Spectator fell ill during Vaenga's performance, pensioner died during intermission

The tragedy that occurred at Elena Vaenga's concert in Tver is being discussed loudly today. A spectator felt ill during the singer's performance, and as a result, the 71-year-old pensioner died during the intermission. According to the latest information, a blood clot broke off. They were unable to save her, although a cardiologist who was at the concert rushed to help. The ambulance did not arrive in time.

"We were at this concert. The hall was packed, you couldn't breathe. The woman was still alive on the floor. No first aid kit, no doctor... No one from the staff even came. Maybe she could have been saved. The ambulance arrived in about 30 minutes," visitors wrote on social media. Of course, it is impossible to directly blame anyone now, any personal opinion can be biased. And yet, there are questions.

The main questions that interest fans are: what happened, who is to blame and what to do in such a situation? Vaenga's concert director refused to comment. "MK" talked to concert directors who work with many of our artists and received answers to many of the questions posed.

So, who is responsible for what happens at the concert: the hall administration or the artist? According to concert director Denis Rolgeizer, those who provide the venue are primarily responsible for the readiness of the hall.

— Of course, the hall administration is responsible for the comfort and safety of the spectators in the hall, — says concert director Denis Rolgeizer. — Venues for holding cultural and mass events are specialized premises that are equipped with a system of a certain air drive or air conditioning. And these systems must always be in good working order and checked before the start of any event. This is precisely the task of the management and services of the hall. Along with ensuring fire safety and safe access of spectators to the site. At large concerts, this also means that an ambulance and law enforcement officers are on duty. These requirements are set out in clear regulations that each site has.

— So the ambulance doctors should have arrived earlier?

- If it's a solo concert, an ambulance must be on duty!

According to Rolgeiser, the artist, or rather his director, may and even should express wishes or dissatisfaction if the conditions of the technical or domestic rider are not met.

— The artist's zone is the dressing room and the stage. And the main task is a quality concert, compliance with all agreements on the event regulations, performance time, and so on. All other issues are the competence of the administration of the concert hall or venue, — says the director.

— But how could Elena herself not feel that the audience was very stuffy because of the difference in temperature on the stage and in the hall?

— I can note that the temperature on stage is often even higher than in the hall. Dozens of powerful lighting fixtures are aimed at the artist, musical equipment and technology are installed, which also produce additional heat. If the artist works with a musical group, then this is also a concentration of people in a limited space. As a rule, additional fans are installed on the stage. But they do not always help. The artist cannot physically know what the temperature is in the hall. During the performance, the singer practically does not see the hall because of the lighting fixtures until additional lights are turned on in it, — the concert director explains.

And, of course, the main question: is the performer herself at fault for what happened? According to our interlocutor, it would be wrong to blame Vaenga.

"In my opinion, this is more of a tragic coincidence. A person can become ill at any time and in any place. Therefore, it is impossible to place full responsibility for what happened on the administration of the hall, the concert organizers, and especially the artist. Of course, the inspection will show how well all the necessary systems for ensuring the comfort of the audience worked. And if problems are discovered, legitimate questions will certainly arise for the management of the hall," Rolgeizer continues. "I believe that the artist is not at fault for what happened. By the way, I was lucky to work with Elena Vaenga, I know her personally. A wonderful, talented singer, she always works amazingly. Elena is a very emotional and touching person, and I am sure that she takes this situation to heart."

...By the way, the presence of an ambulance in the concert hall is also important for the artist himself. As the director of Pierre Narcisse, who died in 2022, Sergei Dvortsov, told us, the performer once had a fever, and he had to go on stage. "The doctors brought down the temperature as best they could. He performed, but then it all ended up with the work of the ambulance doctors, it's good that they were present," Sergei said.

But could the stuffiness in the room have contributed to the woman’s death?

— The stuffiness and poor health, the psycho-emotional state could have ultimately provoked the thrombus to break off, — explained to us the therapist Natalya Petrova. — Perhaps there were prerequisites for this earlier, but the woman did not attach importance to her poor health. She could have thought that she was simply tired and decided to unwind at a concert, to relax.

Published in the newspaper "Moskovsky Komsomolets" No. 29469 of February 25, 2025

Newspaper headline: Elena Vaenga in mourning