Denis Matsuev is one of the few classical music performers whose popularity rivals that of some pop stars. At the piano he is a virtuoso and a genius, and in ordinary life- like one of us: he loves to take a steam bath, swim in Lake Baikal, is a fan of the football "Spartak" and he himself is not averse to running the ball.

Matsuev has long been considered an enviable bachelor, openly admitting that he does not consider the stamp in the passport to be something important.

Becoming

Such talent could only be born in musical family: Denis's father is a composer and pianist, his mother taught piano at a music school. The family lived in Irkutsk until Denis was 15 years old. Then it became obvious that he would have to break away from his familiar place to Moscow - only there the boy could get access to the best teachers.


The last argument in favor of the move for Denis was his father's promise that he would be able to watch the game of his beloved Spartak right at the stadium.

“My parents are amazing musicians ... They made unprecedented sacrifices for me: leaving everything, they moved to Moscow to live with me in a one-room apartment,” Matsuev said. “Nothing has changed in our family: as it was when I sat at the piano at the age of three and my dad studied with me, so, in general, it is now”.

In Moscow, Denis first entered the school at the Moscow Conservatory, and a year later became a laureate of the New Names International Charitable Public Foundation. So in the life of a sixteen-year-old boy, the first tours arose - Matsuev visited more than 40 countries with performances and began to imagine what his life would be like in the future.


After graduating from the conservatory, the pianist conquered the next peak - he won in the XI International competition them. Tchaikovsky. Then he will say: instead of watching the performances of other competitors, he followed the matches of the World Cup - and this helped him to win.

Since then, Denis Matsuev regularly gives several hundred concerts a year. Finding time for a personal life with such a schedule is difficult - but he did it.

Ballerina

Ekaterina Shipulina also moved to Moscow from the provinces and also followed in the footsteps of her parents: the girl's mother danced ballet in Perm, and her daughter went on and conquered Moscow. After graduating from the Moscow Choreographic School, Shipulina was admitted to the Bolshoi Theater, where she gradually got to the main roles.

Together with Katya, in the life of Denis Matsuev, in addition to Music, Dance also entered.

“I'm not serious about marriage with a stamp in my passport. I am satisfied with what is happening in my personal life now, and I don’t think about the cliché. The stamp and love do not always coincide, "said Denis in an interview with the Snob project, avoiding answering a question about his personal life.

But the secret still became apparent. Increasingly, on endless trips around the world, the musician was accompanied by Ekaterina Shipulina. Her own touring schedule was no less busy, but the couple tried not to miss any opportunity to be together.


Once, between performances in St. Petersburg, he had a window of one day - Shipulina at that moment was with the Bolshoi troupe in Nottingham, England. In a couple of hours Matsuev managed to organize a flight to England, spent the day with his beloved and returned back in the evening.

A family

The fans understood that the couple was thinking about the child from Catherine's careful statements about motherhood. The profession of a ballerina often becomes an obstacle for a woman to give birth to a child. But Shipulina thought differently.

In an interview, she noted that she is not afraid of the difficulties that pregnancy can bring to her career. And she cited her own mother as an example - after the birth of two children, she managed to return to the stage.

In October 2016, Ekaterina Shipulina gave birth to a daughter, Anna. When asked how her birth changed his life, Matsuev sadly jokes - there is a chance for any changes only after 2021.

“Before that, unfortunately, I already have everything planned. A simple example today: I flew in from Tel Aviv, yesterday I had a concert there with Zubin Meta, the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra, tomorrow I have a concert in St. Petersburg, at Oktyabrsky, we are playing a jazz program. So I have time to come to my favorite studio (the Evening Urgant program), and I have an hour to see Anna Denisovna, ”says the pianist.

Another star guest of Ivan Urgant's show was famous pianist Denis Matsuev. The musician managed to find a loophole in his busy schedule to come to the "Evening Urgant" show and freely talk about work and personal life.

ON THIS TOPIC

Ivan congratulated Denis on paternity and asked a few questions about the child. Usually Matsuev was extremely evasive about this topic with reporters, but now he finally stopped hiding the details. So, it turned out that the daughter, whom the ballerina Ekaterina Shipulina gave him, was decided to be named Anna. According to Denis, despite being very busy, he manages to combine work and personal life. Moreover, he always hurries home, where his beloved woman and daughter are waiting for him.

"I have a visit to you, and I have an hour to see Anna Denisovna," Matsuev noted, making it clear to Ivan Urgant what a difficult schedule he lives in. As the pianist said, the daughter has already learned to distinguish between various musical works, because he is trying to instill in the heiress a taste for good music, as well as develop her hearing.

Matsuev spoke about the preferences of the baby. "Her favorite work is Stravinsky's Petrushka. She really does not like Liszt's second concert," the pianist said. After that, Matsuev showed how his daughter reacted to his music, suddenly crying out.

According to the musician, if he had a son, he would have called him Spartacus. Denis is a fan of the football club of the same name, who carefully follows all the events that take place in the life of the team. One can only assume how Matsuev was happy with the victory of “Spartak”, which became the Champion of Russia. According to Denis, he fell in love with football thanks to ... his grandmother.

Recall that back in September 2016, information appeared on the Web that the prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Theater Ekaterina Shipulina is expecting a child from Denis Matsuev. However, neither the pianist nor the dancer responded in any way to the messages. According to some reports, the girl was born at the end of October. Shipulina quickly returned to form and is already rehearsing with might and main, as evidenced by her photographs in social network Instagram. At the same time, its privacy Ekaterina Prefers not to advertise.

How many talented musicians, singers, artists the world received less because the parents "pressed" on the child and forced him to study. The result - the craving for art completely disappears, and humanity loses another genius. The biography of Denis Matsuev, a talented academic and jazz pianist, is a case of "the opposite".

Denis Matsuev's childhood

In Irkutsk, Siberia, on June 11, 1975, a boy, Denis Matsuev, was born, whose family knew firsthand about the art world. Denis's grandfather worked in a circus orchestra, my mother taught music, my father was a leader in the city drama theater, wrote music.

Denis Matsuev as a child, 11 years old

The child received the first soft impetus to the development of talent at the age of 4, when his parents noticed that he had hearing and the ease with which he, like a child, but already competently reproduced well-known melodies.

Although Denis began to seriously study music in early childhood, no one at school could call him a "nerd": he was cheerful, sociable, and at that time he was a fan of football and hockey! Denis was so carried away by this that he broke his hand twice on the rink.


The music, which he was intended, did not let go, reminded with all its might of itself. As the classmate of the genius Dina Ivanova said, he sang loudly between lessons, running around the school, a tune from "Izaura's Slave", a series that everyone was fascinated with at that time.

The beginning of the career of Denis Matsuev

An outstanding pianist always emphasizes that it was his parents who lovingly guided him in childhood and adolescence to musical fame. For the sake of their son and his future, they left their settled life in Irkutsk, moved to Moscow, rented a tiny apartment, if only Denis would continue to study in the capital.

Music school at the Conservatory. Tchaikovsky, where Denis Matsuev began his studies in 1990, three more years at the Moscow Conservatory - this is it, the beginning of the path to great success. The New Names public charitable foundation organizes contests for young geniuses. Thanks to them, Denis got the opportunity to demonstrate his talent in England, France and more than 40 countries around the world.


Denis studied in the class of Professor Sergei Dorensky

Having won at the XI International Competition. Tchaikovsky in 1998, a young graduate of the Conservatory literally "blew up" the musical world with his talent. Until now, the pianist considers this victory in the competition one of the main achievements. Moreover, he ensured his success with an unusual style of performance: instead of the usual, dry academic, he chose a concert style.

The year 2004 was significant in that the musician presented his personal annual subscription "Soloist Denis Matsuev" as part of the Moscow Philharmonic concerts. Famous groups were involved in the concerts, among them - the Soloists' Orchestra under the direction of Spivakov.

The contract with SONY BMG Music Entertainment gave a new impetus to the fact that even more music fans learned about Denis Matsuev: discs with recordings of his performances were sold out instantly.

World fame Denis Matsuev

Now in this talented musician, a tall and attractive man, it is difficult to recognize a boy whom the physical education teacher at school, because of his small stature, jokingly called "Gritsatsuyev".


Matsuev has kept his love for football since childhood

Having never imagined his life without football in childhood, Denis Matsuev still retained his athletic fervor and an unconventional, lively approach to music. An important event in the career of a pianist - the release in 2015 of the solo disc "Unknown Rachmaninov" at the suggestion of the composer's grandson.

Alexander Rachmaninov signed a friendly agreement with Matsuev: the pianist will record a disc, performing previously unknown fugue and suite, if he quits smoking (the musician has fulfilled the agreement, by the way). The project was also unusual in that the music was performed on Rachmaninoff's personal grand piano.


Matsuev quit smoking to play Rachmaninov's unpublished works

Festivals and concerts, various musical projects - it is impossible to list everything that Denis Matsuev does. He is a regular participant in the annual autumn international festival "Stars of Baikal" in Irkutsk, artistic director of the forum for a new generation of musicians Crescendo. The international competition for young pianists Astana Piano Passion can boast that Denis is its artistic director.

Orchestra of Milan La Scala, Symphony Royal Scottish National Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, symphony orchestras of the USA, France, Germany - far from full list collectives with which Denis Matsuev collaborates. Charitable foundation"New Names", whose pupil Denis was, is now proud that Matsuev is its president.

A concert anywhere in the world of this pianist is a sold-out and instantly sold tickets. According to the newspaper Le Devoir (Montreal), Denis Matsuev is not just a genius: he is passionate and generous in the manner of bringing music to the public, his performance technique is perfect, at the same time free and natural.

The talented musician is actively involved in charity work. For example, in June 2017, he gave a concert for visually impaired young musicians in Krasnodar. He not only played, but also after the concert talked with the children who came to his performance.

Personal life of Denis Matsuev

An ingenious pianist, talented leader, philanthropist, Denis is a happy husband and father. The press did not disregard the marriage to the example of the ballerina of the Bolshoi Theater Ekaterina Shipulina and the birth of her daughter Anna in October 2016, but there was a minimum of comments from the "star" of events.


According to Denis himself, he does not feel the need to talk about his personal life. The main thing for him is happiness in the family, and he does not take offense at journalists for annoying interest, this is their job.

Denis Matsuev's hobbies

Sport, childhood hobby, still does not release Denis from captivity: he plays football, tennis, attends bowling, is a fan of Spartak.


Denis Matsuev is a fan of Spartak

A real Siberian, he goes to the bathhouse with pleasure, makes forays to Lake Baikal with his friends. Siberian forests, he said, are a place where he can wander, shout and throw out energy in nature.


Denis loves to relax in nature

A fan of the Sovremennik theater, Denis Matsuev is very friendly with Galina Volchek. The musician is passionate about not only the classics. For example, the project "Jazz with Friends", in his words, is the improvisation of jazz with classical hands.


Very cultured, impeccably brought up and even a little old-fashioned - in a word, a true gentleman. Such is the still very young, but already world-famous pianist Denis Matsuev. He is loved and expected everywhere: wherever he comes, the halls of the conservatory are full to overflowing!

Denis Leonidovich Matsuev - short biography

Russian virtuoso pianist and musical and public figure.

National artist RF, laureate of the RF State Prize.

In 2004, Denis Matsuev organized an international festival "Stars on Baikal", which now takes place every year in Irkutsk.

Artistic director of the Crescendo competition is a forum for young musicians, which has been held since 2003.

In his native Irkutsk, he opened a concert hall for 60 people, it is called the "House of Music of Denis Matsuev". The city also does not forget about Denis - in 2001, the musician Matsuev was awarded the title of "Honorary Resident of Irkutsk".

Denis Matsuev prefers to keep silent about his personal life, however, he was not married, no children.

In the biography of a young guy from Irkutsk, Denis Matsuev, there was no chance of avoiding a profession related to music! His parents were directly connected with the world of harmony of sounds. Music teacher mom and leading composer at the theater school dad - figuratively speaking, the entire childhood biography of Matsuev was accompanied by music.

When he was still very young, Denis greatly pleased his parents: he went up to the piano and played a melody from the weather forecast, which he heard every evening on the evening TV news program. Having looked at each other, mom and dad understood each other without words, and the son's future was decided. No, no, this does not mean at all that since then he was forced to sit at the keys and hammer on the boring solfeggio.

Enough time and with the boys in the yard to drive, and to come off at the hockey and football stadiums. Actually, he had no complaints about the piano either - he really liked it. Years later, in his interview, Denis will give his parents potential talents useful advice: don't make children play! Everyone needs their own time - someone an hour, someone four. And there is no point in coercion.

In order not to sacrifice their child's childhood for future achievements, intelligent adults have completely adjusted to it. Two grandmothers rushed to retire early, just to help the young talent, to look after him and in every possible way to encourage his desire to learn the game. Of course, very soon it all bore fruit!

At the age of 9, Denis played Haydn's concert with the Irkutsk Symphony Orchestra on the stage of the main city philharmonic society. Sounds impressive, doesn't it? Nevertheless, like any normal child, the guy sometimes rebelled: he was tired of his gift, and he tried to escape to the courtyard boys to play football, fight - in general, to do what a prodigy like him does not have in status. In addition, he just raved about sports!

In the capital, they learned about the young talent even before Denis graduated from school. Simultaneously with the certificate of secondary education, Matsuev received an invitation to study at the school at the conservatory. They took it without exams. Thousands of young pianists dream about it, but the chance fell young genius... The bright future itself went into the hands, but Denis rebelled - he did not want to leave Irkutsk.

Manipulations went into action: his father hinted that in the capital Denis would be able to attend the matches of the most famous football teams. Only after that the guy got on the Irkutsk - Moscow train. The whole family, having sacrificed their career, followed their son, and the grandmother sold her apartment for the sake of her future grandson.

So, Denis Matsuev came to Moscow with his parents and with 14 thousand dollars, which at that time was a very decent amount. Through absolutely a short time the boy won his first metropolitan competition, began to communicate with leading musicians and travel abroad. Wherever he did not perform!

And in the Vatican, and in Buckingham Palace, and even at the UN headquarters! But the modest Denis did not turn his nose up: of course, he liked all these capitals of the world, but he loved his homeland no less and traveled around Russia with tours in a reserved seat carriage. And when asked "Why?", He answered: "At the call of the heart."

Denis Matsuev - And sport, and piano, and love

Of course, the dream of not missing a single match of the beloved Spartak at Luzhniki has remained a dream - the tour schedule turned out to be too tight. But, despite this, Denis did not give up his hobby, but on the contrary, he himself became a player of the Starko football team. Once he even finished the Stars on Baikal festival with a football match - his fellow musicians became players.

"And what about Matsuev's personal life?" - you ask. Talking about it is taboo. In various interviews, he calls music the love of his life. Classical - as a wife, and jazz - as a mistress. "How so?" - the journalists ask in unison. A young, active, athletic, talented and world famous man still does not have a lady of the heart?

To all this, Denis replies that due to the tight schedule and constant flights, there is sorely not enough time for his personal life. However, a real man and should not bash the names of those with whom he meets. So what if newspapers, magazines and tabloids are full of his photos with beautiful strangers? There is no question of marriage or long-term relationships.

Denis Matsuev understands: his wife will not just accept his lifestyle. She will miss him all the time. Relationships where the family is sacrificed to work are easily destroyed, but is this what he strives for?

In general, Matsuev treats love very seriously and somewhat old-fashioned: he does not recognize communication on the Internet, Skype and SMS. He loves to look you in the eye, give flowers - in general, a romantic! 12992

Ekaterina Shipulina - prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Theater, Honored Artist of the Russian Federation (2009). She performs both classical and modern productions with equal ease. Her repertoire includes almost all ballet performances of the theater. Talented and sparkling, she immediately attracts the attention of the public. Starting her way with the corps de ballet, with the sixes in The Nutcracker and Giselle, the fours in La Bayadere, she was able to prove her right to solo roles in the most significant productions of the country's main musical theater.

It all began in Perm in 1979, when twins, Katya and Anya, were born in the "ballet family" of the Shipulins. In childhood, the girls spent a lot of time in the theater and therefore it was not surprising to anyone when, at the age of ten, the sisters entered the Perm State Choreographic School. In 1991, the parents accepted an invitation to the Moscow theater. Stanistavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko. When the question of transferring the sisters to Moscow arises, Anya completely unexpectedly refuses to continue her ballet classes. Unlike her, Katya enters the Moscow Choreographic Academy, where Lyudmila Litavkina becomes her teacher. At the beginning, the school has a hard time - increased loads and high requirements, and also additional special subjects that were not in Perm. But Ekaterina copes well with all the difficulties and in 1998 graduated with honors from the Academy and was accepted into the troupe of the Bolshoi Theater. Marina Kondratyeva became her new teachers, and later Tatyana Golikova and Nadezhda Gracheva. But her main and strictest teacher, of course, is her mother, Lyudmila Shipulina.

Repertoire of Ekaterina Shipulina

1998
Grand Pas (La Bayadère by L. Minkus, choreography by M. Petipa, Y. Grigorovich version)

1999
Friends to Giselle (Giselle by A. Adam, choreography by J. Coralli, J. Perrot, M. Petipa, V. Vasiliev version)
filly, Tsar Maiden (The Little Humpbacked Horse by R. Shchedrin, choreography by N. Androsov)
Mazurka (Chopiniana to music by F. Chopin, choreography by M. Fokine)
Queen of the Ball (Fantasy on a Casanova Theme to music by W. A. ​​Mozart, choreography by M. Lavrovsky)
Three Dryads, second variation in grand pas, Queen of the Dryads (Don Quixote by L. Minkus, choreography by M. Petipa, A. Gorsky, revised version by A. Fadeechev)

2000
"Two pairs" in the third movement ("Symphony in C" to music by J. Bizet, choreography by G. Balanchine)
The Heir's Wife (Russian Hamlet to music by L. van Beethoven and G. Mahler, choreography by B. Eifman) - Created by (world premiere)
Fairy of Gold, Fairy of Lilacs (The Sleeping Beauty by P. Tchaikovsky, choreography by M. Petipa, Y. Grigorovich's version)
Congo (Pharaoh's Daughter by C. Pugni, choreography by P. Lacotte after M. Petipa) - creator of the role
second variation in the painting Raymonda's Dreams (Raymonda by A. Glazunov, choreography by M. Petipa, Y. Grigorovich's version)
second variation in the painting "Shadows" ("La Bayadere")

2001
Mirta ("Giselle", editions by Y. Grigorovich and V. Vasiliev)
Polish Bride, Three Swans (Swan Lake by P. Tchaikovsky in the second version by Y. Grigorovich; fragments of choreography by M. Petipa, L. Ivanov, A. Gorsky are used)
Gamzatti ("La Bayadere")

2002
Odette-Odile ("Swan Lake")

2003
Classical Dancer (The Bright Stream by D. Shostakovich, choreography by A. Ratmansky)
Henrietta (Raymonda)
Esmeralda ("Cathedral Notre dame de paris"M. Jarre, choreography by R. Petit)
Seventh Waltz and Prelude (Chopiniana)

2004
Kitri ("Don Quixote")
pas de deux (Agon by I. Stravinsky, choreography by G. Balanchine)
soloist of the 4th movement (Symphony in C major)
Leading soloist (Yuri Krasavin's Magrittomania, choreography by Yuri Possokhov) - creator of the role at the Bolshoi Theater
Aegina (Spartacus by A. Khachaturian, choreography by Y. Grigorovich)

2005
Hermia (A Midsummer Night's Dream to music by F. Mendelssohn-Bartholdi and D. Ligeti, choreography by J. Neumeier)
Action (Omens to music by P. Tchaikovsky, choreography by L. Massine) - creator of the role in Russia
Soloist (Playing Cards by I. Stravinsky, choreography by A. Ratmansky) - was among the creators of this ballet

2006
Cinderella (Cinderella by S. Prokofiev, choreography by Y. Possokhov, director Y. Borisov)

2007
soloist (In the Upstairs Room by F. Glass, choreography by T. Tharp) - was among the creators of this ballet at the Bolshoi Theater
Mekhmene Banu (The Legend of Love by A. Melikov, choreography by Y. Grigorovich)
Gulnara (Le Corsaire by A. Adam, choreography by M. Petipa, production and new choreography by A. Ratmansky and Y. Burlaka) - creator of the role
soloist (Class Concert to music by A. Glazunov, A. Lyadov, A. Rubinstein, D. Shostakovich, choreography by A. Messerer)

2008
Soloist (Misericordes to music by A. Pärt, choreography by K. Wheeldon)
soloist of the first movement ("Symphony in C")
Jeanne, Mireille de Poitiers (The Flames of Paris by B. Asafiev, choreography by A. Ratmansky, choreography by V. Vainonen)
variation (Large classical pas from the ballet Paquita by L. Minkus, choreography by M. Petipa, production and new choreographic version by Y. Burlaka) - was among the creators
a couple in green (among the creators of the ballet at the Bolshoi Theater), a couple in yellow (Russian Seasons to music by L. Desyatnikov, choreography by A. Ratmansky)

2009
Medora (Le Corsaire) - made her debut on the Bolshoi Ballet tour in the USA

2010
soloist in Rubies (II part of the ballet Jewels) to music by I. Stravinsky, choreography by G. Balanchine) - participant in the premiere at the Bolshoi Theater
soloist (Serenade to music by P. Tchaikovsky, choreography by G. Balanchine)

2011
Fleur de Lys (La Esmeralda by C. Pugi, choreography by M. Petipa, production and new choreography by Y. Burlaka, V. Medvedev)
Florina (Lost Illusions by L. Desyatnikov, choreography by A. Ratmansky)
part in the ballet "Chroma" by J. Talbot, J. White (choreography by W. McGregor) - participant in the premiere at the Bolshoi Theater

2012
leading role in Emeralds (I part of the ballet Jewels) to music by G. Fauré (choreography by G. Balanchine)
soloist (Dream of Dream to music by S. Rachmaninoff, choreography by Y. Elo)

In 2001 and 2003. She took part in the R. Nureyev International Festival of Classical Ballet in Kazan (she danced the Lady of the Dryads in the Don Quixote ballet).
In 2011 she took part in a joint project of the Bolshoi Theater and the California Segerstrom Center for the Arts (Remansos to music by E. Granados staged by N. Duato, Dumka to music by P. Tchaikovsky staged by A. Barton, Cinque to music A. Vivaldi, choreography by M. Bigonzetti).

In 1999, the ballerina was awarded second prize at the International Competition "Luxembourg Prize", and in 2001 she was also second at the International Competition of Ballet Dancers in Moscow. In 2002 she received the Triumph Prize Youth Grant. In 2004, she was declared a laureate of the "Soul of Dance" prize, established by the "Ballet" magazine (nomination " Rising star"). In 2005, Ekaterina Shipulina became the winner of the "Golden Lyre" competition ("Woman's face of the year. Creative elite of Moscow").

On the pre-premiere days, rehearsals usually begin at ten in the morning and end at eleven in the evening, as well as performances and tours. Despite this, Catherine has time for sports (football, tennis, skating). The artist considers herself an extreme person. What is the case when the ballerina accidentally broke her arm at the beginning of the performance, but the dancer worked in such a way that the viewer did not even know about it. And Ekaterina is not against scuba diving or skydiving. We wish the ballerina new roles and happiness in the coming New Year!