On May 23, Stalin's grandson, director Alexander Burdonsky, died. For 45 years he worked at the Theater of the Russian Army. In memory of the People's Artist of Russia, Izvestia publishes an interview that he gave at the evening in memory of Marshal Zhukov. Another director was responsible for directing the event, but Bourdonsky could not ignore the premiere of his native theater.
- Why didn't you stage the performance for the Marshal's anniversary? After all, this topic is very close to you.
I was offered, but I refused.
- Why?
Why talk about him. Everything has been said about his role as a commander and military personality. And about him as a person, I read a lot of material and know too well some things that I would never talk about. Director Andrey Badulin made a nice, very tactful production, bypassing many corners. He collected memories, some documents, it turned out to be enough for a memorable performance. If I had taken matters into my own hands, I would have made everything much tougher. But why is it necessary...
Rather inaccurate. For example, there is a story that Stalin offered Zhukov to host the parade. Like, Iosif Vissarionovich sat on a white horse and he threw him off. Therefore, Zhukov hosted the Victory Parade. This, of course, is nonsense. There was nothing like it. All these stories are linden, linden, linden. After two strokes with a hand that did not move, Stalin was physically unable to mount his horse. Father, Vasily Stalin, is no longer alive, there is no one to refute the rumors, so they come up with anything.
- Do you think it's bad that by the anniversary they prefer to remember only the good?
Alas, for some reason this rule does not apply to everyone. At least I read negative about Stalin in every newspaper, every day.
- It is difficult for young people to figure out what is true and what is not ...
Young people do not need it, I think. Stalin has his own accounts with time. Time must pass for the passions to subside and other assessments to appear. Everything is ambiguous and very complicated. Stalin and Zhukov had a difficult relationship. But this was the first marshal worthy of his commander in chief. They formed a tandem. Stalin, after all, entrusted the capture of Berlin to Zhukov. Not Konev and not Rokossovsky. I think Stalin sympathized with Zhukov.
- It is clear that your pedigree does not let you go. Did you find out early who your grandfather was?
About whose grandson I am, I knew from early childhood. I still can't forget about it. From infancy, it was driven into my head that I should be an excellent student at school, behave exemplarily. I couldn't afford anything. Then they said that I should be a warrior. Therefore, they sent me to the Suvorov Military School. My father insisted that I follow the military path. I resisted it. For a long time, figuratively speaking, I could not move my hand or foot at will, because I am the grandson of Stalin himself. It was shackling.
- Have you seen your grandfather?
A couple of times in parades. But in the house - no, never. Yes, and my father and his sister, too, could not just go to his father. It was necessary to take permission from the guards even to call Stalin.
- How did the father remain in your memory?
He was a gifted man, but the name of Stalin dominated him too. Because of this, the father had an internal discord. He was somewhat authoritarian, during the divorce he did not give my sister and me to my mother. And we lived with him. I was four and a half years old, and Nadia was three and a half. The sister loved her father very much. And for a long time I was offended by him for what he did to his mother. After all, we grew up with stepmothers. The father was married several times.
He died young...
Yes, my father drank, and this was a constant reason for gossip and talk. Mother could not cope with his addiction. Once, standing at the window, he said: "Jackdaw, don't you understand that I am alive while my father is alive." Stalin was buried on March 9, and they came for his father on the 29th. He spent nine years in prison. And he died shortly after his release.
- Are you still offended by him?
Now I am older than him. He died at the age of 41, and I am already 75. I thought for a long time about our life, about some of his actions and realized that I treat him like a son. So sometimes I make excuses. The father was a hot-tempered man. Arranged some sort of showdown with my mother. She drank a lot of grief in this marriage. And when he was imprisoned, he constantly wrote to his mother. After his death, I asked my mother how she treated him. From her words, I understood that she loved him very much, even despite the fact that she took away her children and broke her life. But she couldn't get back to him.
From the editors: farewell to Alexander Vasilyevich Burdonsky will take place on May 26 at 11 am at the Central Academic Theater of the Russian Army.
Director Alexander Burdonsky died in the arms of a close friend - actor Igor Marchenko
Director Alexander Burdonsky died in the arms of a close friend - actor Igor Marchenko
Last week, the eldest son of Lieutenant General of Aviation Vasily STALIN and the grandson of Joseph STALIN, director Alexander BURDONSKY, died. For 45 out of 75 years he worked at the Theater of the Russian Army. According to preliminary data, after a long illness, the director's heart could not stand it.
I met Sasha in 1958 at the Akter rest house in Yalta, the actress told us. Nina Doroshina, the star of the film "Love and Doves". - Once I went to swim, I crumpled my leg, and I started to drown, I was already choking. Bourdonsky I saw this from the shore and rushed to save me with my sister. This is destiny. I don’t know what would have happened if he hadn’t noticed and hadn’t swam to me in time. From then on, they began to communicate. I adored his wonderful family: aunt Svetlana Alliluyeva, mother Galusya and sister Nadya. She lived in their house for a long time. Even when she married Oleg Dal, we celebrated the wedding in a large apartment of the Bourdonskys. The entire theater "Sovremennik" came there.
According to Nina Mikhailovna, Alexander adored and Oleg Efremov, her other lover:
Oleg encouraged Sasha when he entered GITIS at the directing department.
I was called as an actor and Zavadsky, And Efros, but I chose the director's profession, - Bourdonsky himself said in an interview with Express Gazeta. - I thought for a long time, worried, wanted to play. When I got sick Zeldin, I replaced him several times, and not only him, so from time to time I went on stage for a long time. But he no longer enjoyed it. There were many great actors in our country, but only three were brilliant: Efremov, Smoktunovsky And Rolan Bykov.
More than a son
The whole team of our Army Theater loved Alexander Vasilyevich, - the people's artist says through tears Olga Bogdanova. - Many people owe him their discovery or a bright role. Costume designers and make-up artists adored him, although he was always very nervous and demanding, but people felt the kindness that literally bubbled out of him. He made the most generous gifts to actresses - Nina Sazonova, Lyudmila Kasatkina, Larisa Golubkina, Ludmila Chursina, Alina Pokrovskaya, to me. We all remembered these roles with great gratitude.
Little is known about Bourdonsky's personal life. With a wife - Lithuanian Dalei Tumalyavichute he met while studying at the institute, and in the fourth year they got married.
We spent most of the time away from each other, on tour, - Alexander Vasilyevich himself recalled. - Maybe that's why we didn't have a family in the usual sense. She passed away in June 2006... The concept of home for me is wider than a wife. Home is where you take your troubles. For me, it's theater!
The couple never had a child.
Artists replaced Burdonsky's children, Olga Bogdanova believes. - And these are not empty words. For example, for the last 23 years, Alexander has been friends with an actor Igor Marchenko, with whom he became close when he first came to our theater. They were more than colleagues, almost family. Igor looked after Sasha as if he were his own father, not every son is so worried about his father's illness. At the end of last year, Bourdonsky was diagnosed with cancer. At first, the lung was affected, then the disease spread to other organs, it all developed quickly.
According to Olga Mikhailovna, sometimes she visited the director in the clinic:
But only when he himself asked for it, did not want to be imposed. He constantly asked doctors how much he was allotted, dreamed of returning to work. I told him: “Sasha, don’t worry, we’ll come to you to rehearse wherever, we’ll run to the hospital as soon as you call.” He couldn't live without work. The fact that Sasha was a grandson Stalin, he never stuck out, but he did not renounce his grandfather ... Bourdonsky loved to cook, set the table with such love, when we came to his house, he was happy, loved to treat. It is on such that the world rests. We will miss him very, very much.
stupid demarche
In an interview with the site, Alexander BURDONSKY reflected on the work of his colleague Kirill SEREBRENNIKOV:
- Serebryannikov He often repeated that if censorship was introduced and obscenities were banned on stage, he would immediately leave our country. This is a childish and stupid demarche. I think without swearing, without bare asses, without the actors coming to the fore, unzipping their fly, taking out the "household" and starting to urinate, you can say a lot. In the play "Romeo and Juliet" they undress, have sex, take birth control pills, piss on all the walls. It's probably insanely modern, but I think it's all nonsense.
Theater director.
Honored Artist of the RSFSR (07/29/1985).
People's Artist of Russia (21.02.1996).
Direct grandson of I.V. Stalin, eldest son of Vasily Iosifovich Stalin (1921-1962) from his first wife Galina Burdonskaya (1921-1990).
He recalled: “The life together of the parents did not work out. I was four years old when my mother left my father. She was not allowed to take her children with her. We were separated for eight years."
In 1951-1953 he studied at the Kalinin Suvorov Military School.
Later he entered the acting course of the studio at the Sovremennik Theater to Oleg Nikolaevich Efremov. In 1966 he entered GITIS (now RATI) at the director's department of the course of Maria Osipovna Knebel, at the same time graduating from school as an external student and receiving a matriculation certificate.
After graduating from GITIS in 1971, Anatoly Efros invited him to play Shakespeare's Romeo in the theater on Malaya Bronnaya. Three months later, Maria Knebel invites her student to the Army Theater to stage the play "He Who Gets Slaps" by Leonid Andreev, in which Andrey Popov and Vladimir Zeldin played. After the implementation of this production, in 1972, the chief director of the TsTSA Andrey Alekseevich Popov suggested A.V. Bourdonsky to stay in the Army Theater.
Director of the Central Academic Theater of the Soviet (Russian) Army.
He staged two performances at the Maly Theater and in Japan. The Land of the Rising Sun saw "The Seagull" by A. Chekhov, "Vassa Zheleznova" by M. Gorky and "Orpheus Descending to Hell" by T. Williams.
He taught at GITIS (RATI).
He was married to his classmate Dalia Tamulyavichyute (1940-2006), director of the State Youth Theater of Lithuania.
theatrical work
Performances staged at CATRA:
"The one who receives slaps" L. Andreeva
"Lady with Camellias" by A. Dumas son
"Snows have fallen" R. Fedenev
"Garden" by V. Arro
"Orpheus Descends to Hell" by T. Williams
"Vassa Zheleznov" M. Gorky
"Your sister and captive" L. Razumovskaya
"Mandate" N. Erdman
"The conditions dictate the lady" E. Alice and R. Reese
"The last passionately in love" N. Simon
"Britannique" by J. Racine
“Trees die standing” by A. Casona
"Duet for soloist" T. Kempinski
Broadway Charades by M. Orr and R. Denham
“Harp of greeting” by M. Bogomolny
"Invitation to the Castle" J. Anouilh
"Duel of the Queen with Death" based on the play "Laughter of Lobster" by D. Marrell
"The one that is not expected ..." based on the play "The Morning Fairy" by A. Casona
"The Seagull" A.P. Chekhov
"Eleanor and her men" J. Goldman
The role of Joseph Stalin in history is assessed in different ways. Some idolize his personality, others zealously hate him and his policies. During the years of his life, the family of Joseph Vissarionovich lived well. His son, Vasily Stalin, often behaved waywardly, committing odious acts unworthy of his family name. However, he did not bear any punishment for his deeds. The grandson of Joseph Stalin, director Alexander Vasilyevich Burdonsky, had to change his last name in order to calmly engage in creativity.
Alexander Burdonsky biography: early years
The director was born on October 14, 1941 in the city of Kuibyshev, which is now called Samara. His father is the famous Soviet pilot Vasily Stalin, and his mother is Galina Burdonskaya. Given to him after birth, the name of his grandfather, Stalin, helped the boy at a young age. However, after the death of Joseph Vissarionovich, the surname had to be changed to Burdonsky.
The change is explained by the debunking of the personality cult of the great leader at the 20th Congress of the Communist Party. From that moment, the persecution of Stalin's relatives began. The father of the future director was also hit.
Vasily Stalin
The health of father Alexander Burdonsky in prison deteriorated so much that he urgently needed treatment. Nikita Khrushchev decides to release Vasily ahead of schedule, but in return requires compliance with a number of conditions:
- Stop talking about the death of your father, blaming current politicians for his death.
- Don't lead a hectic lifestyle.
Gritting his teeth, Vasily agrees to Nikita Sergeevich's demands. He is allocated a pension, the title is returned and a 3-room apartment is issued. But Vasily Stalin's happiness does not last long: in a drunken state, he announces the murder of his father by Khrushchev and blames the whole world for his misfortunes. He is returned to prison and then sent to the closed city of Kazan.
According to his biography, the series "Son of the Father of Nations" was filmed, reflecting the life of Vasily with his first wife and relations with his own son Alexander.
Fathers and Sons
Alexander Burdonsky, the son of Vasily Stalin, was taken from his mother in early childhood. She was forbidden to visit her child, so the upbringing fell entirely on the shoulders of her father. Constant drinking, a riotous lifestyle prevented Vasily from raising his son correctly.
As he himself stated, stepmothers and governesses took care of him. It is worth noting that, despite all the hardships of fate and the temporary absence of his mother, Alexander turned out to be a good person and a loving husband. His father prepared for him a military career, but he preferred to engage in theater and cinema.
The death of the leader and his role in the life of Alexander Burdonsky
Grandfather, Joseph Stalin, was never interested in the fate of his own grandson. Alexander never saw him live. But he happened to see his grandfather at the funeral. As he later noted, Stalin's death had no effect on his emotional state.
Alexander was not fond of politics, his interests included only the theater. Often he received offers to stage a play about his grandfather, but he always refused. He never advertised his relationship with the leader.
According to him, the grandfather was unnecessarily insane, but, no doubt, a brilliant politician. In his youth, Alexander treated Joseph Vissarionovich with some contempt. Growing up, I was able to assess the role of my grandfather in history more as positive than negative.
The childhood and youth of the actor passed in difficult moral conditions. Thanks to his fortitude and special character, the boy did not lose himself in the glory that fell on him. And in the future he did not use his relationship to show off his famous grandfather. In Bourdonsky's mind, he remained an unattainable figure.
Where did you study
As his father wanted, Alexander began to study at the Kalinin Suvorov School. After graduating from the 7th grade, he entered the Art and Technical School of theatrical profile. He took an active part in the life of the educational institution and the House of Pioneers.
In 1958 he graduated from college and began working as a prop artist in the theaters of the capital of the USSR. At the beginning of 1966, he was studying at GITIS at directing department.
In 1971, Burdonsky graduated from his studies and received an invitation to play in Shakespeare's play. Already in 1972, director Andrei Popov made him an offer to stay at the TsTSA and continue his acting career. It is easy to guess that Alexander agrees.
Actor's personal life
Burdonsky married his colleague and classmate Dalia Tumalyavichuta. She worked as the chief director in the youth theater, died before her husband. There were no children in the marriage, and the widowed Alexander Vasilyevich Burdonsky was left all alone. It is worth giving him credit - he never used his "special" position, considering himself an ordinary person.
Death
Alexander Burdonsky died at the age of 76. The news about the death of the director and actor did not cause heated discussions in society, which is natural, because he led a modest lifestyle. Due to heart problems on May 24 last year, the actor died in a Moscow hospital.
Vasily Stalin, the future lieutenant general of aviation, was born in the second marriage of Joseph Stalin with Nadezhda Alliluyeva. At the age of 12, he lost his mother. She shot herself in 1932. Stalin did not deal with his upbringing, shifting this concern to the head of security. Later, Vasily will write that he was brought up by men "not distinguished by morality ... ... Early began to smoke and drink."
At the age of 19 he fell in love with his friend's fiancee Galina Burdonskaya and married her in 1940. In 1941, the first-born Sasha was born, two years later Nadezhda.
After 4 years, Galina left, unable to withstand her husband's spree. In retaliation, he refused to give her children. For eight years they had to live with their father, despite the fact that a year later he had another family.
The new chosen one was the daughter of Marshal Timoshenko Ekaterina. The ambitious beauty, born on December 21, like Stalin, and who saw this as a special sign, disliked her stepchildren. The hatred was manic. She locked them up, “forgot” to feed them, beat them. Vasily paid no attention to this. The only thing that bothered him was that the children did not see their own mother. Once Alexander met with her secretly, the father found out about this and beat his son.
Many years later, Alexander recalled those years as the most difficult time of his life.
In the second marriage, Vasily Jr. and daughter Svetlana were born. But the family fell apart. Vasily, together with the children from his first marriage, Alexander and Nadezhda, went to the famous swimmer Kapitolina Vasilyeva. She accepted them as family. Children from the second marriage remained with their mother.
After Stalin's death, Vasily was arrested.
The first wife Galina immediately took the children. Nobody stopped her from doing this.
Catherine renounced Vasily, received a pension from the state and a four-room apartment on Gorky Street (now Tverskaya), where she lived with her son and daughter. Either due to severe heredity, or no less difficult situation in the family, their further fate was tragic.
Both did poorly in school. One, because she was sick all the time. Others were not interested in studying at all.
After the 21st party congress and the exposure of the cult of personality, the negative attitude towards all Stalin's relatives intensified in society. Catherine, trying to protect her son, sent him to Georgia to study. There he entered the Faculty of Law. I did not go to classes, spent time with new friends, became addicted to drugs.
The problem was not immediately recognized. From the third year, his mother took him to Moscow, but she could not cure him. During one of the “breakdowns”, Vasily committed suicide at the dacha of his famous grandfather, Marshal Timoshenko. He was only 23.
After the death of her son, Catherine withdrew into herself. She did not love her daughter and even refused custody of her, despite the fact that Svetlana suffered from Graves' disease and a progressive mental illness.
Svetlana died at the age of 43, completely alone. Her death was not known until a few weeks later.
Vasily's children from his first marriage were more successful.
Alexander graduated from the Suvorov Military School. The military career did not interest him, and he entered the directing department of GITIS. He played in the theater, received the title of People's Artist. He worked as a director of the Theater of the Soviet Army. He considered grandfather a tyrant, and his relationship with him was a “heavy cross”. He loved his mother very much, lived with her most of the time and bore her surname Bourdonsky. Passed away in 2017.
Nadezhda, unlike her brother, remained Stalin. She always defended her grandfather, argued that Stalin did not know much of what was happening in the country. She studied at the theater, but the actress did not work out of her. For some time she lived in Gori. Upon her return to Moscow, she married her adopted son and mother-in-law Alexander Fadeev, gave birth to a daughter, Anastasia. Nadezhda died in 1999 at the age of 56.
Vasily had no other native children.
The last wife was the nurse Maria Nusberg. He adopted two of her daughters, just as he had previously adopted the daughter of Kapitolina Vasilyeva.