“Tolkunova did not believe that her illness was incurable, so she did not prepare for death and did not write any will. How did the personal life of the people's favorite Valentina Tolkunova develop and what caused her death? What did Tolkunova die from?

A year ago, the most soulful Soviet singer passed away

Valentina Tolkunova was called the soul of Russian song. Her quiet, soulful voice, singing “Snub Noses,” “I’m Standing at a Stop,” “I Can’t Do Otherwise,” became part of the history of the Soviet stage. Just like the singer herself. The brown-haired beauty with a long braid almost immediately became famous. Tolkunova was adored by listeners and revered by high management. Not a single concert was complete without her participation.

This was the case in the Soviet Union and continued after its collapse. In recent years, Tolkunova, however, has performed less and less. In 2006, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and in 2009 she already had a malignant brain tumor. Valentina Vasilievna passed away slowly and painfully. She became very ill on February 16 after a concert in Mogilev. There she was taken to the hospital, and then transported to Moscow, to the Botkin Hospital. She never left there. A month later, the singer’s condition worsened sharply, Valentina Vasilievna fell into a coma and passed away on March 22...

Not many people know that in her youth Valentina Vasilievna often visited her aunt and cousin Lyudmila in Poltava. After the unexpected death of Lyudmila, Valentina Vasilievna took upon herself all the worries of raising her daughter Svetlana(pictured) . She became her second mother...

“When Valentina Vasilyevna came to Kyiv, she always stayed with me for the first time.”

- Svetlana Vasilievna, you were probably born when your aunt’s fame was already gaining momentum?

When Valentina Tolkunova became popular throughout the Soviet Union, I went to first grade. I was terribly proud that the beautiful, slender singer with a long braid, who was often shown on TV, was my aunt. Valentina Vasilievna came to visit us in Kyiv, and then my mother and I went to Poltava. Valechka’s aunt Sofya Nikolaevna lived there. Unfortunately, she is no longer alive. Valentina Vasilievna used to stay in Poltava with her son Kolya and brother Seryozha. My mother and I visited only for a while. Mom had a lot of work. She graduated from the Kyiv Conservatory, becoming a fairly famous singer. Unfortunately, my mother passed away early. She was only 37 years old...

- Valentina Vasilievna didn’t want to take you to Moscow?

“It was very difficult, because she was touring all the time. That's why I lived in Kyiv with my grandparents. But Valentina Vasilievna constantly monitored how my life was going. If I had free time, I came to Kyiv. By the way, I adored this city. After finishing school, I entered a Moscow university and lived with Valentina Vasilievna. True, she never stayed in Moscow. Having received higher education, she returned home to Kyiv.

I remember when telephone conversations were not yet so accessible, Valechka wrote me letters. Even while on tour. Later they called each other almost every day. Especially lately, when my aunt was already ill... She kept lamenting that she could not, as before, spoil her loved ones with gifts.

- Did you like to give gifts?

- What do you! She never came without gifts. She always brought huge suitcases. And not only for relatives, but also for friends. And in Kyiv she had a huge number of them. Yuri Rybchinsky and Alexander Zlotnik always came to us for tea. By the way, when Valentina Tolkunova was just starting her career, there were many Ukrainian folk songs in her repertoire... In the first years, when she came on tour to Kyiv, my aunt stayed with me. Later, of course, she was received like a real star - in luxurious rooms of central hotels. True, at the same time she always stopped by for tea and said that it was only here that she truly rested.

They said that during the tour, Valentina Tolkunova’s fans lined up and they could complain about their lives.

- It happened. Valentina Vasilievna was a very gentle, caring person. She had such a voice - gentle, melodious, and would never yell at anyone. Those close to her knew that she never refused help to anyone. People turned to her with financial problems, and Valyusha gave money without much hesitation. I remember once one fan wrote her a letter in which she said that she was in poverty and had nothing to wear. What do you think?! The very next day, my aunt collected a parcel for her, packing a significant part of her wardrobe.

“Even while in the Botkin hospital, Valyusha was still preparing a concert for May 9”

But Valentina Tolkunova’s dresses were famous throughout the Soviet Union. She specially ordered them in Arkhangelsk.

— Yes, I went there several times a year. She had a favorite dressmaker there, who knew the tastes of her famous client very well. By the way, the beautiful cream dress in which Valentina Vasilievna was buried was also sewn by her. They wrote that Tolkunova bequeathed that it was there that she would be taken on her last journey, but this is not true. Valyusha did not fully believe that her illness was fatal. Even the doctors decided not to tell her that the disease was incurable. Only we, close relatives, knew about the true situation. They also decided not to tell Valentina Vasilievna’s mother.

- They say that Tolkunova fought with a terrible illness to the last.

“Until her last days, she believed that she would defeat the disease, get up and go on stage. Even while in the hospital, I was preparing a concert for 9 May. I called Alexandra Pakhmutova from the clinic and asked her to write a song especially for her. Tolkunova did NOT prepare for death and did not write any will, as many said. Auntie wanted to live so much... About a couple of days before her death, director Lev Leshchenko came to her room. Valentina Vasilyevna immediately began telling him how to get up as quickly as possible and go on stage again.

- This is despite the fact that Valentina Vasilievna was already being treated for cancer.

— Yes, in 2006 she was diagnosed with a terrible disease, her aunt underwent a course of chemotherapy. Unfortunately, due to constant concerts and tours, I did not pay enough attention to myself. No matter how much we tried to persuade her to “stop,” she kept answering: “The main thing for me is the stage...” She often repeated that she wanted to leave as many of her songs as possible. She was one of the last to record a disc of spiritual songs.

- Do you remember your last conversation with Valentina Vasilievna?

— It was a few days before her death. She was still conscious. Valechka asked about my affairs, work, and gave some advice. She said: “I really want, Svetochka, that everything goes well for you.” You know, she was like a mother to me... But then, during our last conversation, I didn’t have the feeling that Valyusha was saying goodbye. The voice was, however, unusually quiet. When she was taken to intensive care, only her mother was nearby. She said that Valyusha said: “Mommy, don’t worry, everything will be fine...” It’s scary when you worry about your children...

- Valentina Vasilievna’s husband, journalist Yuri Paporov, passed away almost right after her.

- Yes, he was sick for a long time. Valyusha took him home from the hospital, already unwell herself. But she decided that she had to inspect him. He passed away literally two months after her death. Of course, grief completely broke his health. He couldn't live without Valya.

- Was Tolkunova a happy woman?

- I think so, although we have never talked to her about any very intimate topics. Valentina Vasilievna was married twice. Her first husband was the famous composer and conductor Yuri Saulsky, but they did not live long. Her second husband became her support. They had a son, Kolya. Of course, different things happened in life. But Valya was an optimist by nature, she believed only in good things.

- Did you call her Aunt Valya?

- Just Valya, Valyusha, that’s what I’ve been used to since childhood.

“Valya never went on stage without a string of pearls”

- Is luxurious hair your family treasure?

— Probably (laughs). My mother also had very beautiful hair. They were inherited by me too. As long as I remember Valya, she always had a luxurious long braid. My mother periodically cut her hair and then grew it out. But Valya said that she would never change her hairstyle.

Valentina Vasilievna herself admitted that she had practically no time left for housekeeping and arranging her life.

- But what she has always been excellent at is cars. Valya loved cars and was an excellent driver from her youth. The last thing she owned was a huge silver jeep, which she drove with amazing ease. Aunt lived all her life in a house located in the very center of Moscow. To be honest, Tolkunova’s apartment was simple, not as it should be for a star. Everything you needed was there, but the furnishings weren’t chic. Now Valyusha’s son lives there. The grand piano remained standing in the living room - large, filling half the room. It was behind him that Valya learned all her songs.

(In the photo) As a child, Valya and her mother Evgenia Nikolaevna (far right) often came to Poltava to visit their relatives

Alexandra Pakhmutova often came, sat down at the instrument and played new melodies. All the famous authors of Soviet pop songs visited Tolkunova’s house. If someone came, they immediately set the table and put on a teapot with strong tea leaves.

- Did Tolkunova like to cook?

“Her house was very hospitable, but Valentina Vasilyevna’s mother, who always lived with her, did most of the cooking. The guests knew that it was impossible to leave Tolkunova’s house without eating and drinking tea. Valya was a good cook herself. She made especially tasty borscht, in which she always put beans. And her signature dish was cheesecakes.

- Did Valentina Vasilievna stick to diets?

— I didn’t allow myself sweets and starchy foods. These foods were taboo in her house. She loved salads, which she prepared with amazing skill, and fruits. I could sit all day on apples alone.

Tolkunova's stage outfits were the envy of her colleagues. In everyday life, were you picky in your wardrobe?

“Valyusha could go into a completely ordinary store and buy the first thing she came across. For my aunt, it didn’t matter at all who the designer was. Sometimes she bought things and then gave them to me. In fact, until the end of her days, she dressed me almost entirely. Sometimes I called and asked: “Svetochka, what do you need?” For her, things have never been a cult. I considered them more of a necessity, like, say, food. She even treated diamonds very calmly. And I didn’t like cosmetics. I painted mostly just for the stage. I remember how outraged she was by one artist who had plastic surgery. "For what? - Valya said. - This is completely useless. Once age has come, there’s no escape from it...”

- Were the famous beads woven into Tolkunova’s braid real pearls?

- Certainly. It was a string of pearls that Valya had worn since her youth. For her it was a talisman; she would not go on stage without a thread. She was buried with her...

Content

The favorite of millions, talented and touching Valentina Vasilievna Tolkunova died on March 22, 2010. This came as a shock and shock to her multi-million army of fans, who had grown accustomed to and loved the talented and modest singer with the constant pearls in her chic braid. How old was Tolkunova? Total 64

Childhood and youth

Valechka was born in the post-war period - July 12, 1946 in Armavir, in the Krasnodar Territory. Vasily Andreevich, the girl’s father, was a career military man, and her mother was a railway employee, originally from the Buryat-Mongolian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. My grandfather on my mother’s side was repressed and spent 18 years in prison camps. In 1949, a son, Seryozha, was born into the family, who later became a singer. Now he is the president of a charitable foundation named after his sister.

At first, the Tolkunovs lived in the village of Belorechenskaya, which Vasily Andreevich had to restore. In 1950 they moved to the capital. People in the house always loved music and appreciated the performing arts - Lydia Ruslanova, Klavdiya Shulzhenko, Leonid Utesov - their voices were always heard in the family. Valentina decided to enter the Moscow Institute of Culture for the conducting and choral department. In 1966, the talented graduate passed the competition and became a soloist in the vocal and instrumental orchestra (VIO-66), led by Yuri Saulsky.

“I can’t do otherwise”

In 1971, Tolkunova graduated from the Gnessin Music College and immediately recorded songs for the film “Day by Day.” In 1972, at the invitation of front-line poet Lev Oshanin, she performed on the stage of the Column Hall of the House of Unions. An anniversary concert was taking place there at that time. She performed the song “Ah, Natasha” by composer Vladimir Shainsky. For the performance they made her a dress embroidered with pearls. To create the composition of the image, Valentina wove a string of pearls into her hair. This forever became part of her image.

Since 1973, Valentina Vasilievna began working in the Mosconcert association. Since 1989, she has been the director of the theater of musical drama and song of the creative association "ART". The theater staged musical performances that were a success. In 2004, Tolkunova bought a small house near the Diveyevo Monastery. While there, she attended services, prayed, and received communion. From that moment on, the people's favorite began to engage in charity work. She donated part of her fees to restore churches and organized charity concerts to help large families.

Her style of performance and she herself always remained simple - without arrogance or arrogance, with an irresistible desire to help and warm. She was an example of a Russian woman - beautiful, harmonious, wise, patient, gentle and faithful. The answer to all her good deeds was a line from the song - “I can’t do otherwise.” An entire generation grew up with “snub noses.” Her stage colleague and life comrade Lev Leshchenko always said that Valya was real. They were credited with marriage and romance. Those who knew Tolkunova never believed this. The audience just wanted to create the perfect couple from their favorites.

“I will always love you - I can’t do otherwise”: Tolkunova’s personal life

In fact, there were two marriages in the singer’s life. The first time she married the leader of their orchestra, Yuri Saulsky, who was much older than Valya. Five years later, the marriage broke up, and Yuri left for Valentina Aslanova. Tolkunova married for the second time in 1974 to international journalist Yuri Paporov. He was also older than his wife, traveled a lot and wrote books. The only son, Nikolai, was born in the marriage in 1977. Growing up, he worked at the Moscow Theater of Musical Drama and Song as a lighting designer.

But this marriage also turned out to be strange - Paporov went to work in Mexico in the early 80s. Tolkunova did not leave her fans and did not go with her husband. And for many years he forgot about the existence of his son - Kolenka saw no money, no upbringing, no participation on his part. But when Yuri returned to Moscow after the car accident, his vision began to rapidly deteriorate. Valentina Vasilievna took him to her place and organized rest and care. He died 1.5 months after Tolkunova’s death. It is known about the son that he was involved in a scandal - he was detained with heroin. And only his mother’s connections and love for her then helped him avoid punishment.

Illness and death of Valentina Tolkunova

In 1992, the first blow came - breast cancer. There was a course of chemotherapy and surgery. In 2009, the next blow was brain cancer, which became the cause of death. It so happened that Tolkunova was touring and after one of the concerts in Mogilev she was hospitalized - she first ended up in the intensive care unit of a local hospital, and then in Botkinskaya. At 6 a.m. on March 22, 2010, Valentina Tolkunova died: she fell into a coma and never woke up. They managed to administer unction to her right in the hospital room. We said goodbye to the people's favorite at the Variety Theater. The grave is located at the Troekurovsky cemetery. At the end of August 2011, a monument was unveiled there. Second husband Yuri Paporov lies nearby.

Valentina Tolkunova was called the soul of Russian song and the crystal voice of the Soviet stage. It is interesting that the artist’s stage image (long hair, aristocratic posture, maxi dress and a minimal set of cosmetics and jewelry) was maintained throughout her long career.

Valentina was born in the city of Armavir, Krasnodar Territory, but for the first year and a half she lived in the village of Belorechenskaya. Tolkunova’s father, Vasily Andreevich, a military railway worker, served there. Mother Evgenia Nikolaevna worked at the railway station. The family arrived from Transbaikalia, although the father was from the Saratov region. Three years after Valya’s birth, his younger brother Sergei appeared, who also became a singer, Honored Artist of Russia.

In 1948, the Tolkunov family moved to Moscow. Valentina grew up not only in a friendly and loving family, but also surrounded by good vocal music. Records were constantly playing in the house. And Valya learned their songs and sang along with her favorite performers.

In 1956, the girl was accepted into the choir of the Central House of Children of Railway Workers. The team was managed by Semyon Osipovich Dunaevsky, and the girl’s teacher was Tatyana Nikolaevna Ovchinnikova, who helped the future singer master the basics of musical literacy and learn the secrets of vocal mastery.

After school, the girl entered the conducting and choral department of the Moscow State Institute of Culture, and then also graduated from the legendary Gnesinka. Valentina Tolkunova's first band was the vocal and instrumental orchestra "VIO-66", which was led by the future husband of the artist. There, the young singer performed songs to jazz music, and later began a solo career.

Music

A stellar start for the creative biography of the young artist was the performance of songs based on poems by Mikhail Ancharov and music by Ilya Kataev for the musical accompaniment of the film “Day by Day.” After the release of the film, the song performed by Valentina Tolkunova, “Standing at a half-station,” was sung by the whole country. The singer instantly became famous, and the record with musical compositions did not linger on the shelves of music stores. Later, at the Artloto competition, the young singer won first prize with this hit.

Valentina Tolkunova's first solo performance took place in 1972 as part of an anniversary concert. The artist performed the song “Ah, Natasha,” and since the concert was broadcast on television, the young singer was seen and heard by an audience of millions. Together with the aspiring artist, they appeared on stage that evening. It was there that Valentina Tolkunova first met with, a singer whom the girl had idolized since childhood.

Soon the artist’s repertoire was replenished with musical compositions by Eduard Kolmanovsky and Mark Minkov. And since 1973, Tolkunova regularly became a participant in the “Song of the Year” television competition. The singer’s melodious, gentle voice made her a truly people’s artist. Sacks of letters from viewers came to television with requests to see their favorite singer perform again.

Valentina began appearing in the programs “Morning Mail”, “Blue Light”, as well as at creative evenings of outstanding composers from the Hall of Columns of the House of Unions.

The second wave of fame overtook Tolkunova after the premiere of the song “Talk to me, Mom” on All-Union Radio. The composer wrote it for, but after hearing the composition performed by Tolkunova, he changed his mind.

The highlight of Tolkunova was that the artist always sang about people and for people; Soviet slogans and socio-political overtones were virtually absent from the repertoire, which was rare for that time. For Valentina, every song is someone’s destiny, someone’s life story.

In 1975, a fateful meeting between Tolkunova and her stage partner, instrumentalist and composer David Ashkenazi, took place. Colleagues collaborated for 18 years. The hit they performed together was the romance “The Gray-Eyed King” with music and poetry.

The songs “I Can’t Do Otherwise”, “Silver Weddings”, “Evening of School Friends” were extremely popular. Tolkunova’s voice also sounded in the soundtracks of famous films and cartoons. For example, in the cartoon “Winter in Prostokvashino” the singer performed the composition “If only there were no winter”, and in the melodrama “Romance of Lovers” - “Lullaby”, in the comedy “Bride from the North” - “White Fluff”.

And, of course, we can’t help but mention the children’s song “Tired Toys Are Sleeping,” which became the theme song for the evening program “Good Night, Kids!”, on which more than one generation of children was brought up. Another children's song by Tolkunova - “Snub Noses” - was especially loved by fans of the singer’s talent.

In 1979, Valentina Tolkunova gave her first solo concert. Creative evenings consisted of popular and folk songs, but more and more often the singer began to pay attention to musical compositions about the Great Patriotic War, the first of which was “If There Was No War.” Over the course of 10 years, the artist’s repertoire included 22 songs about her wartime fate, which Tolkunova released as a separate album.

Tolkunova’s talent required new forms, and in 1986, the opera “Russian Women” came out from the pen of Ilya Kataev, which was created with Tolkunova’s performance in mind. The opera premiered at the Rossiya Concert Hall. In the same year, the artist made her debut in the full-length musical film “I Believe in Rainbows” directed by Vitaly Fetisov.

A year later, the singer organized the Moscow Theater of Musical Drama and Song, whose productions “Splashes of Champagne”, “Waiting”, “How to Be Happy” enjoyed special love from the audience. The last concert production was the solo musical program “Today I will break my vows of silence,” which appeared on the theater stage in 2010.

In the 2000s, Tolkunova’s repertoire was replenished mainly with spiritual songs - “My Angel”, “Christmas Night”, “Save and Preserve”, “Prayer”. Thanks to the album “My Invented Man,” which included songs by the author Vasily Popov, Valentina Tolkunova received an award from the international charitable foundation “Russian Culture.”

Personal life

In the first ensemble, Valentina Tolkunova met the composer and conductor, who became her first husband, but this marriage lasted only 6 years. The big difference in age had an effect, because the singer was only 19 years old at the time of the marriage, and her husband was 37.

Three years after the divorce, Tolkunova met the elegant international journalist Yuri Paporov at a social evening at the Mexican embassy. The romance developed rapidly, and after a couple of months the lovers became husband and wife. Soon, a son, Nikolai, was born, the only child of the People's Artist. But Valentina did not achieve female happiness in her second marriage. Yuri Paporov traveled on business trips abroad, and at one time was absent from home for 10 years.

According to the singer’s former director Nikolai Basin, Valentina had another romantic page in her personal life, connected with the name of physicist Vladimir Baranov. Valentina called this man “a husband from God,” but neither he nor she decided to leave their families. The woman lived with Yuri Paporov until the last days of her life, and her husband outlived his wife by only a month and a half.

Valentina Tolkunova was always drawn to the church, and later joined the church. The singer even purchased a house not far from the monastery in order to be able to devote more time to church services and prayers. In addition, the artist financially helped the restoration of churches by giving charity concerts.

Illness and death

Back in 1992, Valentina Tolkunova was diagnosed with breast cancer. After surgery and a course of chemotherapy, the disease subsided, but 16 years later it returned. And later, the singer was additionally diagnosed with a brain tumor. Valentina Vasilievna refused to go under the knife again and continued to tour.

The singer gave her last concert on February 16, 2010 in Mogilev, after which the woman was hospitalized. Since then, Tolkunova has been in the hospital, but the doctors’ help was no longer effective. On March 22, the singer fell into a coma and died a few hours later. Metastases caused the artist’s death.

The singer was buried at the Troyekurovskoye cemetery, where relatives and fans are now visiting. On the grave next to the sculptural statue there is a portrait photo of the singer.

Discography

• 1972 - “I’m standing at a stop”
• 1974 - “Year of Love”
• 1976 - “The haymaking showers are already ringing”
• 1980 - “At the New Year’s tree”
• 1981 - “If there were no war”
• 1986 - “Conversation with a Woman”
• 1995 - “I can’t do otherwise”
• 1997 - “I’m a country girl”
• 2002 - “My Invented Man”
• 2011 - “How to be happy”

According to the agency, the singer had cancer. Tolkunova was hospitalized after a concert in the Belarusian city of Mogilev on February 16. Later she was transferred to the Botkin Hospital.

Valentina Tolkunova was born on July 12, 1946 in Armavir. In 1966, she began singing jazz music in a big band led by Yuri Saulsky. Five years later, Tolkunova graduated from the Gnessin Music College. The singer gained popularity in 1972 after a performance in the Hall of Columns.

Since 1973, Tolkunova has worked as a soloist of the Mosconcert. In 1989, on the basis of the Mosconcert, the Creative Association "ART" was created, the artistic director of which was Tolkunova. In 1987, she was awarded the title of People's Artist of the RSFSR.

Tolkunova worked with many Soviet songwriters - Eduard Kolmanovsky, Mikael Tariverdiev, Pavel Aedonitsky, Viktor Uspensky, Lyudmila Lyadova, Alexandra Pakhmutova.

The songs “I’m Standing at a Half-Station,” “I Can’t Do Otherwise,” “Snub Noses,” “In everything I want to get to the very essence,” “I’m a villager,” “Talk to me, mom,” and others brought people’s love to the singer.

People's Artist Valentina Tolkunova died in the Botkin Hospital in Moscow after a long illness.

The day before, the Soviet pop legend, one of the country’s most beloved singers, who so courageously hid her illness, was transferred to the intensive care unit.

On Saturday night, Valentina Vasilievna asked to bring her a priest. The priest performed the procedure of unction right in the ward. Valentina Vasilievna was conscious for the last hours...

As Life News learned, today at 6 am Tolkunova fell into a coma, after which she was connected to a ventilator. The famous singer died at about 8 o'clock in the morning.

Unfortunately, all the doctors' efforts were in vain.

The most charming, lyrical, beautiful, smart, professional, kind singer has left,” Vladimir Vinokur told Life News. - And our snub noses stopped breathing. This is a huge misfortune... Because many generations of people have worshiped and continue to worship her art. Terrible tragedy! Only 2 days ago I told about her that Valechka is life-loving, she can cope with all ailments. But, apparently, our desires do not always coincide with the capabilities of the human body. I'm grieving, I'm crying...

“I’m in a state of shock, this is a terrible loss,” says Tolkunova’s close friend Lev Leshchenko, “I need to come to my senses, get myself together, there are no words... It’s very hard to lose loved ones. Sadness and sorrow. She was truly a great singer, a great citizen, a great patriot, an honest, decent, beautiful singer. I visited her three days ago. We talked for an hour and a half straight. I left her my book, where there is a whole chapter about her. Valentina talked about how she needed to do something, prepare performances. I advised her to talk into the recorder. We sat with her for a long time, and she was in normal condition. And the day before yesterday she suddenly became ill, and she was transferred to intensive care. Third people told me about this and I didn’t believe it. It's a sad event, I don't want to talk about it...

“Well, what can you say at such a moment,” sighs Nelly Kobzon. - Huge regret, frustration, bitterness! Young, beautiful, kind - she had no enemies. I worked a lot with my husband and we were friends. Our children were born at the same time: my daughters and her Kolya. We knew each other for 40 years. For me it all happened suddenly. Of course, I knew that she was sick, but it seemed to me that the doctors with her diagnosis would delay her longer. Alas...

Valentina Tolkunova's father worked in the railway system. The year Valya was born, he and his family were on a long business trip to Armavir. When little Valya turned one year old, the family moved to Moscow. But, despite the fact that the Tolkunovs have no relatives in Armavir, the residents of this city consider Valentina Tolkunova a fellow countryman.

For the last three years, Valentina Vasilyevna, together with her brother, came to our concerts,” the Armavir cultural department told Life News. “Meeting her was always a huge holiday for the townspeople.

In 2008, the city administration presented Valentina Vasilyevna with a birth certificate, which stated that Armavir is the birthplace of the great singer. Valentina Tolkunova's next concert in Armavir was scheduled for September 2010.

“We contacted Valentina Vasilievna’s mother two weeks ago to clarify the exact date of arrival,” the Armavir administration told Life News. “But the elderly woman was heartbroken. Barely holding back tears, she said: “The concert will not take place. Valya is sick. Pray for her."

The last time I saw Valechka was at a concert dedicated to the day of the lifting of the Siege. I talked to her that day. I asked her how she was feeling, Valentina told me that everything was fine with her, recalls Edita Piekha. - There was not a hint of illness. She was the kindest and strongest woman. There will no longer be a second Tolkunova. She and I were somewhere on the same wavelength, but she was Russian, and this was her advantage over me. She had her own large audience, her own fans. She never complained about her health and always looked sleek and well-groomed. I remember how her eyes shone during our last meeting...

Shortly before the death of Valentina Tolkunova, she was hospitalized in the hospital named after. Botkina a month ago, she refused chemotherapy. The son of the famous artist told Life News about this last week. According to Nikolai Tolkunov, doctors suggested that Valentina Vasilievna be transferred to another clinic and undergo a course of chemotherapy, but the singer refused, citing the fact that she felt much better.

On March 8, we visited my mother, she did not respond to congratulations, did not contact anyone, was resting,” Valentina Vasilievna’s son Nikolai told Life News. - Doctors say that everything is fine now, she is getting better.

The improvement turned out to be temporary. The body of the 63-year-old singer could not cope with the serious illness.

In the last months before her death, Valentina Tolkunova rarely gave interviews. The singer did not like to talk about her struggle with a serious illness, which lasted for many years. Bedridden, even in this state she smiled and said: a miracle will definitely happen...

“Everything is fine with me,” Tolkunova told a Life News correspondent in the first days of hospitalization at Botkinskaya after the fatal tour in Belarus. - I think that the changeable weather was to blame. Due to temperature changes, many people suffer from high blood pressure. This is a completely natural story.

- How do you feel now?

I'm alive and well. I am no longer in intensive care, but in a simple ward. It turned out that I had very high blood pressure. But the doctors gave me a pill, gave me an IV, and I got back on my feet. Now I laugh and talk to you. Human love saves everyone. All glory to God, so rejoice and don't worry. The most important thing is that I am in a great mood.

- When do you plan to return to Moscow?

I don’t know yet, returning to Moscow depends on my well-being. So I can go home at any time. They treat me great here. There are no questions about service, everything is at the best level and with the highest friendliness. In general, Moscow is not far off. We postponed the concert in Minsk, I come here every year. People in Belarus love me, they treasure me and know my repertoire. Hopefully I'll come here again soon.