Today is the birthday of a great theater Director, great our contemporary Anatoly Vasiliev. Date not round – 78, but this does not negate congratulations to the Master, which, moreover, is now in the hospital. And the best medicine for the patient that the pills? That’s right – the smile, the laughter is a direct route to the positive.
We turned to a specialist, a person who is himself under any circumstances, does not lose sense of humour and love of life – Joseph Raihelgauz. Anatoly Vasilyev they have been friends for about half a century. Studied in GITIS, together directed drama theatre of a name of Stanislavsky. Today, Joseph Leonidovich almost the first to congratulate your friend happy birthday, and told us some funny stories from the life of Anatoly Alexandrovich.
– Anatoly Vasiliev, the great Russian Director, says Joseph Raihelgauz, such is called a strange word “cult!”. But what if another word would not fit. It so happened that we went to school together and even lived together. No, apologists current tolerant trends please do not worry – we were just roommates in the dormitory of the University on Trifonovskaya. We’re friends, it’s my pride and joy I declare. Roofing, as a senior fellow, has played a huge role in my life. And, of course, was the hero of some tales. Including ironic. He has a sense of humor all right.
Gaft and Vasiliev: first meeting
It was the beginning of my work in the “contemporary”. My classmate and friend Anatoly Vasiliev began working in the Moscow art Theater. We just got the diplomas. I rehearsed “From Lopatin’s notes” , he – “Solo for a striking clock”. Vasiliev told me that he played the stars of the Moscow art Theater: Prudkin, Yanshin, Alexander, Mushrooms, and I boasted that I play Tabakov, distance, Dobriansky and even Gaft. Vasilyev said he is interested to meet with Valentin Gaft. In turn, Valentin I. I once said: “Say, your a genius… ‘ev got to meet you.”
And Vasiliev somehow got me at “Sovremennik”. Appeared a good time for you to explore. On the third floor in transition, where hung a Board, there was a Smoking area. I brought Tolya back and said, “Wait. Now I find Gaft”. Found Gaft in reptile – he rehearsed to himself, conducting a dialogue with an invisible partner. Spent Valentine Iosifovich on the third floor. Gaft and Vasiliev shook hands, and I decided not to disturb them, went to the second floor to the buffet.
At this time I had someone said I was looking for Galina Volchek. I quickly went up to her office, but meet me was already Gaft. He pointed his fingers down, where there was a historic meeting with Vasilyev, he with the same finger became expressive twist near his temple, demonstrating that the Director Vasiliev’s sick in the head. I went back to the buffet, which already included Vasilyev. In response to my questioning look, he showing up where we just left Gaft is the same gesture was to twist at a temple…So genius praised each other.
Knebel and Vasiliev
Since we are on the course at GITIS could not find the artistic Director – we banished all who were considered reactionary – we began to teach Maria Iosifovna Knebel. Rather, Maria Osipovna, as it used to be called.
We came to realize how lucky we are. Because I was going to study, focusing on the likes of Efros, Lyubimov, Zakharov, Tovstonogov. And then some old lady tells the basics. Effective method of analysis, which we, of course, became known as the virgin method of analysis. Giggling and name Knebel, like a complete idiot. Most of all we were interested in what relationship she was with Stanislavsky, it was or was not?!
And when I read in her autobiography that she was sitting on the lap of Tolstoy and he had sharp knees, we, of course, was keenly interested in the knee whether it was or something else? For all sorts of suggestions and the task of Mary Osipovna we have advanced counterarguments. Believed that all this is obsolete, Efros does not. We brought Maria Osipovna almost to tears.
Maria Osipovna was parallel to the fourth year, where he studied intelligent people – Alexander Burdonsky, Yelena Dolgin, now working in Ramta Alexey Borodin. They already knew who Maria Osipovna and we tried to reason with the guys, just act normal, be softer, we are experiencing. But we were skeptical.
At this time, Tolya Vasilyev has released the Moscow University theater play, and on the poster he gave the name of his mother – Rabchinsky. One day Lena Dolgin came to the country to Maria Osipovna. Maria Osipovna sat some another theoretical difficulty in my room. Her older sister Elena, very concerned for his sister, which was called in Hebrew Monale, asked:
– Helen, what is there for new students at Manali? They make fun of her. She arrives in tears. It’s some kind of geeks.
Dolgin says, “no, they are intelligent guys – educated, wonderful. Time will pass, will change. It’s just youthful maximalism them seething.”
Elena Iosifovna not appeased: “Especially stands out for some Vassiliev – probably a terrible anti-Semite?” – “No, he really Rabchinsky, and his mother Anna Davidovna”.- “Monale, Manali! Can you hear me? It turns out this bandit Vasiliev – a Jew!”
Death from plug
we had 10 Soviet students at GITIS: Moldova, Lithuania, Armenia. Now they would beinostrancami, and then considered our. They were enlisted for the intended direction, almost out of the competition, often much less according to ability to those who have entered the competition.
Among them was brilliant and talented – such as 17-year-old Regina Steponaviciute, naive, impressionable and gentle, which we older ones took care of. But there were those who took on a completely unknown criteria. These included Gregory of Movsesov that we strongly disliked. We have, of how they treated him. For example, if he is creepy looking and fear of our antics still brought a girl to his Dorm, we waited the required time until Movsesov girl this “relaxing”.
he Waited with the lights off and calculating all the stages of courtship, now people’s artist and Professor Boris Morozov, Anatoly Vasilyev, Andrey Andreev, Rifkat Israfilov friendly chorus and I shouted under the door: “Movsesov, stop right now!” The light turned on, and the girl flew out of the room. Movsesov responsively hated us.
once preparing for the exam in directing. I ran to the buffet, while Tolya Vasilyev practicing something. There was a long queue. Close to the counter stood Regina, which missed me. I quickly bought. We sat at the table.
Movsesov, who was standing at the end of the queue, loudly said, “These Jews always get through the queue”. I, without hesitation, threw a fork in him. Fork stuck in millimetre from the eye, gushing blood. I stopped eating – how to eat without forks? Regina jumped with a shout from the buffet and ran into the audience, where Vasiliev. Quietly, she had come up behind him and whispered, “Roofing, down there in the cafeteria Joseph killed Movsesova”. Vasiliev, without stopping the rehearsal, also softly replied, “Finally.”
Movsesov survived. But at the next session he was expelled as incompetent.
Assistant on the leg
It was many years ago. Fifteen, maybe twenty. Anatoly Vasiliev directs the School of dramatic art. Not yet built theatre on Sretenka, and it was only the building on the Povarskaya street. Vasiliev, where he taught classes, rehearsals, workshops, meetings. It should be understood that, on the one hand, Anatoly Vasiliev, a brilliant filmmaker of our time, and on the other, he is always himself around itself was built more aura, more dimensions. Because it many events, everyday life, natural phenomena attaches great importance. Therefore, some people who live normally, it seems strange, the inexplicable. In his system everything in its place. Here is one of the cases, it is typical for him.
Tolya put the performance somewhere in Italy, I knew it for a long time in Moscow will not. Suddenly the phone rings.
– Oska, Hey, I’m in Moscow, I can meet and talk?
– You’re in Italy?
– you Know, I broke my leg, leg in plaster, can’t practice, and I have myself.
We agreed to meet – it is always necessary at the exact time to negotiate. For example, to 16.20 13.45 or 15.15 to 17.25. And I’m not offended, because he’s like that with everyone – even with those closest to you. I came at the appointed time on Cooking. Everyone who I met on the way, from the janitor to the Secretary, was aware of my visit and sent me to Anatoly with reverence: “Yes, come in, Anatoly at the place he in, is he expecting you”.
I went in. Roofing was sitting in a comfortable chair. Before him stood a soft Ottoman, and the Ottoman lay his leg is in plaster, covered with a snow-white sheet. We started to talk. Literally three minutes later the conversation was interrupted by a sweet, pretty girl. She entered, bearing a tray on a some pills cups. Went to Vasilyev, something gently whispered. He took a SIP, washed down. She left. The conversation went on. After another 10 minutes she reappeared. Lifted the white sheet, something corrected, gently closed and left.
again I got to tell you, but the girl came in again and began to carry out some regular manipulations. Waiting for her departure, I said, “Tolya, who is it?” – “Don’t pay attention. It was an assistant on the leg”. – “????” – “I broke my leg, I put the gypsum, prescribed all sorts of treatments. I’ll take it to the head? I have a casting Director, literary parts, staging parts. Well, now assistant in the leg.”
