Yuri Lyubimov Yuri Lyubimov, then artistic director of the Moscow Taganka Theater, met the journalist and translator Katalin Kunz on tour in Hungary. And soon, being almost three decades older, he got married, stepping over certain obligations in relation to another woman. Katalin did not limit herself to the role of the keeper of the family hearth in marriage. But Lyubimov did not part with her until his death. On September 30, Yuri Petrovich celebrated his 106th birthday.
“Tselikovskaya helped Lyubimov become Lyubimov”
Russian cinema star Lyudmila Tselikovskaya lived with Lyubimov for 15 years. Without a stamp in the passport. However, for her de facto husband, Lyudmila Vasilievna did everything she could.
And the performer of the leading roles in “Four Hearts,” “Air Cabby,” “The Jumper” and other wonderful Soviet films had considerable influence.
Lyudmila Tselikovskaya in the film “Hearts of Four”
Lyudmila and Yuri have known each other since the days of “Pike”. But they became close only when both had already become “people with a past.” Tselikovskaya buried her fourth husband, architect Karo Alabyan.
She was popular, had respectable patrons and access to the highest offices. And when it came to the Taganka Theater, she actively participated.
“Tselikovskaya helped Lyubimov become Lyubimov. She knew who to call if clouds were gathering over the theater,” Nikolai Dupak was firmly convinced. He worked as a director at Taganka for decades.
Yuri Lyubimov and Lyudmila Tselikovskaya
When Lyubimov left Tselikovskaya for the sake of Katalin, her age was approaching 60. Both the director and his new wife then received many sidelong glances.
“To live with a genius, you need to be a darling. I’m quite the opposite, stubborn, with my own views. We began to irritate each other a little,” admitted Lyudmila Vasilievna.
She put an end to it: “This person is no longer in my life.” Lyubimov was not present at Tselikovskaya’s funeral and did not send a telegram on the mournful occasion.
“A powerful woman, everyone was afraid of her”
At the age of over 60, the director again became a father – his son Peter. Lyubimov already had a son, Nikita, born in a relationship before Tselikovskaya. But there was no particular closeness between the parent and the first-born.
Katalin supported Yuri Petrovich when he was abroad, deprived of Soviet citizenship. Lyubimov worked successfully abroad – in Israel, the USA, France, Italy and other countries.
Yuri Lyubimov and Catalina Kunz
After the director’s return became known after the start of perestroika, Taganka theater actor Valery Zolotukhin wrote in his diaries:
“He is provided with work ahead and for a long time, surrounded by a beautiful life and comfort, and we are pulling him into a past life. He makes demand after demand.”
Not everyone was ready to accept the changes that the newly arrived Lyubimov proclaimed. As a result, two theaters appeared on Taganka instead of one. Katalin repeatedly called it “betrayal.”
Actress Lydia Savchenko spoke about the reasons for the emergence of the “Commonwealth of Taganka Actors”:
“It turned out by chance that Yuri Petrovich talked with the mayor of Moscow and decided to privatize our building. Then Lyubimov decided to introduce a contract system.
Lyubimov’s wife played a big role in this unpleasant story. She quickly realized that she could make good money from privatization. A powerful woman, everyone was afraid of her. She walked around the theater, swearing, and with a Hungarian accent, insulting someone.”
“Incomprehensible people who did nothing”
Kunz really began to exercise administrative leadership at Taganka. She stated in the media:
“I am forced to. The theater, which we left in perfect order, was turned into a garbage pit in eight years. There were completely incomprehensible people here who were doing nothing. The previous system corrupted people and discouraged them from working.”
Yuri Lyubimov and Catalina Kunz
Katalin emphasized that she would stand her ground despite the obvious hostility she faced. “I even had to turn off my phone at night. Because they called and said ugly things. But that didn’t bother me much,” said Kunz.
Lyubimov will leave Taganka forever and again with scandal in 2011. A scandal broke out on tour in the Czech Republic due to the fees that the artists were claiming. “If the actors are so poor (and they are not poor at all), they could come up and say: “Give us an advance!” — Katalin did not remain in debt.
Lyubimov staged at the theater. Vakhtangov 4-hour performance “Demons”. It was in this theater that the farewell to Yuri Petrovich took place. He died in 2014 at 97.
Having been widowed, Katalin established an award in her husband’s memory for professionalism and dedication. The famous artist Ivan Bortnik once spoke out in defense of Kunz: “Why did everyone attack Katya? She is a wonderful wife. If it weren’t for Katya, Lyubimov would not have lived to see such years.”