The artistic director of the Komissarzhevskaya Theater in St. Petersburg, Viktor Novikov, died in his sleep

He’s been sick lately

Theater named after V.F. Komissarzhevskaya in St. Petersburg is in shock – the artistic director of the theater, Viktor Novikov, who worked here for 55 years, suddenly died. Recently celebrated his 80th birthday. He was a wonderful person, devoted to one theater and did a lot for it. He had been ill recently, but died at home – in his sleep.

Viktor Novikov was proud of the fact that he worked in the same theater all his life. Before this, the biography of the certified theater specialist included other jobs (orderly at a regional clinical hospital, literary editor of the Leningrad branch of the Musical Fund, editor of the Lenconcert), but these were episodes on the way to a big story. It began in 1968, when Viktor Novikov began working at the Leningrad Theater. V.F. Komissarzhevskaya (now St. Petersburg Academic), and remained there until the end of his days. He went through different stages of creative and organizational growth – from assistant to the chief director for literary affairs and deputy director for repertoire and work with playwrights to the artistic director of a large group, which he became at the most difficult time – in 1991.

He knew how to discover new names – directors, playwrights: for example, plays by Grigory Gorin appeared on the stage of the Komissarzhevskaya Theater, he was friends with Mikhail Zhvanetsky, and the repertoire includes a play dedicated to the great satirist. Few people know that Viktor Abramovich was the nephew of the famous pianist Maria Yudina. The same one who once fearlessly answered Stalin, who highly valued her game and gave her a cash prize, that she would give the money to the church, and she would pray for the salvation of his soul in order to atone for his numerous crimes before the people. Surprisingly, the leader did not touch Yudina for her unheard-of insolence.

But Viktor Abramovich never advertised his relationship: self-esteem did not allow speculation on the big names of relatives and friends. And Novikov had a lot of them – Mikhail Baryshnikov, Mikhail Zhvanetsky, the same Grigory Gorin. He was “respected and appreciated for the consistency with which he defended the best traditions of the national stage and, above all, for his deep respect for the audience,” Governor of St. Petersburg Alexander Belov responded to the death of the theater figure.