The Maly Theater has announced the tragic death of Ekaterina Vasilyeva, a promising young actress, who passed away on August 15 due to an accident. Vasilyeva, a student of renowned actor and director Yuri Mefodievich Solomin, had been with the Maly Theater since 2011, gradually rising through the ranks to play prominent roles on its stage.
Vasilyeva’s talent was evident early in her career. As a student, she earned a diploma for completing the Commedia dell’arte course under the tutelage of teachers from the Piccolo Teatro di Milano. She also participated in collaborative projects between the Maly Theater and the Union of Theaters of Europe and spent several years teaching at the Shchepkin Institute, where she had been a student.
Throughout her time at the Maly Theater, Vasilyeva showcased her versatility by taking on a wide range of roles. She began with smaller parts but soon advanced to more significant characters, including Sophia in Fonvizin’s The Minor, Henrietta of England in Dumas père’s The Youth of Louis XIV, and the Tsarina in Pushkin’s The Tale of Tsar Saltan. Her portrayal of Sophia Famusova in Griboyedov’s Woe from Wit in 2014 was considered a critical turning point in her career, marking her creative maturity.
The theater expressed deep sorrow over her untimely death, noting that many roles and opportunities for further professional growth were left unfulfilled. They emphasized that her life, which was full of promise, was cut short just as she was reaching new heights in her career.
Vasilyeva was married to actor Dmitry Voronin, with whom she had a daughter in March. A farewell ceremony for the actress is scheduled to take place at the Maly Theater on August 20 at 12 p.m.