Marianna Vertinskaya is a renowned Russian stage and film actress, born Marianna Aleksandrovna Vertinskaya on July 28, 1943, on a train en route to Shanghai, China. Her father, Aleksandr Vertinskiy, was a legendary White Russian émigré, a celebrated actor, singer, and songwriter, who had a profound impact on Marianna's life and artistic development. Her mother, Lidiya Vertinskaya (née Lidia Vladimirovna Tsirgvava),was also a Russian émigré born into a Georgian-Russian family in Kharbin, and her younger sister, Anastasiya Vertinskaya, was born in 1944 in Moscow, Russia, Soviet Union.
Marianna Vertinskaya's childhood was marked by a happy and stimulating environment, with her parents' circle fostering a rich cultural atmosphere. Her father, who was her role model and mentor, invested considerable time and energy in her education, instilling in her a love for the arts. Tragically, her father passed away when Marianna was just 15, leaving her to grapple with emotional trauma that would influence her youth.
After completing her education at the Shchukin Theatrical School of the Vakhtangov Theatre in Moscow, graduating in 1966 as an actress, Marianna Vertinskaya joined the esteemed Vakhtangov Theatre, where she would go on to collaborate with some of the most prominent actors of her time. Her stage partners included Mikhail Ulyanov, Ruben Simonov, Vladimir Etush, Varvara Popova, Irina Kupchenko, Natalya Tenyakova, Yuliya Borisova, Lyudmila Maksakova, Lyudmila Tselikovskaya, Nina Ruslanova, Ekaterina Raykina, Darya Peshkova, Elena Dobronravova, Nikolai Gritsenko, Vasiliy Lanovoy, Yuriy Yakovlev, Vyacheslav Shalevich, Andrei Abrikosov, Grigori Abrikosov, Nikolai Timofeyev, Aleksandr Grave, Evgeniy Karelskikh, and Sergey Makovetskiy, among many others.
Throughout her illustrious career, Marianna Vertinskaya has delivered unforgettable performances, shining in the title role of Carlo Gozzi's comedy 'Princess Turandot' in 1963, as well as in productions of Dostoevsky's 'Idiot', Moliere's 'Meshchanin vo dvoryansyve', and other plays at the Vakhtangov Theatre. Her outstanding contributions to Russian theatre have earned her the esteemed title of Honorable Actress of Russia. Today, Marianna Vertinskaya continues to live and work in Moscow, Russia, leaving an indelible mark on the world of Russian theatre.
