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In 2015, he was diagnosed with a malignant pancreatic tumor; he died in 2017, at age 80, and was survived by his wife, Eliso Turmanidze, and his two daughters.

2nd prize International Tchaikovsky Competition (1970) Honored Artist of the Georgian SSR (1970) People's Artist of the Georgian SSR (1973) People's Artist of the USSR (1979) Shota Rustaveli Prize (1993) Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 2nd class (2017) Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 3rd class (2007) Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 4th class (2001) Order of the Badge of Honour (1971) Order of the Red Banner of Labour (1976) Three Orders of Honor (Georgia) (1997, 2007, 2016) Ovation (2008) Russian Federation Presidential Certificate of Honour (2012) Honorary Member of the Academy of Music Bologna (Italy) - elected "for a brilliant interpretation of the works of Verdi" Academician of the Academy of aesthetics and Liberal Arts (Moscow)