Simon (Soliko) VIRSALADZE is a Soviet theater artist, set designer, painter, teacher. Chief artist of the Leningrad Opera and Ballet Theater. SM Kirov in 1940-1962 and Academician of the Academy of Arts of the USSR (1975; corresponding member 1958). People's Artist of the USSR (1976). Winner of the Lenin Prize (1970), two Stalin Second Degree Prizes (1949, 1951) and the State Prize of the USSR (1977). He was born in Tiflis (Russian Empire) on January 24, 1909. He studied at the Tbilisi Academy of Arts with I. A. Charlemagne, at VKhUTEIN with I. M. Rabinovich and N. A. Shifrin, at the Leningrad Academy of Arts with M. P. Bobyshov. From 1927, he worked at the Workers' Theater in Tbilisi, then at the Opera and Ballet Theater. Paliashvili, where in 1932-1936 he was the main artist. In 1937, VIRSALADZE worked at the Leningrad opera and ballet theater. S. M. Kirov (in 1940-1941 and 1945-1962 - the main artist). VIRSALADZE also staged performances at the S. Rustaveli theater in Tbilisi and others as for the Bolshoi Theater, where he actively collaborated with Yuri Grigorovich, designing all of his ballets. He is the costume designer for a number of Georgia's RSS ANT programs. Full member of the Academy of Arts of the USSR (1975), corresponding member of the Academy of Arts of the USSR (1958). S. B. VIRSALADZE died on February 7, 1989 in Tbilisi.