Barbie: One of her admirers admit that Madame Viardot's "stunningly ugly." But it was an exceptional personality with wit, charm and grace. General, few women in history, which would have been in love so many men. And above all Turgenev - for four decades.
and: What spodviglo her to go to Petersburg, where she served three seasons in a row?
Barbie: Thank Viardot thundered across Europe, and the Directorate of Imperial Theaters invited the singer, offered a very lucrative contract. She paid 60 thousand rubles per season, while the Russian soloists - only 4 thousand. Her voice is subdued Nicholas I. He came on stage, kissed her hand and then brought to the royal box. Viardot, which applauded in European capitals, considered the most brilliant Russia's imperial court. Russia called his second home.
and: Turgenev diva fell in love with at first sight?
Barbie: No doubt. They met during her first season in St. Petersburg in November 1843. He worshiped and Paulina in her face - the whole of France, which is idealized. Pauline seemed unreachable idol. And their attitude is to be included in the category banal communication.
and: You say that between Pauline and Ivan Sergeyevich were exclusively platonic relationship?
Barbie: Perhaps in the early years of their acquaintance between them something and it was - no one knows. But I am absolutely convinced that Pauline and her husband Louis Viardot, a writer and art critic, would not have lived together for more than forty years, whether Turgenev, the singer's lover.
and: Nevertheless, Turgenev in his notebook in Russian wrote: "I was the first time AP 26 June 1849. By the time he was familiar with Viardot for six years.
Barbie: This is the only phrase which gives food speculation. Turgenev himself said that Madame Viardot its associated unique relationship that no one can understand. There can be no question of a love triangle.
and: Ivan Sergeyevich feelings were stronger than the feelings of Pauline?
Barbie: No doubt. Turgenev was madly in love with Madame Viardot throughout life. Polina respected him as a close and dear person, and admired his writing skills. At times, his presence was a little irked family Viardot. For example, in Baden-Baden, he built a house next to their villa. When they returned to Paris, Turgenev asked permission to remove the third floor of their mansion on the Rue de Douai. In the suburb of Bougival, about fifty meters from the house where dwelt Viardot, built his own cottage. And until his death from his bedroom window he could see Pauline.
and: Some biographers believe Turgenev father of her son Paul ...
Barbie: Tom is no evidence. However, for some time myself, Paul, and later his son, hinted that are descendants of the Russian writer.
and: The letters of Madame Viardot calls him "dear Turgenev", "Turgenev, my dear" or "Turgel, but never - by name. For his part, Ivan Sergeyevich in an extensive correspondence refers to her "dear Madame Viardot's" ...
Barbie: I never called Pauline. This only confirms the special nature of their romance. I think that Turgenev never wanted to destroy the couple Viardot. He sometimes suffered from depression, but was happy when he was next to Pauline. To some extent, Madame Viardot play the role of the mother. Turgenev wrote to her: "If I was a tree, you are both my roots, and crown!" It was for him a kind of fetish. So, he asked her to send in an envelope-cropped fingernails or a dried flower that lay in her shoe.
and: And how all this attitude husband?
Barbie: Louis Viardot associated with Turgenev friendship and common hobbies - hunting, literature. He also helped him in translating books into French.
and: As I understand, Paulina hated natural daughter of Turgenev Pelageya, crossed again in the Pauline?
Barbie: I Turgenev's been a very difficult relationship with his daughter. She first saw her father when she was eight years old - went to France and came with a family Viardot. Of course, conflicts with a foster family - and with Madame Viardot, and with her children - were inevitable.
and: Why is the daughter of Ivan Sergeyevich deprived of inheritance?
Barbie: He did offer her comfortable existence. But it is amazing what a great legacy he left his daughter, Madame Viardot - Claude ... All this is very puzzling: perhaps Claudie was his daughter?
and: In life, Turgenev were, of course, other hobbies?
Barbie: I think that there Turgenev's "ordinary" women with whom he engaged in sexual intercourse. And the one and only Pauline Viardot - Woman with a capital letter.
and: Madame Viardot was generously endowed and other gifts, in addition to the music.
Barbie: She was fluent in five languages, well-sung in Russian. Perfectly painted - took lessons from Delacroix and left a splendid portrait of Turgenev. They are now in a museum in the Paris suburb of Bougival.
and: Madame Viardot was a true friend. She stayed near the dying Ivan Sergeevich.
Barbie: Yes. Strikingly, Louis Viardot, and Ivan Turgenev - companions throughout her life - died almost simultaneously, with an interval of five months. She selflessly took care of both. Turgenev was dictated to her his last stories. One of his last visited Maupassant ... A few minutes before his death, he saw Pauline, Turgenev, said: "This is the queen of queens, how much good it did!"
and: Despite all my love to Madame Viardot and to France, Turgenev wanted to be buried in Russia.
Barbie: A month after his death, September 19 (1 October) 1883, Pauline Viardot, organized a ceremony of farewell with Turgenev at North Station in Paris. The coffin with his body was accompanied by her daughter in St. Petersburg Claudy ...
http://www.izvestia.ru/culture/article3137080/