Alexandrov Ensemble: the history of the artists who died in a plane crash

Фото: Depositphotos

On the way to war-torn Syria perished artists of the Song and Dance Ensemble of the Russian Army named after A. V. Alexandrov. A 19-year-old dancer who only recently realized her dream and joined the Ensemble. Alexandrova, a tenor who performed at the Bolshoi Theater, singers, dancers - the old Tu-154 claimed the lives of 64 Alexandrovites and the main military conductor of Russia.

He did not attack, but claimed that good music lifts the spirit of a soldier

“On board the Tu-154 plane that crashed today was my friend Lieutenant General Valery Mikhailovich Khalilov, until recently the chief military conductor of the Russian Army, and more recently the director of the ensemble named after. Alexandrov,” wrote journalist Vladimir Snegirev on his page in Facebook.

“I have seen many times how the most important military musicians from different countries, conductors, orchestra chiefs, people with big stars on their shoulder straps stood at attention in front of the general. “At ease,” Khalilov told them, smiling, but they still retained obvious respect for him, while others remained in awe. And it’s clear why. Our general was an absolute indisputable authority for them. As service people, they understood: Khalilov is the commander-in-chief of all military musicians. He liked it. He knew his worth. And we also knew that only he, our Khalilov, was capable of conducting a combined orchestra of musicians from 15 countries and making them play “Farewell of the Slavyanka” in such a way that tears welled up in the eyes of the audience. Only he, Khalilov, on May 9 could control an orchestra of 1,5 thousand people, and this orchestra played so that its music could be heard in the most remote corners of the world.
For nine years Valery Mikhailovich was the music director of the Spasskaya Tower International Festival.

In the photo taken in September on the sidelines of the Spasskaya Tower: V.M. Khalilov is second from left. To his right are the Kremlin commandant, Lieutenant General S. D. Khlebnikov, and the Austrian military conductor, Colonel H. Apfolterer. Photo facebook.com/v.sneg

Many times saw this picture. Here they are all lined up on Red Square: people, pipes, drums, epaulets, aglets, the last rows are hiding behind the St. Basil's Cathedral. Thousand people! Frozen for a moment. And the conductor confidently walks on the platform in full uniform of the lieutenant general. Shakes his wand. And the miracle begins. Khalilov as if hovers over the square, over all this host, his energy, his will, his excitement are in some incredible way transmitted to all musicians - they play as they might have never played before and will not play.

If “Spasskaya Tower” became one of the main musical events of the year, it was largely due to Khalilov, his talent, passion and authority.

Khalilov should not be considered an “Arbat” or “parquet” general. Yes, he did not go on the attack, but he always maintained that good music raises the spirit of a soldier and makes him invincible. He repeated the words of A.V. Suvorov: “Music doubles and triples the army. With unfurled banners and loud music, I took Izmail,” wrote Snegirev.

Lilia Pyryeva was only 19 years old.

Only this year she graduated from the Voronezh Choreographic School, according to her relatives, tells TASS. Before the final exam, Lilia counted the days. So she wrote on her page in social networks: “4 month before a dream”, “82 day before a dream”, “2 day before a dream”. And also - "Waiting makes you go crazy, but the desire to wait makes you live."

Lilia Pyryeva. Photo – Liliya Pyryeva’s personal page on VK

According to the teacher, from the first year she noticed Lily’s special love for dancing, her dedication and hard work.

After the final exam, various ensembles bombarded Lilia with offers, but she chose the one she had dreamed of all her years of study: she wanted to get into the Ensemble named after him. Alexandrova.

25-year-old Mikhail Vasin and his bride, 22-year-old Ralina Gilmanova, were supposed to get married after returning from Syria

“We are all shocked by what happened. Overnight, a beautiful young couple planning to marry did not become, ”said TASS Deputy Director of the Art School of the city of Labinsk (Krasnodar Territory) Angela Dziuba, who once taught Michael to play the piano.

Mikhail Vasin and his bride, 22-year-old Ralina Gilmanova, were supposed to get married after returning from Syria. Photo vk.com/r_a_l_i_n_k_a

Angela Ivanovna knew Misha from the 13 age when the boy, accompanied by his mother, came to the House of Culture of Labinsk for a vocal consultation.

According to the teacher, it was a real nugget, a talent that appeared in an ordinary family. Within a few years, he brilliantly graduated from the local art school in piano, participated in all competitions - both as a pianist and as a vocalist, with an extensive repertoire from classical to modern music.

After school, Mikhail, who has the rarest timbre of his voice - bass profundo, entered the Krasnodar College of Arts, and then became a student of the Gnesins Russian Academy of Music.

The bride of Mikhail Ralin Gilmanov got into the Alexandrov Ensemble after graduating from the choreographic school in Kazan. Young people met 2 a year ago, and on the eve of the New Year, Misha made a proposal to the girl. Wedding lovers planned for the beginning of next year.

Alexander Shtuko, vocalist of the choir of the Alexandrov Ensemble

Alexander Shtuko called his sister Emma before the flight from Moscow, and sent a photo from the cabin of the plane. He promised to dial again from Sochi, but Emma did not wait for this call.

Mom begged Alexander to abandon the flight to Syria. Photo vk.com/mesina

“When Sasha said the day before that he was flying to Syria, his mother begged him to refuse, but he reassured him, saying that there was nothing to be afraid of, because the generals were flying with them,” Emma tells the correspondent TASS. “And he loved to fly, he liked the opportunity to perform in this work, to travel around the world, he always sent different photos from the tour.”

In his childhood, which took place in Tver, Alexander studied at the 1 music school, then for some time he lived in Lviv. Two years ago he graduated from the Moscow Pedagogical State University.

“Sasha came to audition after the graduation from the university, and he was immediately accepted,” says Emma Shtuko. - He really liked the job. He said that he found for himself exactly what he liked, the male team, where he immediately became friends with many. I dreamed of buying a house for my mother and me and living there together. In Moscow, he had a girlfriend, Julia, they dreamed of a family, children. He was fond of sports, loved to play football and table tennis, loved animals, dreamed of having a German shepherd. Loved the sea. It took him ... ".

“My father crashed, aunt, colleagues, friends ... For what?”

Ksenia Kuznetsovawho danced in the Alexandrov Ensemble, could also fly to Syria, ifshe not gone on maternity leave. Two months ago, she had a daughter, Alice.

“It’s hard for me to say... my father crashed,” he says "Komsomolskaya Pravda" Ksenia Kuznetsova.

This is her dad - a 61-year-old choreographer, People's Artist of Russia Vyacheslav Ermolin. He was engaged in the preparation for the All-Russian festival-competition “I Serve My Motherland”, participated in the Festival of Children and Youth Creativity “Circle of Friends” and for many years was devoted to the ensemble.

“Dad, aunt, my family, loved ones, colleagues, friends?! How so?! For what?! God, why are you doing this to them?! Dear ones, may you rest in peace,” Ksenia Kuznetsova will leave this message on her page. “It’s impossible to believe... Emptiness... Shock... I want this all to be just the worst dream in my life... How to survive this?!”

Hovhannes Georgiyan, Soloist of the Alexandrov Ensemble

“With Hovhannes, and another soloist of the Alexandrov ensemble Grisha Osipov, I met in Moscow about 10 years ago,” says TASS Honored Artist of Russia singer Vladimir Ognev. - For several years we went with the guys, speaking in the project “Talents of the World”, and sang at the Bolshoi Theater. Even one joint concert or performance brings people together, and here - a few years. We can already say, “germinated” in each other. I can not believe that there are none, I hope for a miracle. ”

According to the singer, Oganes Georgiyan had a tenor - a unique high voice, his crown number was Tony's aria from Gaetano Donizetti's opera “The Daughter of the Regiment”. “This is a complex aria, there are 9 upper“ do ”, very few people can perform it - the audience roared with delight,” recalls Vladimir Ognev.

According to a friend, Hovhannes was also an excellent teacher, he knew a lot about vocals and could lay out any performance on the shelves, explain what was wrong, what needs to be worked on. And Grigory Osipov is a baritone, a real academic singer, according to Ognev, he had an impeccable vocal technique.

“But in real life ... Hovhannes loved to joke, his eyes always smiled. Grisha is a real Russian intellectual, sympathetic, very decent, always delving into the problems of others, trying to help, - notes Ognev. “We haven’t seen the 2 year already when I moved to Novosibirsk, but we corresponded, called back as native people, as a family.”

Dmitry Babovnikov came to his daughter in a suit of Santa Claus and promised to return

37-year-old Dmitry Babovnikov. He has worked in the ensemble for over 15 years.

“Just a week ago we gave a concert with“ Kalina ”, Dima said: I am flying to Syria, I’ll be back - we’ll work with you again for the New Year!”, quotes "TVNZ" Elena Komarov, colleague Dmitry. Once, she and Babovnikov were finishing Gnesinka.

Dmitry Babovnikov was divorced, but maintained friendly relations with his ex-wife, and the artist tried to see his 5-year-old daughter as often as possible - as work allowed. Literally a few hours before departure on the fateful flight from Chkalovsky, Dmitry posted a photo on his social networks - his daughter and him, dressed as Grandfather Frost.

Literally a few hours before departure on the fateful flight from Chkalovsky, Dmitry posted a photo on his social networks - a beautiful baby and him, in a Santa Claus costume. Photo: VKontakte.

“I congratulated my beloved daughter on the New Year! She said he has daddy’s voice and daddy’s nose!” Friends say that dad promised to return for the holiday with gifts.

Former back vocalist of the group "Lube" Evgeny Nasibulin

Evgeny Nasibulin worked in a group at the beginning of the 90s, said the head of the Igor Matvienko Center, Andrey Lukinov. According to Lukinov, the group “Lyube” often recorded songs with the choir of Alexandrov.

Evgeny Nasibulin. Photo frame from the film “Lube Zone”

Nasibulin left the group in 1995 year. He went to work at the Pyatnitsky Choir, and then at the Alexandrov Ensemble. With the choir of Alexandrov, the group “Lyube” often recorded songs together. The last time the teams collaborated was in October, when they recorded the anthem of the Ground Forces.

Final Tours

The first performance of the Alexandrov Ensemble took place on October 12 1928, writes Новая газета. Then the team was all 12 musicians. The organizer and first music director was a professor at the Moscow Conservatory, People's Artist of the USSR, composer, Major General Alexander Alexandrov, who headed the ensemble for 18 years. Today, the ensemble has about 200 people, including 170 professional artists: soloists, orchestra, men's choir and mixed dance group.

In a plane crash over the Black Sea, almost a third of the famous collective and almost the entire composition of the legendary choir perished. Worldwide, the Ensemble of the Russian Army is one of the most recognizable domestic brands. Each person has a very personal sense of homeland, which, perhaps, is best expressed in our favorite songs. A month ago, “Aleksandrovtsy” gave a concert at the Bolshoi Theater, which ended with a “Farewell of Slav” ...

Many good singers worked in the choir, those who were expected to have a bright pop career and the fame of opera singers. But when it was time for military service in the army, they were “called upon” to the Alexandrov ensemble and often remained for life.

A few days ago, on his page on the social network, Kirill Lyashenko wrote: “Hurray! Soon demob ... ". No one could have imagined that this front-line tour, which was supposed to be what was called a “one-day” trip to congratulate the Russian military on the Hamim’s base in Syria, would be the last in their lives.

Young, talented graduates of the Moscow and St. Petersburg Conservatories, the Sveshnikov Choral Academy died ... People about whom they so rarely speak are personified.

“An incredible tragedy for our culture. Something very important, great, irreplaceable was interrupted. When and how it will be restored is unknown. But it must be reborn! ”, Said the famous conductor Vladimir Fedoseyev.

4 artists survived who were supposed to fly on this tour, but for various reasons could not do it.

Roman Valutov was simply not allowed on board because of an overdue foreign passport. And 3 lead soloists were allowed not to fly to Syria for family reasons.

Vadim Ananyev, Valery Gavva and Boris Dyakov remained in Moscow. “I'm shocked. Everybody died - colleagues, friends, the godfather of my eldest son ..., ”says Boris Dyakov.

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The collapse of the Tu-154 in the Black Sea: details, photos, video

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