Valechka asked about my affairs, work, advised me something. She said: “I want so much, Svetochka, that everything is fine with you.” You know, after all, she was like a mother to me ... But then, during our last conversation, I did not have the feeling that Valyusha was saying goodbye. The voice was, however, unusually quiet. When she was taken to intensive care, only her mother was nearby. She said that Valyusha said: “Mommy, don’t worry, everything will be fine ...” It’s scary when you worry about your children ...

- The husband of Valentina Vasilievna, journalist Yuri Paporov, died almost after her.

Yes, he has been ill for a long time. Valyusha took him home from the hospital, already being unwell herself. But she decided that she should inspect him. He passed away literally two months after her death. Of course, grief completely broke his health. He couldn't live without Vali.

Was Tolkunova a happy woman?

- I think so, although we never spoke with her on some very intimate topics. Valentina Vasilievna was married twice. Her first husband is the famous composer and conductor Yuri Saulsky, but they did not live long. The second husband became her support. They had a son Kolya. Of course, different things happened in life. But Valya was an optimist by nature, she believed only in the good.

- Did you call her Aunt Valya?

- Just Valya, Valyusha, so I got used to it from childhood.

“Without a pearl thread, Valya never went on stage”

- Luxurious hair is your family wealth?

- Probably (laughs). My mother also had very beautiful hair. I inherited them as well. As far as I remember Valya, she always had a luxurious long braid. My mother used to cut and grow her hair from time to time. But Valya said that she would never change her hairstyle.

Valentina Vasilievna herself admitted that she had practically no time left for household and household arrangements.

- But what she always had was excellent, so it's cars. Valya loved cars and from her youth was an excellent driver. The last thing she had was a huge silver jeep, which she drove with amazing ease. My aunt has lived all her life in a house located in the very center of Moscow. To be honest, Tolkunova's apartment was simple, not the way a star should be. Everything you need was there, but you can't call it a chic environment. Now Valyusha's son lives there. The grand piano remained standing in the living room - large, for half a room. It was for him that Valya learned all her songs.

(Pictured) As a child, Valya and her mother Evgenia Nikolaevna (far right) often came to Poltava to visit their relatives

Alexandra Pakhmutova often came, sat down to the instrument and played new melodies. All the famous authors of Soviet pop songs visited Tolkunova's house. If someone came, they immediately set the table, put a kettle with strong tea leaves.

- Tolkunova loved to cook?

- Her house was very hospitable, but it was mostly Valentina Vasilievna's mother who cooked with her, who always lived with her. The guests knew that it was impossible to leave Tolkunova's house without eating and drinking tea. Valya was a good cook herself. Her borsch was especially delicious, in which she would certainly put beans. And cheesecakes were considered her signature dish.

- Valentina Vasilievna kept to diets?

- I did not allow myself sweet and starchy foods. These foods were taboo in her home. She loved salads, which she cooked with amazing skill, and fruits. I could sit all day on apples alone.

Tolkunova's stage outfits were the envy of her colleagues. And in everyday life was picky in the wardrobe?

- Valyusha could go into a completely ordinary store and buy the first thing that came across. For my aunt, it didn’t matter at all who the fashion designer was. Sometimes she bought things, and then gave them to me. In fact, until the end of her days, she almost completely dressed me. Sometimes she called, she was interested: “Svetochka, what do you need?” For her, things have never been a cult. I considered them more of a necessity, like, say, food. Even the diamonds were treated very calmly. And I didn't like makeup. Painted mostly for the stage. I remember how she was outraged by one artist who had plastic surgery. "Why? Valya said. - It's completely useless. If age has come up, you can’t get away from it anywhere ... "

- Were the famous beads woven into Tolkunova's braid real gems?

- Of course. It was a pearl thread that Valya wore from her youth. For her, it was a talisman; without a thread, she did not go on stage. She was buried with her...