I'm not in Kyiv and I couldn't visit my father's grave when it was six months since his death. Instead, I took myself to Vagankovskoe Cemetery here today, to lay flowers to the graves of Vladimir Vysotsky and Rufina Nifontova (link in Russian), two people who, in different ways, have always meant a lot to our family, and so, in a way, I felt as if I got to spend some time with papa.
Actor Aleksandr Abdulov, who died of cancer on Jan. 3, is also buried there:
Thanks for the pics, Neeka!
ReplyDeleteVysotsky went down as a true legend. He went down as the #1 alternative artist in the Brezhnev era, also known as the zastoi (stagnation) era. Immensely popular for his non-conformist lyrics, he sang on the razor blade of being banned.
Nifontova and Abdulov were great actors, too. I just recalled how Abdulov and Vysotsky played on opposite sides of the barricade in Mesto Vstrechi Izmenit Nelzya.
And by the way, Adrian J. Erlinger, who blogs at Leopolis, has wonderful translations of Vysotsky.
I just watched Channel 5, and they ran a short segment dedicated to Vysotsky, who would have turned 70 today.
ReplyDeleteMan, I completely blocked out Abdulov's death. I just wanted to pretend that he'd fight it, and win.
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