Personal life of Valentina Tolkunova

In the sorrowful hour of farewell to Valentina Tolkunova in the Variety Theater, a song was played from the speaker: "You will remember me ...". The personal life of Valentina Tolkunova was more like a fairy tale than an ordinary life.

What piercing these words are now! Piercing and prophetic. Of course, we can not forget it - a woman who gave a song with a song that became just a Valya, Valya, for millions. Can someone else take her place on the stage and in our hearts? .. Valentina Tolkunova was a unique artist and personality. She proved all her life: you can stay in one image, do not attract attention to scandals or stormy events in your personal life, do not shine in the get-togethers and at the same time be sincerely and ardently beloved compatriots. There are no other such people on our stage and probably will not ...

Not "stellar" at all

Several years ago a woman, a provincial poetess-songwriter, came to our Moscow office and asked her to help her contact Valentina Vasilievna. I wanted to show my poems. We phoned Tolkunova, she allowed me to give her phone number. With what ecstasy in a couple of days, this woman told about a meeting with the famous singer! Perhaps, the cooperation did not take place, but the fact that the casual guest was warmed by sincerity was conquered by Valentina Vasilyevna's charm, that's for sure. And journalists who had the fortune to communicate with Tolkunova, now remember exactly this - how sincere, intelligent and not at all pretentious a person she was.

Not cloudless happiness

Many fans of the singer did not doubt that their Valyusha was from the remote area, and maybe even a country one. Because simple, clear. And she sings songs, understandable to everyone. Actually, Tolkunova is a Muscovite. Yes, she was born in Armavir, Krasnodar Territory, but she lived in Moscow one-year-old - of course, a Muscovite!

"My education was strict, puritanical," she recalled, explaining why the first real romance happened only in 19 years. At school, the boys fell in love, but, as one of them admitted years later, Vali Tolkunova was so clean that they were afraid to approach. The man with whom the singer lived in marriage for five unforgettable years, composer Yuri Saulsky, conquered and whirled her in a whirlwind of love. In his big band, she sang jazz from 1966 to 1971. Despite the fact that the parting was due to the betrayal of Saulsky (he was older than Tolkunova for 18 years), Valentina Vasilievna always remembered her first husband with warmth. And the second one, Yuri Paporov, a writer and an international journalist, also spoke with great respect. And the question, what is love, answered: "It's not when you are loved, but when you love. A wife should love her husband more than herself. Joint life with a man is a rejection of selfishness. " Alas, and the second marriage was not cloudless. Yuri Paporov lived for years in South America, his work required it. Follow the husband, and therefore leave the scene, change the vocation, Tolkunova could not. This situation tormented Valentina Vasilyevna. But all the same, it was a family - after all, Kolya's son grew up ...

Promised to return ...

On March 24, 32-year-old Nikolai stood beside his mother's grave next to his grandmother, Yevgenia Nikolayevna. Mother of the singer is 84 years old. How terrible was this day for her! Until that time, how to fall into a coma, Valentina believed that he would win the disease. And my relatives tried to convince me of this. "Valechka is very sick. Pray for her, "- so answered Eugenia Nikolaevna's phone calls in the last days of her daughter's life. And people prayed. But the disease was stronger.

The diagnosis - breast cancer - Tolkunova was placed three years ago. She was operated on. The singer felt good. In any case, she said so. And how many concerts in all parts of Russia she gave, already seriously ill! The listeners could not guess: their favorite was invariably beautiful, elegant, smiling ... Even her last performance in Mogilev on February 16, Valentina Vasilievna did not interrupt. But when the curtain closed and the last applause did not stop, the ambulance took her to the intensive care unit! In the personal life of Valentina Tolkunova was everything: both applause and ridicule.


The singer promised to return to this Belarusian city in May, sing especially for the doctors, which helped her feel again cheerful. She planned to perform in a concert in honor of the 65th anniversary of the Great Victory. She also had creative plans for years to come. And Valentina Vasilyevna dreamed of grasping grandchildren. Alas...

A person who is deeply religious, she often repeated the phrase: "It will be as the Lord likes." Although even this unquestionable truth, probably, for a long time will not be able to comfort many admirers of our Valechka, a truly national Star ...

Valya, Valichka, Valyusha

About what Tolkunova outside the scene, who surrounds her, what the singer likes, the fans of the actress knew almost nothing.

The main man in her life, son of Nicholas, received a law degree. He worked as a lighting artist at the Moscow Theater of Music Drama and Song, directed by Tolkunova. Now he is a businessman.

With Yuri Paporov, the second husband, Valentina Vasilievna met in 1979. She was asked to speak at the Mexican Embassy, ​​and he was invited as an interpreter. "Jura conquered me with his elegance," she recalled. Papanov, like his first husband, Yuri Saulsky, was much older than Tolkunova - 23 years.

He considered his talent "hereditary." "My mother sang songs beautifully, and my grandmother - Russian folk songs," - recalled in an interview.

I considered it to be a matter of principle not to speak in places where people chew. To persuade Tolkunov to change this rule could not have any "material" arguments.

I loved fast driving. Itself perfectly drove, having more than 30-year experience. She changed seven "Zhiguli". In recent years, preferred Japanese SUVs.