After the release of the film “We are from jazz” Sklyar received the nickname Old Piano, although at that time he was only 26 years old.
The love of the audience for Igor Sklyar brought the role of the pianist Kostya Ivanov in the musical comedy by Karen Shakhnazarov “We are from jazz.” Well, when he sang “Komarovo” in the film “Start Again”, where he played a pop star, the fame of the popular artist finally settled behind him.
On the eve of the anniversary, Igor Sklyar held a press conference and answered questions from journalists.
After the release of the film “We are from Jazz”, Sklyar was nicknamed the Old Piano (after the name of the song he performed), although he was only 26 years old at that time. But as soon as he appeared on the street, he heard the following: “There went the Old Piano.” At that time, he sang jazz only in movies. But when the artist turned 60, he began to engage seriously and now sings jazz shows with professional musicians. “Jazz is the kind of thing you have to learn. And the sooner the better,” says Sklyar. On the other hand, it is never too late to learn. Sklyar also plays in the theater. And he continues to act in films, not always imagining the end result: “cinema always surprises”.
In his youth, Igor Sklyar was not engaged in jazz, but in boxing, which helped him in yard fights.
– I was not a punk, but I took part in adventures in the garden, which often ended in a fight, – says Sklyar. – Therefore, one had to be able to run fast, fight well, or have some kind of authority. Something to be able to do. For example, I used to play soccer very well. Or here: you could eat a whole lemon. He also knew how to blow bubbles out of his eyes.
Photo: GLOBAL LOOK PRESS
In Kursk (in the homeland of the artist – Ed.) We had a very interesting house. Three plants. We lived on the territory of a former convent. I was a very intelligent child. It happened when one of the neighbors slammed the door, they asked me to enter the apartment through the balcony and open the door from the inside. To do this, they had to descend by a rope from the roof of the house. If the balcony was closed, I could climb through the window. And such cases were repeated more than once or twice. Of course, a guy with such abilities was in our yard with authority…
Igor got the first role – Nikolai Maslenok in the film “Jung of the Northern Fleet” by accident
Igor Sklyar has been acting in films since 1973. He got the first role – Nikolai Maslenok in the film “Jung of the Northern Fleet” by chance as a teenager – an assistant director of the Gorky film studio saw a pretty Sklyar on an excursion on the subway and invited him to audition.
“After the film was released, my popularity was deafening,” recalls Sklyar. – At the age of 16 I became the most popular guy in Kursk. The house phone rang continuously, the fans were chasing him. All-Union recognition came after the release of “We are from Jazz”. And it was a heavy load of glory.
It was impossible to enter the restaurant. They know it everywhere. Surely someone from the next table: old man, do you want to drink with us? And you can not refuse: immediately an insult, or even a scandal. Karen Shakhnazarov’s film was so successful that I was offered the same type of roles in the cinema – a cheerful, sincere, smiling guy. But I wanted something more…
Still from the movie “Start Over”
Igor Sklyar does not believe that 65 years is some kind of special date.
– This is such an age between the past and the future, – says the artist. – Although exactly the same can be said of any age. I try to stay active. I sleep 4-5 hours at night. True, during the day I allow myself to take a nap before the show.
– How do you plan to celebrate the round date?
– There will be a small celebration, but without scope. 18 is a mystical number for me. On December 18 I was born. On July 18 (2004) my father died, on October 18 (1997) my mother died. On the 18th I had a heart attack, again I had an accident. So on this day I try to be calm.
Although before his birthdays, for example, the 50th anniversary, he celebrated widely. Guests came, a large group of friends. Everyone knew that Sklyar would definitely have pickles, dumplings and vodka on the table. So they said: let’s go for dumplings with vodka. Now I celebrate my birthday without dumplings. They take a long time to carve and are eaten quickly. I do not drink alcohol. The only bad habit left is smoking.
But I try to collect friends from my youth, my classmates. I want to see, hear and look into the eyes of my youth.
Sklyar lives in Pavlovsk with his wife, actress Natalya Akimova, and their son Vasily. In a house that he built himself.
Igor Sklyar at his dacha in Pavlovsk. TASS Photo / Yuri Belinsky
– I live where we used to come as students and where I always liked it a lot. I wanted to live in Pavlovsk. There is a unique landscape park, which is not found anywhere else in the world. I almost got lost in this park once when I was walking with my little son. And suddenly Anatoly Alexandrovich Sobchak ordered to give us land in Pavlovsk. It was in the mid 90’s. I have been building a house for ten years. And now I have not only a house, but also a garden, and a horse in the stable, and fish in the pond. Every time I come home from the city (St. Petersburg) after a performance, I think: what a wonderful place I live in!
In addition to the horse and the fish in the pond, Igor Sklyar has a large collection of musical instruments, enough for an entire orchestra. There are flutes, several harmonicas, a small saxophone that was left over from his father and his own mandolin, six guitars, maracas, a 19th century violin…
“I don’t collect instruments on purpose,” explains Sklyar. – But somehow they meet at my house. Money is fashion and creativity is harmony. When Dostoevsky said that beauty would save the world, I think he was referring precisely to harmony…
