A charming Soviet actress, familiar to the general public after her role in the first Soviet TV series “Walking Through Torment,” Svetlana Aleksandrovna Penkina is also known for being the wife and inspiration of the founder and soloist of the famous vocal-instrumental ensemble “Pesnyary” - Vladimir Mulyavin. The sudden death of Svetlana Penkina was a big blow not only for family and friends, but also for many fans of her talent. It was not immediately clear what caused the death of Svetlana Penkina under rather strange circumstances. Rumors circulated with different versions, and it took time and investigation to reach definitive conclusions.
Childhood and the path to art
On June 6, 1951, a daughter, Svetlana, was born into the family of a military officer and a teacher. Alexander Pavlovich Penkin, colonel of the Soviet Army, served in Minsk, where his family lived: his wife Elena Valerievna and little daughter. From a young age, the girl had noticeable interests in theater, stage and creativity. But for parents it did not seem more than a simple hobby and entertainment. However, as she grew up, the girl increasingly made it clear that she seriously intended to become an artist, and moreover, it was noticeable that this was not just a desire, but a persistent intention to realize her talents. Her parents supported her, and after school Svetlana entered the acting department of the Minsk Theater and Art Institute. While still a student, Penkina began acting in films. First, in 1971, in a small role in the film “The Lion's Grave” directed by Valery Rubinchik. Then a year later she showed her acting capabilities in the film “Day of My Sons” directed by Stanislav Tretyakov.
The path to fame and personal life of Svetlana Penkina
The young actress gained real fame and celebrity with her role as Katya Bulavina in the 13-episode film “Walking Through Torment” based on the novel by Alexei Tolstoy, which was screened with great success in the Soviet Union. After such successful work, Svetlana Penkina became a very popular actress, but she did not accept all the directors’ offers. After the series, Penkina starred in the films “Dust in the Sun” and “Order Number One.”
Having played a sophisticated, refined aristocratic beauty, the talented actress was not afraid to play a completely different type in another film - the boatswain in the feature comedy “Take Care of Women.” The musical comic film became a box office hit and is still popular today. And Svetlana not only joined the ranks of her fans, but also won the heart of a famous man, who later became her husband.
While working in a recording studio to re-voice the cues for the film “Walking in Torment,” Svetlana Penkina met the already famous group “Pesnyary”. The musicians were recording another hit in a nearby studio and accidentally ran into a beautiful young actress. It was then that fate presented a happy meeting with the leader of the ensemble, musician Vladimir Mulyavin.
Despite the fact that Svetlana was 10 years younger than the already twice-divorced Vladimir, this did not bother her at all. At the first meeting, Mulyavin looked at her with a timid, almost childish look. And this amazed the girl - a famous musician stood in front of her, but he was so spontaneous, natural and sincere. Some inner force forced Svetlana to change her thoughts about famous people, whom she often thought were too complex individuals.
The year 1981 brought fame not only to the actress’s career, but also became successful in her personal life. After the release of the comedy “Take Care of Women,” Mulyavin proposed to Svetlana, and she agreed. Soon the young people celebrated their wedding. Svetlana, in order to preserve her surname and not offend her beloved, took a double surname (Penkina-Mulyavin). A year later, the couple had a son. Before this, the artist managed to star in the movie “Solar Wind” and went on maternity leave for three years in order to devote her time entirely to her little son and husband. Then there was work in the television series “For the Coming Century,” where she played the role of Vicky. The actress ended her film career with this, devoting herself to her family and her husband’s career. However, she could be seen in some documentary projects and news videos.
Actress Svetlana Penkina-Mulavina | Photo: kino-teatr.ru
On June 6, actress Svetlana Penkina-Mulavina, the widow of the founder of the legendary ensemble “Pesnyary,” would have turned 66 years old, but in October 2021 she passed away. Her departure went unnoticed by many - the actress stopped acting in films long ago, lived alone, led a secluded lifestyle and did not give interviews. Even those fans who fell in love with her after the release of the films “Walking in Torment”, “Take Care of the Women” and “Solar Wind” gradually forgot about her.
Svetlana Penkina in the film *Walking Through Torment*, 1974-1977 | Photo: kino-teatr.ru
Svetlana Penkina was born in Belarus in the family of a teacher and a military man. After school, she entered the acting department of the Minsk State Theater and Art Institute and, while still studying, began acting in films. Professional success came to her very early and rapidly: her graduation work in the film “Walking Through Torment,” where she played the role of Katya Bulavina, brought her all-Union popularity and recognition.
Actress Svetlana Penkina-Mulavina | Photo: liveinternet.ru and aif.ru
In the 1970-1980s. The actress starred quite a lot. Her most notable works were roles in the films “Dust in the Sun”, “Take Care of the Women”, “Solar Wind” and “For the Age to Come”. Being a famous actress, she met her future husband, the founder and director of the Pesnyary ensemble, Vladimir Mulyavin, who was also at the peak of his popularity at that time.
Svetlana Penkina and Vladimir Mulyavin | Photo: liveinternet.ru
The actress later recalled about their first meeting in 1978: “I went to the dubbing of the film “Walking Through Torment,” and Volodya and the guys were recording a new disc there in the sound studio. I remember that I was amazed at my first impression: childish insecurity, huge radiant eyes... And timidity, surprise. I noted to myself that this person is probably not what they say about him.” Three years later, they met again during the “Pesnyary” tour in Grodno and after that they never parted.
Svetlana Penkina in the film *Walking Through Torment*, 1974-1977 | Photo: kino-teatr.ru
Still from the film *Walking in Torment*, 1974-1977 | Photo: liveinternet.ru
Svetlana Penkina in the film *Walking Through Torment*, 1974-1977 | Photo: kino-teatr.ru
Svetlana became the third wife of Vladimir Mulyavin. In 1981 they got married, and a year later their son Valery was born. Nobody believed in this union - both were strong personalities with difficult characters. Mulyavin's friends did not approve of his wife's too active participation in all his affairs. The musicians of the Pesnyary ensemble called her capricious and capricious: “For example, on tour in America we are late for the plane. And she’s still not there. The team is on edge. It turns out that Sveta went to buy boots. Then she also caused a scandal - why didn’t we take some bags out to her? Mulyavin, of course, tried to influence his wife, but a woman is a woman... She twisted ropes out of him. At times it seemed that Sveta had bewitched him with some kind of spell. At least without her on tour it was one person. Upon returning home, Georgievich was unrecognizable - the complete opposite.”
Still from the film *Walking in Torment*, 1974-1977 | Photo: liveinternet.ru
Svetlana Penkina in the film *Walking Through Torment*, 1974-1977 | Photo: kino-teatr.ru
Be that as it may, the spouses themselves considered this marriage happy and loved each other. Soon after the wedding, the actress decided to end her film career. She starred in two films in episodic roles and left cinema forever. Svetlana was really actively involved in her husband’s affairs and accompanied him everywhere. She devoted her whole life to him, which is why one day Nadezhda Babkina asked her: “Sveta, have you ever thought that you sacrificed yourself?” But the actress herself did not think so.
Still from the film *Take care of the women*, 1981 | Photo: kino-teatr.ru
Still from the film *Take care of the women*, 1981 | Photo: kino-teatr.ru
Svetlana Penkina in the film *Take care of women*, 1981 | Photo: kino-teatr.ru
They spent 20 years together, until the tragic death of Mulyavin in 2003 as a result of a car accident. After his death, a museum of the founder of the Pesnyary ensemble was organized at the Belarusian State Philharmonic, and Svetlana became its director.
Still from the film *Solar Wind*, 1982 | Photo: kino-teatr.ru
Svetlana Penkina in the film *For the Coming Century*, 1985 | Photo: kino-teatr.ru
In her last years, Svetlana Penkina-Mulavina led a secluded life, living alone in a rented apartment. They did not immediately learn about her death - only a few days later her relatives sounded the alarm because she did not answer calls. It was determined that the woman died as a result of a heart attack. At that time she was 65 years old.
Svetlana Penkina and Vladimir Mulyavin | Photo: liveinternet.rua
Svetlana Penkina at the opening ceremony of a monument to her husband in Minsk, 2006 |
Photo: kp.ru
From open Internet sources.
A big disaster that undermined Svetlana’s health
Svetlana, devoting herself to serving her husband’s musical and creative career, was happy. The spouses were brought together and brought joy by working together on projects, performing, going on vacation and raising their son. But in the spring of 2002, trouble struck the family. Svetlana's beloved husband was in a terrible car accident. After seven months of coma and doctors fighting for Vladimir’s life, he finally died without regaining consciousness. After the death of Mulyavin, the museum of the Pesnyary ensemble was created, and Svetlana headed it and was the main guide. The tragic event had a very negative impact on the health of Mulyavin’s wife; this could be one of the reasons for the death of Svetlana Penkina. And although she tried not to complain about her health, one could see from her appearance that she was no longer the same cheerful young woman who always sparkled with a sunny smile.
How Svetlana Penkina died
After the death of her husband, Svetlana lived alone in a Minsk apartment. She was visited by her son and friends, and the museum staff maintained constant contact with her. On October 20, 2021, everyone was extremely concerned that the woman had not been in touch by phone with her son and friends for the 4th day, and was not answering their calls. We decided to visit the rented apartment where she was temporarily living while renovation work was being carried out in her own apartment. The police were first called. The body of 65-year-old Svetlana was found on the floor in the room.
Considering the circumstances of the tragedy, and the fact that Svetlana was in a rented apartment, the police of the Republic of Belarus opened a criminal case. While the investigation was underway, its details were not made public, and among the artist’s acquaintances and fans they began to speculate on a large number of versions about the cause of the death of actress Svetlana Penkina. After all the examinations, it was concluded that Svetlana Aleksandrovna Penkina died due to a heart attack. Perhaps some kind of physical or emotional fatigue caused a heart attack, and no one was nearby to help.
Date and cause of death
Official bodies indicate the date of death of Svetlana Alexandrovna Penkina as October 20. On this day, the body of a 65-year-old woman was found on the floor of a rented apartment in Minsk. Son Valery Mulyavin and long-time acquaintances of the actress, as well as employees of the Belarusian State Philharmonic Society, in whose museum Mulyavin worked, were worried. It was surprising that for the fourth day there were no answers to phone calls, the Minsk resident did not go to work. We decided to find out what happened and called the police.
The preliminary cause of Svetlana Penkina’s death has been widely reported: a heart attack.
Taking into account the circumstances of the tragedy (after Vladimir Mulyavin passed away in 2003, the widow lived alone), the police of the Republic of Belarus opened a criminal case. His conclusion was not advertised.
An unimaginable number of different versions about the death of the star were heard through word of mouth.
According to the soloist and artistic director of the Belarusian ensemble “Syabry” Anatoly Yarmolenko, in the “complex story” everything is explained simply. In the rented two-room apartment where the fatal event occurred, Svetlana stayed temporarily while a major renovation of her three-room apartment was underway. There the unfortunate woman suffered a heart attack.
Final resting place
The funeral service and farewell to Svetlana Penkina-Mulavina took place on October 25, 2021 at noon in the Minsk Church of All Saints, which is considered one of the highest in Belarus. After all the ritual events, the coffin with Svetlana’s body was taken to the crematorium. The urn with the actress’s ashes rests in the Eastern Cemetery in Minsk, next to the grave of her husband.
The museum became very empty without Svetlana’s presence, as if the extraordinary energy with which she always greeted guests and talked about the legendary group and her husband had faded away. But this light of goodness and purity will always remain in the hearts of those who knew this wonderful woman. As a sign of memory and respect, there is always a photograph of Svetlana Penkina at the stand of the best graduates of BGAI.
Svetlana Mulyavina-Penkina, a famous actress, widow of the creator of the legendary “Pesnyary”, has passed away.
Photo: youtube.com
It happens that a meeting with a great person completely changes the life of another. This happened with the talented, bright actress, whom the audience fell in love with for the role of Katya Bulavina in the film “Walking Through the Torments” and the colorful boatswain Olya in the comedy “Take Care of Women.” Meeting Vladimir Mulyavin and their wedding in 1981 changed the priorities in her life: the stage and screen faded into the background. Svetlana devoted herself entirely to her husband and family...
After the passing of the great “Pesnyar”, Svetlana Alexandrovna closed herself off from the press and led a secluded life. Thanks to her, the Mulyavin Museum appeared in Minsk, at the Belarusian State Philharmonic. In recent years, she worked as its director and did a lot to perpetuate the memory of Vladimir Georgievich.
“She insisted on the concept of the museum and implemented it in the shortest possible time. Maybe this is not yet a museum in full, but only its outline. But a start has been made. She overcame all the obstacles that came along the way. She treated the memory of her husband with reverence and care. He was everything to her. The torment without him is over... - says the director of the Belarusian State Academic Musical Theater Alexander Petrovich. “We talked to her on the phone just a week ago. We made plans; she was going to come to our theater with her friends. She said: “If only I could be freed from household chores.”
Vladimir Mulyavin and Svetlana lived in a happy marriage for 12 years. In 1982, their son Valery was born. Photo: SB-Belarus Today archive
Some fans of Mulyavin's unique melodies tended to exaggerate her role in the fate of Pesnyary, never forgiving the fact that Vladimir Mulyavin's affection for his wife turned out to be greater than his love for his team. However, not everything is so simple.
– Svetlana Penkina lived with Vladimir Mulyavin during the most difficult and controversial period, when the golden time was already behind us. “Pesnyary” was already losing ground, a split was growing, composer and People’s Artist of Belarus Eduard Hanok told SV. “Pesnyarov” was created by composer Igor Luchenok and Mulyavin himself. “Vologda”, “My native kut”, “Alexandrina”, “Veronica” - these were musical peaks, these songs were sung and loved throughout the Soviet Union. But Svetlana’s main merit is that after the death of her husband, she did everything so that the name of Vladimir Mulyavin could be heard everywhere. Look, this is an amazing thing - after the death of Mulyavin and “Pesnyary” they did not lose their popularity at all! Their golden hits are still heard.
“She was Mulyavin’s wife and he needed her,” said People’s Artist of Belarus Anatoly Yarmolenko, artistic director of the Syabry group. – Svetlana became for him a manager, a producer, and an administrator - everything. We still have the Mulyavin Museum - her brainchild and the meaning of all the last years of her life.
Farewell to Svetlana Mulyavina-Penkina took place in the Minsk All Saints Church. The urn with ashes was buried in the Eastern Cemetery of Minsk.
