A monument to Mikhail Ulyanov was erected in Moscow

On International Theater Day, a monument to Mikhail Ulyanov was unveiled in the center of the capital in the Mikhailovsky Garden park. The artists remembered the difficult path they had to go through to achieve the installation of the monument, and the broad soul of the artistic director of the Yevgeny Vakhtangov Theater, and, of course, the boundless talent of the People’s Artist of the USSR.

“Please open the monument,” with these words from the artist of the Yevgeny Vakhtangov Theater Vitaly Ivanov, golden fabric falls from the elevated figure, revealing the monument to the audience.

The warm sun emphasizing the lines of the bronze figure against the background of the Russian anthem. It’s interesting (and even sad) that no one sings along. Instead, people curiously film what is happening on their phones. Forest of hands – that’s how you can describe it in two words.

In addition, the heterogeneity of the audience immediately catches your eye: starting with kids who look under three years old, ending with residents and guests of the capital with silver in their hair. Particularly contrasting is the group of young Vakhtangovites who are closely following the performance. Future actors stand out for their alluring beauty and ability to act in public – a worthy continuation of the theater.

The host of the ceremony says words of gratitude to the creators of the monument: Honored Artist of Russia Igor Burganov, architect Yuri Menchits, as well as People’s Artist Andrei Balashov. After which he expresses special gratitude to the late Elena Ulyanova (the artist’s daughter) for the initiative to install the monument. Without her, the cherished dream of Vakhtangov residents and millions of Russians would not have come true.

Spectators continue to crowd and even begin to push slightly, wanting to move closer to the monument. From the dialogue of the married couple, the MK correspondent learns that they like the royal monument, but they do not understand why it was installed near the children’s playground. As if anticipating such indignation, People’s Artist of the Russian Federation Yulia Rutberg told the public about the difficulties they had to face. The monument has a very difficult fate: the deputies were categorically against the installation of the monument near the children’s playground and public garden: “These “apple people”, “pear people”, “cream people”, she said with contempt in her voice, listing the opponents of the bronze figure.

To achieve justice, Vasily Lanovoy, Anton Prokhorov, Alexey Polovinkin and Yulia Rutberg went to “defend Mikhail Alexandrovich” in order to change the course of voting by deputies. They managed to “drag two people away.”

“When I came today, first of all I went to look at the wonderful playground: clean, luxurious, where children can play. I looked at the benches surrounding this entire square: all elderly people, and any people for that matter, will have somewhere to sit. Now this Mikhailovsky public garden is really his.”

Looking with wet eyes from the protruding tears, the actress said that “everyone has their own Mikhail Alexandrovich.” For some, a father, for others, a grandfather, for others, a great man, but for Vakhtangov residents he will forever remain “Mikhail the Archangel.”

During the ceremony, many succumbed to nostalgia. For example, the chairman of the commission on culture and mass communications of the Moscow City Duma, Evgeny Gerasimov, recalled how in his first year at the Shchukin School he was next to Ulyanov on stage:

“I usually don’t take autographs, although I communicated with many famous people, but I approached Ulyanov with the theater’s anniversary book, and he looked at me and wrote: “I wish you courage when it’s difficult.”

Irina Kupchenko said that the theater had been waiting for today’s event for 17 years:

“Mikhail Alexandrovich is a great man and a great actor. You know, I always use this epithet with caution, but in this case it is accurate. And not because Mikhail Alexandrovich is more talented than others, but because not everyone manages to become a symbol of the time in which he lives.”

The actress shared an exceptional story: several years ago a bust of Zhukov was created in Grekov’s studio. However, the commission that was supposed to accept the work considered that there was not enough similarity. And finally the artist was told: “And you should make him look like Ulyanov.” And after this recommendation, the bust was corrected – and the commission exclaimed: “Yes! This is Zhukov!”

Of course, the monument conveys the greatness of the artist. Its total height is 3.6 meters, while the height of the figure is 2.2 meters. There is a granite bench next to the monument. Andrey Balashov, People’s Artist of the Russian Federation, said that the monument is the fruit of joint conversations and discussions with Elena Ulyanova. They decided to portray the actor in a relaxed pose, the way he was in real life.

At the end of the event, spectators laid flowers at the monument: some cried, some addressed the sculpture, and some were simply sincerely happy and smiled sweetly.