Where and when did the musical genre arise? The musical is the history of development as a musical genre. What is a musical

1. "My lovely lady"(My Fairy Lady) (1956)

Frederick Lowe (the author of the music) and Alan Jay Lerner (the author of the libretto and song lyrics), after analyzing the dramatic material of Bernard Shaw's play "Pygmalion", decided to write a musical. The plot of the musical largely repeats Shaw's play, the story of transformation main character from a vulgar flower girl to a charming young lady.

Phonetics professor Henry Higgins makes a bet with his fellow linguist, Colonel Pickering - he undertakes to turn a London flower girl named Eliza Dolittle into a real lady. Eliza moves into the professor's house, learning is not easy, but in the end, she begins to make progress. At the embassy ball, Eliza passes the exam with flying colors. The ending of the musical is optimistic - Eliza returns to her teacher Higgins.

The Broadway premiere of the musical took place on March 15, 1956. The London premiere took place in April 1958. The role of Higgins was played by Rex Harrison, and Eliza was played by Julie Andrews. The show immediately became wildly popular; tickets were sold out six months in advance. However, the overwhelming success of the musical was a complete surprise for its creators.

The musical was performed on Broadway 2,717 times and in London 2,281 times. It was translated into eleven languages, including Hebrew, and was successfully performed in more than twenty countries. The musical received 6 Tony awards. The original Broadway cast recording sold more than five million copies, and George Cukor's film of the same name was released in 1964. Warner Brothers paid record amount– 5.5 million dollars – for the rights to film the musical. The role of Eliza went to Audrey Hepburn, and Rex Harrison successfully moved from the theater stage to the big screen. The film was nominated for an Oscar and received eight out of 12 statuettes.

The musical "My Fair Lady" is still loved by the public and thanks to producer Cameron Mackintosh and director Trevor Nunn, the show can still be seen in London.

2. "The Sound of Music" (1959)

In 1958, American screenwriters Howard Lindsay and Russell Cruise, along with producer Richard Halliday and his wife, actress Mary Martin, teamed up to work on a play based on the German film The Von Trapp Family. The film told the story of an Austrian family who, fleeing Nazi persecution, was forced to leave their homeland and go to America. The story was not made up - the film was based on a book written by a direct participant in the events described, Maria von Trapp.

Mary Martin was a star musical theater, and although this time it was about a dramatic performance, she could not deny herself the pleasure of performing as a singer. Initially, for the musical design of the production, the authors intended to use folk songs and religious hymns from the von Trapp family repertoire. However, Mary wanted to perform a song written especially for her. Martin was helped in this by composer Richard Rodgers and librettist Oscar Hammerstein. They composed entirely new musical numbers, turning the play into the musical "The Sound of Music."

On November 16, 1959, the premiere took place on Broadway. The director of the play was David Jay Donahue. The main role, of course, was played by Mary Martin, the role of Captain von Trapp by Theodor Bikel. The public, in love with Mary Martin, tried their best to get into the musical, which ensured excellent box office receipts.

The Sound of Music was performed 1,443 times and won 8 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and the original album was awarded a Grammy. In 1961, the musical toured the United States, and in the same year the show opened in London, where it ran for more than six years, thus becoming the longest-running American musical in the history of the West End.

In June 1960, 20th Century Fox acquired the film rights for $1.25 million. The plot of the film was somewhat different from the story told in the play, but it was in this version that “The Sound of Music” gained worldwide fame. The world premiere of the film took place in New York on March 2, 1965. The film was nominated for an Oscar in 10 nominations, of which it won five.

The film adaptation did not become the last page in the history of the musical; it is still loved by the public and is staged all over the world. In the 90s, the show could be seen in the UK, South Africa, China, the Netherlands, Sweden, Iceland, Finland, Peru, Israel and Greece.

3. Cabaret (1966)

The literary basis for this legendary performance was the series of stories “Berlin Stories” by Christopher Isherwood about Germany in the early 30s and the play “I Am a Camera” by John Van Druten. The musical tells the story of a young man's romance American writer Cliff Bradshaw and singer from the Berlin cabaret "Kit-Kat Club" Sally Bowles.

The fate of a young Englishman, Brian Roberts, an aspiring writer forced to earn extra money by teaching lessons, takes him to Berlin in the 1930s. Meeting American Sally, a cabaret singer, gives Brian a fresh, unforgettable experience. The writer and singer fell in love with each other, but they are destined to experience separation. Sally refuses to go with her lover to Paris, Cliff leaves Berlin with a broken heart. The cabaret, the last refuge of the spirit of freedom, is filled with people with swastikas on their sleeves...

The premiere took place on November 20, 1966. The production was carried out by the famous Broadway director Harold Prince, John Kantzer wrote the music, the lyrics were written by Fred Ebb, and the libretto was written by Joe Masteroff. The original cast included Joel Gray (emcee), Jill Haworth (Sally), Bert Convy (Cliff), and others.

The production ran for 1,165 performances and received 8 Tony Awards, including for Best Musical. In 1972, the film "Cabaret" by Bob Fosse was released with Joel Gray (entertainer), Liza Minnelli (Sally) and Michael York (Brian). The film received eight Oscars.

In 1987, Joel Gray reprized his role as compere in a revival of the show. In 1993 in London, and then, five years later, on Broadway, it opened completely new production"Cabaret" created by director Sam Mendes. This version of the play also received numerous awards. The musical ran for approximately 2,377 performances and 37 previews before closing on January 4, 2004.

4. "Jesus Christ"– "Superstar" (Jesus Christ Superstar) (1971)

"Jesus Christ" was conceived by Andrew Lloyd Webber (composed music) and Tim Rice (libretto) not as a traditional musical, but as a full-fledged opera written by a modern musical language, in compliance with all opera traditions(hero’s aria, chorus, heroine’s aria, etc.). Unlike traditional musicals, there are no dramatic parts in “Jesus Christ” - everything is built on vocals and recitatives. The combination of rock music with classical motifs, the use of modern vocabulary in the texts, their high quality, the so-called sung-through principle (the whole story is told exclusively through songs, without the use of unsung dialogue) - made “Jesus Christ Superstar” a real hit.

The musical "Jesus Christ Superstar" tells the story of the last seven days of the life of Jesus of Nazareth, seen through the eyes of his disciple Judas Iscariot, who was disillusioned with what Christ's teachings had become. The plot covers the period from Jesus' entry into Jerusalem to his execution on Golgotha.

The opera was first heard in the form of an album in 1970, on which the main role was played by Ian Gillan, who is the vocalist of the “golden line-up” of Deep Purple, the role of Judas was performed by Murray Head, Mary Magdalene - Yvonne Elliman. The musical was first shown on the Broadway stage in 1971. Some critics believe that Jesus was portrayed as the first hippie on earth. The Broadway production lasted only 18 months.

A new production of the musical was created in a London theater in 1972, the role of Jesus was played by Paul Nicholas, Judas - Stephen Tate. This production was more successful, ran on stage for eight years and became the longest-running musical. American director Norman Jewison directed feature film based on the work in 1973. In 1974 the film received an Oscar for best music. In addition to the excellent music and vocals, the film is interesting for its unusual interpretation of the theme of Christ, which represents an alternative to orthodox Christianity.

One of the most famous musicals, also called a rock opera, generated a lot of controversy and became a cult work for a whole generation of hippies, without losing its relevance today. "Jesus Christ Superstar" has been translated into different languages, has been staged many times and has been staged for over 30 years on stages in Australia, New Zealand, Hungary, Bulgaria, France, Sweden, America, Mexico, Chile, Panama, Bolivia, Germany, Japan and the UK.

5. "Chicago" (1975)

On March 11, 1924, in Chicago, Illinois, the Chicago Tribune published an article by journalist Maureen Dallas Watkins about a certain variety show actress who killed her boyfriend. Since stories about sex crimes were particularly popular with readers, another article by Watkins was published on April 3, 1924. This time it was about a married woman who shot her lover. The hype that accompanied these and other crime stories made a strong impression on Maureen. Later, leaving the newspaper, she went to study drama at Yale University. It was there that she wrote the play "Chicago" as a training assignment.

On December 30, 1926, the play Chicago opened on Broadway. The play ran for 182 performances, a film of the same name was made in 1927, and in 1942 the film “Roxie Hart” was released, directed by William Wellman and starring Ginger Rogers.

Bob Fosse, the famous choreographer and Broadway director, could not ignore such a plot. To implement the project, Fossey recruited composer John Kander and librettists Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse. The score of "Chicago" is a brilliant stylization of American hits of the late 20s, and in terms of presentation musical material and its theme "Chicago" is very close to vaudeville.

This is the story of corps de ballet dancer Roxie Hart, who murdered her lover in cold blood. Once in prison, Roxy meets Velma Kelly and other killers. Roxy is helped out by the warden, Matron Mama Morton, and the nosy lawyer Billy Flynn. The court finds Roxy not guilty, but this does not bring her joy. IN final scene musical, the entertainer announces the debut of “the duet of two sparkling sinners,” the queens of the Chicago crime world, Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart. They made their way into show business.

The musical premiered at the 46th Street Theater on June 3, 1975, starring Gwen Verdon as Roxy, Chita Rivera as Velma, and Jerry Orbach as Billy. Chicago didn't open in the West End until 1979. This production had nothing in common with Bob Fosse's performance. After 898 performances on Broadway and 600 in the West End, the show was canceled. In 1996, the show was revived under the direction of Walter Bobby and choreographer Ann Rinking. The four performances played at City Center were received with such enthusiasm that the show's producers decided to transfer it to Broadway. The cast included Rinking herself as Roxy, Bebe Neuwirth as Velma, James Naughton as Billy Flynn, and Joel Gray as Amos. "Chicago" was awarded six Tony Awards, as well as a Grammy Award for Best Album.

In 1997, the musical opened at London's Adelphi Theatre. London's "Chicago" was awarded the Laurence Olivier Award as "Best Musical", and Ute Lemper - as "Best Actress in a Musical". The play, in an updated form, was performed in Canada, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Holland, Argentina, Germany, Sweden, Mexico, Japan, Switzerland, Austria, Portugal and Russia.

At the end of 2002, the Miramax film studio released a film adaptation of the musical starring Catherine Zeta-Jones (Velma), Renee Zellweger (Roxy) and Richard Gere (Billy Flynn), directed and choreographed by Rob Marshall. The film "Chicago" was enthusiastically received by the public and was awarded the Golden Globe Award in the category "Best Musical or Comedy". In addition, the film was nominated for an Oscar in 12 nominations, of which it won six.

6. "Evita" (1978)

In October 1973, Tim Rice was driving in a car and accidentally heard the end of a radio broadcast. The program was about Evita Peron, the wife of the Argentine dictator Juan Peron, and this story interested the poet. Tim Rice felt that Eva's life story could well become the theme for a new musical. His co-author Lloyd Webber was not enthusiastic about this idea, but after thinking about it, he still agreed.

Rice studied in detail the biography of the main character of his future musical, visiting London libraries and traveling to Argentina, where he wrote most of the storyline. "Evita" combines various musical styles, with Latin American motifs included in the score. Tim Rice introduces a narrator into the musical, a certain Che (whose prototype is Ernesto Che Guevara).

In the summer of 1976, at the first festival in Sydmonton, guests were presented with the first demo recordings of the new musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. Soon the recording of the album began at the Olympic studio. The role of Evita was performed by actress Julie Covington, Che was performed by the young singer Colm Wilkinson, and Perona was performed by Paul Jones. The album had wild success. Just three months after its release, the number of copies sold was 500 thousand, and even in Argentina, where the disc was banned, every self-respecting family considered it necessary to purchase it.

Famed director Hal Prince began work on the production. Elaine Paige became the new Evita, and the famous rock singer David Essex was invited to play the role of Che. The premiere of "Evita" took place on June 21, 1978. The production was a huge success and won the West End Theater Society Award for Best Musical of 1978, with Elaine Paige winning the award for Best Actor in a Musical. The disc with the recording of the original London cast of "Evita" went gold in the first weeks after going on sale.

On May 8, 1979, Evita opened in Los Angeles. Four months after the American premiere, on September 21, 1979, the play was first performed on Broadway by the same cast. "Evita" won the hearts of the public and received 7 Tony Awards.

After success on Broadway, the musical was staged in a huge number countries: Australia, Spain, Mexico, Austria, Japan, Israel, Korea, South Africa, Hungary. Filming began twenty years after the birth of Evita. The direction was entrusted to Alan Parker, Eva Peron was played by Madonna, the Spanish film star Antonio Banderas was invited to play the role of Che, Peron - British actor Jonathan Price. A new song was written especially for the film - “You Must Love Me”, which brought its authors an Oscar.

7. "Les Miserables" (1980)

Victor Hugo's novel Les Misérables was reborn in a musical created by composer Claude-Michel Schonberg and librettist Alain Boublil. Work on the musical continued for two years and finally a two-hour sketch of the future musical was recorded. With the participation of librettist Jean-Marc Natel, this sketch was turned into a concept album, which was released in 1980 and sold 260,000 copies. The hallmark of the musical was an engraving depicting little Cosette.

The stage version was presented to Parisians on September 17, 1980 at the Palais des Sports. The performance was attended by more than half a million people. Maurice Barrier played the role of Jean Valjean, Jacques Mercier - Javert, Rose Laurence - Fantine, Marie - Eponine, Fabienne Guyon - Cosette.

In 1982, young director Peter Ferago, who really liked the concept album “Les Misérables,” drew the attention of British producer Cameron Mackintosh to it. McIntosh turned the project into a show of the highest caliber. A strong team worked on the creation of the new version of the musical “Les Miserables”: the directors were Trevor Nunn and John Kaed, the English text was composed by Herbert Kretzmer in close collaboration with the creators of the musical themselves. The play was staged at the Barbican Theater under the auspices of the Royal Shakespeare Company. The premiere of the new version of the musical took place on October 8, 1985. The Palace Theater in London is proud of the longest-running production of the musical Les Misérables. In total, the performance was shown more than six thousand times in this theater.

In 1987, Les Miserables crossed the Atlantic and landed on Broadway, thus beginning its triumphant march around the world. Despite the fact that the musical is over twenty years old, it does not leave the stage and continues to enjoy great popularity all over the world. Les Miserables has been translated into many languages: Japanese, Hebrew, Hungarian, Icelandic, Norwegian, German, Polish, Swedish, Dutch, Danish, Czech, Spanish, Mauritanian, Creole, Flemish, Finnish, Portuguese. In total, the musical “Les Miserables” was seen by residents of two hundred cities in thirty-two countries around the world. The creation of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg was watched by more than 20 million viewers around the world.

8. "Cats" (1981)

The basis for "Cats" was a cycle of children's poems by T.S. Eliot's "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats", published in 1939 in England. This is a collection of ironic sketches of cat characters and habits, behind which various human types can be easily guessed.

Andrew Lloyd Webber began composing songs based on Eliot's poems in the early 1970s. By 1980, the composer had accumulated enough musical material, which it was decided to transform into a musical. The show about cats was doomed to success: the British are known for their love for these animals. The musical team consisted of talented people– Producer Cameron Mackintosh, director Trevor Nunn, theater designer John Napier and choreographer Gillian Lynne.

When it came to stage embodiment Webber's songs, the main problem faced by the creators of the musical was the lack of a plot. Fortunately, thanks to T. S. Eliot's widow, Valerie, the authors had the poet's letters and drafts at their disposal, from which they gleaned ideas for the plot outline of the play.

Special requirements were placed on the actors of the musical - they had to not only sing well and have perfect diction, but also be extremely flexible. In the UK, recruiting a troupe of 20 people turned out to be difficult, so the cast included Royal Ballet principal Wayne Sleep, pop singer Paul Nicholas, actress Elaine Paige, and young singer and dancer Sarah Brightman.

In the "Cats" theater, created by designer John Napier, there is no curtain; the hall and stage are a single space, and the action takes place not frontally, but throughout the entire depth. The stage is designed like a landfill and consists of mountains of picturesque trash, the set is equipped with sophisticated electronics. The actors are transformed into graceful cats using layers of makeup, hand-painted tights, yak hair wigs, fur collars, tails and shiny collars.

The musical premiered on May 11, 1981 in London, and a year later the play opened on Broadway. Until its closing on May 11, 2002, the play ran in London with great success, earning the title of the longest-running theatrical production in history. English theater(over 6,400 submissions). The musical "Cats" broke all imaginable records in the United States. In 1997, after 6,138 performances, the musical was recognized as Broadway's number one long-running performer. Over the course of 21 years, the London production was seen by more than 8 million people, and its creators earned £136 million.

During its existence, the musical was staged more than forty times, was visited by more than 50 million spectators in thirty countries, translated into 14 languages, and the total gross amount has currently exceeded 2.2 billion dollars. Among the awards of "Cats" are the Laurence Olivier Award and the Evening Standard Award for Best Musical, seven Tony Awards, and the French Molière Award. Recordings by both the London and Broadway original casts received Grammy awards.

9. The Phantom of the Opera (1986)

The birth of the musical began in 1984, when British composer Andrew Lloyd Webber married the young actress and singer Sarah Brightman. Taking Sarah's voice into account, Lloyd Webber composed "Requiem", but he wanted to show his wife's talent in a larger-scale work. This work was the musical "The Phantom of the Opera", based on the novel of the same name. French writer Gaston Leroux. It's gloomy and romantic story about a supernatural creature that lived in a dungeon under the Paris Opera.

Sarah Brightman played the role of the main character, Christina Daae. The main male role was performed by Michael Crawford. The role of Christina's lover, Raoul, was played by Steve Barton in the premiere cast. The libretto was created by Richard Stilgoe and Andrew Lloyd-Webber, the lyrics by Charles Hart. Theater designer Maria Bjornson designed the famous Phantom mask and insisted that the notorious falling chandelier be lowered onto the audience rather than onto the stage.

The musical premiered on October 9, 1986 at Her Majesty's Theatre, in the presence of members royal family. The first Broadway production of Phantom premiered at New York's Majestic Theater in January 1988. It became the second longest-running show in Broadway history, after Cats, with 10.3 million viewers.

More than 65,000 performances of Phantom were performed in 18 countries, including Japan, Austria, Canada, Sweden, Germany and Australia. Productions of The Phantom of the Opera have received more than 50 prestigious awards, including three Laurence Olivier Awards and 7 Tony Awards, 7 Drama Desk Awards, and an Evening Standard Award. "The Phantom of the Opera" has won the sympathy of more than 58 million viewers from all over the world. In New York alone, almost 11 million people have already watched it, and over 80 million worldwide. Revenue from ticket sales for “The Phantom of the Opera” has exceeded $3.2 billion.

10. Mamma Mia (1999)

The idea of creating an original musical based on ABBA songs belongs to producer Judy Kramer. The musical is based on 22 songs by the group. Since all the songs in the original were sung by women, a story about a mother and daughter, about two generations, was proposed as a starting point. It was necessary to come up with a story worthy of the famous hits of the Swedish quartet. Writer Katerina Johnson came to the rescue, writing a story about a family living on the Greek islands. The story is no less interesting to the viewer than the songs. Katherine was able to logically arrange the songs into one storyline, the songs are divided into dialogues and colored with new intonations. The music was written by Benny Anderson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, and directed by Phyllida Lloyd.

"Mama Mia" is a modern, ironic, romantic comedy in which two main lines appear: a love story and the relationship between two generations. The plot of the play is an interweaving of comedic situations, which are emphasized by the cheerful music of ABBA, original costumes and witty dialogues of the characters. The essence of the project is expressed in the characteristic logo of “Mama Mia” - the image of a happy bride. This picture has become an internationally recognized brand.

A young girl, Sophie, is getting married. She wants to invite her father to her wedding so that he can take her to the altar. But she doesn't know who he is, since her mother Donna never talked about him. Sophie finds her mother's diary, in which she describes relationships with three men. Sofia decides to send invitations to all three. All the most interesting things begin to happen when guests arrive for the wedding... Mom gets married at the same time as her daughter.

The first test of the musical "Mama Mia" took place on March 23, 1999, when the pre-premiere screening took place in London. Then the reaction of the audience could be described in one word - delight: people in the hall did not sit in their seats for a minute - they danced in the aisles, sang along and clapped. The premiere took place on April 6, 1999.

After the London production, the musical "Mama Mia" is staged in parallel in 11 other places around the world. Box office receipts from 11 worldwide productions amount to more than $8 million per week. More than 27 million – total quantity spectators around the world who visited the musical "Mama Mia". Every day, more than 20,000 people attend the musical "Mamma Mia" around the world.

1.6 billion US dollars - box office receipts from the rental of "Mama Mia" around the world.

During its eight-year run, the musical was staged in more than 130 major cities. The album with the recording of the first production of "Mama Mia" went platinum in the USA, Australia and Korea; double platinum in the UK and gold in Germany, Sweden and New Zealand.

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The emergence of the musical as a genre, concept and features

Originated this type art in the USA in the 20s of the last century. However, this art form was recognized as an independent movement only in the 40s, when the first ever musical “Oklahoma” was successfully staged on Broadway. Despite the fact that the authors themselves called the work a “musical comedy,” the audience perceived it as something new and unusual. Later, the authors themselves called their work simply “musical” - this gave the name to the new genre. "Oklahoma" lasted on stage for five years. And in 2002 she returned to the stage again.

For a long time, musical performances were the exclusive preserve of the American entertainment industry. It was only in the 80s of the last century that “Les Miserables” was staged on the London stage - from that moment the history of European productions of this genre begins.

The main “three pillars” of the genre:

libretto, lyrics and music equally form the basis of the work;
wide genre range - from comedy to drama;
based on famous literary works;
a large number of people involved: directors, screenwriters, costume designers, lighting designers, choreographers, decorators.

Musical as a genre of art. Difference from vaudeville and operetta

Both of these art movements have many similarities. For example, until the beginning of the 20th century, the musical was called an “American operetta.” After the foundation musical works started to go to bed local traditions and preferences, it has become an independent genre of art. Operetta is perceived as a light, comedic genre in which music is an essential part of the performance. In contrast, in the musical the main features are dialogues, music close to pop music, and more complex choreographic and musical design. Moreover, dancing is an integral part of the genre.

Vaudeville is a comedy play with dances and couplet songs. It is easier to understand, less expensive in terms of production and the use of various effects.

The most famous world musicals

Famous world works such as

“My Fair Lady”, “Cabaret”, “Cats”, “Chicago”, “Evita”, “Les Miserables”, “Phantom of the Opera”, “Mamma Mia”

do not lose their relevance; they are still staged on Broadway and in London.

The most legendary work, listed in the Guinness Book of Records as a champion musical, is Fantastix. He was popular for 42 years. During this time, 17,162 performances took place.

The most famous production of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” which captivated audiences with its spectacle and tragedy, was staged all over the world for only 33 years (we are talking only about the original production).

Music and dramaturgy as a reflection of the basis of the musical

The main components of the musical are equally:

words,
music,
scenery,
choreography.

They complement and explain each other, giving the production dynamism. Musical dramaturgy- an important part of the action, a generalizing tool that is present in the performance from beginning to end. The music accompanies what is happening on stage, follows the text, reflects changes in mood, joy and tragedy, and expresses the main idea of the work. All together, this allows the viewer to experience the full depth of the dramaturgy of the work.

The dramaturgy of a musical performance lies in reflecting the acute social issues of its time and their critical assessment. This is another feature of the development of the genre.

The origins of the musical in Russia

In Russia, as well as in the USA, jazz became a prerequisite for the emergence of this trend.

The “Russian path” of musical development differs from the American one. It arose in the Russian theatrical environment and has a different specificity than its “colleague” from overseas. Thus, in the 70s, they began to be considered musical and dramatic performances, which were based on classical works, in which, to maximize the effect of perception of the production, there was musical accompaniment in parallel.

American musical productions, on the contrary, actively use a special form of theatrical practice that is widespread on Broadway: the entreprise. Versatile actors, producers - everyone is working on the commercial success of the play. For them, contact with the viewer is as important as the financial part, unlike in Russia, where the material is secondary.

Them fate is more interesting the work “Juno and Avos”, which followed the American path of development, maintaining an audience for several decades.

Musical in the USSR: from Utesov to “The Three Musketeers”

After the release of “Jolly Fellows,” where Leonid Utesov’s jazz band played so brilliantly, people in the USSR started talking about a musical for the first time. Although there were not many musical numbers in the film, nevertheless, they were participants in the film, along with the main actors. After this, the musical line began to be traced in other films: “Circus”, “Volga-Volga”, where musical numbers were built into the film.

Thanks to the success of the films that were released, productions in the same genre were released one after another: “Scarlet Sails”, “Orpheus and Eurydice”, “Juno and Avos”, “Free Wind”, “ White acacia"and others.

Besides theatrical productions, musical films not only for adults, but also for children are released on Soviet screens: “Buratino”, “Little Devil”. And the film adaptation of A. Dumas’s novels “The Three Musketeers” brought the actors and director stunning success with the audience, and the film itself has not yet lost its appeal.

Contemporary musical in Russia

Musicals of the Russian period did not support the great successes of similar productions in the USSR. Only in the late 90s did such productions begin to appear on the Russian stage. theater stage. The first production of this genre was an adaptation of the Polish “Metro” (1999).

Soon after this, a Russian production was released - “Nord-Ost” (2001). It was a large-scale production of V. Kaverin’s work “Two Captains”, which promised to become very popular. Unfortunately, the prospects of this work were dashed by a major terrorist attack - the taking of hostages on October 23-26, 2002 in the building of the Theater Center on Dubrovka. As a result of the three-day confrontation and military operation, about 174 people died, according to various sources. Since then, the name “Nord-East” has been associated exclusively with the tragedy that occurred. They tried to restart the work several times, but without success.

Over the course of several years, one after another appears:

“Notre Dame de Paris”, “Chicago”, “Forty-second Street” (all 2002),
"The Witches of Eastwick", "12 Chairs" (2003),
"Romeo and Juliet" (2004),
"Cats" (2005).

In 2006, a production based on ABBA songs was released - the musical “Mamma Mia!” — he became the most successful at that time in Russia. However, except for “12 Chairs,” these were all productions licensed by foreign authors.

An important milestone in the history of the development of the genre in modern Russia is 2008. At this time, the first Russian musical film “Hipsters” was released. Since that time, the production of musicals in Russia has been put on stream. Famous and not so famous, successful and failed, foreign and Russian - 5-7 works were published annually.

Today, musicals are still in demand and have not lost their popularity; they are translated into different languages of the world and played all over the world. New productions are appearing that have yet to win over their audience.

Composers of the USSR musical genre:
I. Dunaevsky.
G. Gladkov.
A. Rybnikov.
A. Kolker.
V. Dashkevich.
M. Dunaevsky.

Composers of the Russian musical genre:
M. Dunaevsky.
A. Rybnikov.
A. Gradsky.
A. Zhurbin.
A. Ivashchenko.
G. Vasiliev.

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A musical (sometimes called a musical comedy) is a musical stage work in which dialogues, songs, music are intertwined, and choreography plays an important role. Plots are often taken from famous literary works, from world drama (“My Fair Lady” by Bernard Shaw, “Kiss Me, Kate!” by Shakespeare, “Man of La Mancha” by Cervantes, “Oliver!” and “Open Night” by Dickens). The musical was greatly influenced by many genres: operetta, comic opera, vaudeville, burlesque. As a separate genre of theatrical art for a long time didn't admit it.
The musical is a genre that is usually difficult to stage and therefore expensive. Many Broadway musicals are famous for their special effects, which is only possible in a stationary musical where the performances are performed every day for many years while they are popular with the public. In Russia, an example of such a most successful stationary musical is “Nord-Ost”.
The musical is one of the most commercial theater genres. This is due to its entertainment value, the variety of themes for production, and the unlimited choice of means of expression for actors.
In form, a musical is most often a two-act performance.
The origins of the musical
The predecessors of the musical were many light genres, which mixed variety shows, French ballet and dramatic interludes. In September 1866, the production of “Black Crook” took place on the New York stage, where romantic ballet, melodrama and other genres were intertwined. It is she who is considered the starting point of the new genre. English producer George Edwards described one of his hits “Chorus Girl” as a musical comedy. A musical comedy meant a light entertainment performance, where the important thing was not the plot, but rather popular vocal numbers performed by public idols. Edwards' productions gained stunning success in New York, and until the beginning of the 20th century, fashion in the new genre was dictated by English performances.
Development in America
In the years preceding the First World War, talented emigrants Herbert, Friml, Romberg and others gave impetus to the active development of the musical in America. During the 20s and 30s, with the arrival of new American composers Jerome Kern, George Gershwin, Cole Porter and others, the musical acquired a true American flavor. The libretto became more complex, the influence of jazz and ragtime became noticeable in the rhythms, and typical American turns appeared in the songs. Many songs from musicals have become musical classics. The acting skills of singers have increased significantly. In 1932, composer Gershwin was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for the first time for his work on the musical “Of Thee I Sing” (1931). Rodgers and Hammerstein II's collaboration produced productions such as Oklahoma! (“Oklahoma!”, 1943), “Carousel” (“Carousel”, 1945), “South Pacific Ocean"(South Pacific, 1949), distinguished by a high level of dramaturgy. They were a stunning success with the public.
After World War II, the plot of musicals became more serious, with the appearance of “Westside Story” (1957) by Leonard Bernstein. The production is based on Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet, and the action takes place in modern New York. The expressiveness of dances indicated the growing importance of choreography.
Further development
At the end of the 60s of the XX century, under the influence of new musical styles a new understanding of the musical as a genre comes. The play “Hair” (“Hair”, 1967) reflected the hippie ideas that were fashionable at the time, thus the production was called “a musical of primitive American lyrical rock.” Since the 70s, the number of performances has been decreasing, but the sets and costumes of new musicals are becoming more luxurious. Dramatic changes in the concept of the musical were brought about by the production of “Jesus Christ Superstar” (1971) by composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and librettist Tim Rice. The serious theme of the musical "Evita" (1978) proved the long way that the genre has traveled during its development. Webber's creation “Cats” (“Cats”, 1981) based on the poem cycle by T. S. Elliott “Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats” presents vivid, memorable images, felines are recognizable in the music intonations and dances are flexible and flexible. Another popular work by Webber was the musical “The Phantom of the Opera,” which combines elements of detective and thriller.
The Anglo-American monopoly of musicals ended in 1985, when the French production of Les Miserables, based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo, premiered on the London stage. The authors are composer Claude Michel Schonberg and librettist Alain Boublil. The high level of the musical as a genre is proven by “Miss Saigon,” a modernization of Puccini’s opera “Madama Butterfly.”
The most famous musicals
Broadway musicals
Broadway musicals brought world fame to the genre.
Threepenny Opera, The / “The Threepenny Opera”: music: Kurt Weill, libretto: Bertolt Brecht (based on “The Threepenny Novel”) (1933)
My Fair Lady / “My Fair Lady”: music: Frederick Lowe, libretto and lyrics: Alan Jay Lerner (1956)
Sound of Music, The / “The Sound of Music” music: Richard Rodgers, libretto: Howard Lindsay & Russell Cruise, lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein (1959)
Oliver! / “Oliver!”: music, libretto and lyrics: Lionel Bart (1960)
Fiddler on the Roof / Fiddler on the Roof music: Jerry Bock, libretto: Joseph Stein, lyrics: Sheldon Harnick (1964)
Hair / “Hair” music: Gaelt McDermott, libretto: James Raydo (1968)
Jesus Christ Superstar / "Jesus Christ - Superstar" music: Andrew Lloyd-Webber, lyrics: Tim Rice (1970)
Chicago / “Chicago” / music: John Kander, libretto: Bob Fosse, Fred Ebb (1975)
Les Miserables / Les Miserables: music: Claude-Michel Schonberg, libretto: Alain Boublil (1980)
Cats music: Andrew Lloyd-Webber, libretto: T. S. Eliot (1981)
42nd Street / "Forty-Second Street": music: Harry Warren, lyrics: Al Dubin, libretto: Mark Bramble and Mike Stewart (1981)
Phantom of the Opera, The Phantom of the Opera music: Andrew Lloyd-Webber, libretto: Richard Stilgoe and Andrew Lloyd-Webber, lyrics: Charles Hart (1986)
Jekyll & Hyde / "Jekyll and Hyde" music: Frank Wildhorn, libretto and lyrics: Leslie Bricusse (1989)
Producers, The / "The Producers" / music: Mel Brooks, libretto: Mel Brooks (based on the Mel Brooks film "Springtime for Hitler")
French musicals
At first, in France, musicals took a different path: they were less spectacular and used a minimum of scenery (compared to Broadway) and in general were more reminiscent of concerts of several pop singers. A striking example of this is the original version of the musical Nôtre-Dame de Paris by Riccardo Cocciante and Luc Plamondon. But over time, tastes changed, and recent years France presented quite colorful, in terms of costumes and scenery, musical performances, such as Romeo et Juliette, Autant en Emporte le Vent, Le Roi Soleil, etc.
Starmania / “Starmania”: music: Michel Berger, libretto: Luc Plamondon (1979)
Misérables, Les / Les Miserables: music: Claude-Michel Schonberg, libretto: Alain Boublil (1980)
La legende de Jimmy / “The Legend of Jimmy”: music: Michel Berger, libretto: Luc Plamondon (1990)
Sand et les Romantiques / “George Sand and the Romantics” (1991)
Vu D'en Haut / "View from Above" (1991)
La vie en bleu / "Life in Blue" (1996)
Nôtre-Dame de Paris / “Notre-Dame de Paris or Notre Dame Cathedral”: music: Riccardo Cocciante, libretto: Luc Plamondon (1998)
Da Vinci / "Da Vinci" (2000)
Romeo et Juliette / “Romeo and Juliet”: music: Gerard Presgurvic, libretto: Gerard Presgurvic (2000)
Les Mille Et Une Vies D’Ali Baba / “The Thousand and One Lives of Ali Baba”: music: Chatel Aboulker (June 12, 2001)
Les Dix Commandements / "10 Commandments": music: Pascal Obispo (2001)
Le Petit Prince / " The Little Prince": music: Riccardo Cocciante, libretto: Elisabeth Anais (2002)
Tristan et Yseult / “Tristan and Isolde”: libretto: Jacques Francois Berthel (2002)
Emilie Jolie / "Emilie Jolie": (2002)
Don Juan / “Don Juan”: music: Felix Gray (August 3, 2003)
Le Roi Soleil / “The Sun King”: music: Albert Cohen, libretto: Elie Chouraqui (2005)
Dracula, Entre l’amour et la mort / “Dracula: between love and death”: music: Simon Leclerc, libretto: Roger Tabra (2005) - Canadian musical in French
Graal / “Grail”: music: Catherine Lara (2005)
Cléopâtre, la dernière reine d’Egypte / “Cleopatra, the last queen of Egypt”: (2009)
Mozart - L’Opera Rock/ “Mozart rock opera”: (2009)
Austrian musicals
Elisabeth / “Elizabeth”: music: Sylvester Levi, libretto: Michael Kunze (1992)
Tanz der Vampire / "The Vampire's Ball": music: Jim Steinman, libretto: Michael Kunze (1997)
Mozart! / “Mozart!”: music: Sylvester Levi, libretto: Michael Kunze (1999)
Rebecca / “Rebecca”: music: Sylvester Levi, libretto: Michael Kunze (2006)
Russian musicals
“Orpheus and Eurydice” is perhaps the founder of the Russian musical. It is still performed by the St. Petersburg Rock Opera Theater. Composer - Alexander Zhurbin. Libretto - Yuri Dimitrin.
“The Prince and the Pauper” - music by Alexander Zhurbin, after M. Twain, 1973, Moscow, 110 performances in 3 theaters.
“The Star and Death of Joaquin Murrieta” is a performance (rock opera) based on the dramatic cantata by Pablo Neruda. The author of the libretto is Pavel Grushko, the composer, conductor and director is Alexey Rybnikov, the director is F. Ivanov. Staged in 1976 in the USSR, at the Lenkom Theater, Moscow. A double vinyl album with an audio recording of the performance was published in 1977 and took 1st place in the chart of the best recordings.
Staged again in 2009 by Alexander Rykhlov (producer and chief director). The author of the libretto, as 30 years ago, is Pavel Grushko.
“Penelope” - music by Alexander Zhurbin, based on the play by B. Ratzer and V. Konstantinov, 1979, Sverdlovsk, there is an English version, more than 2000 performances in 40 theaters.
“Juno and Avos” is a rock opera by Alexei Rybnikov, first performed on the Lenkom stage in 1981.
“A Glass of Water” - Alexander Zhurbin, after E. Scribe, 1988, Moscow, 1000 performances in 30 theaters.
“Sunset (Moldavanka)” is a musical by Alexander Zhurbin, the only Russian one staged in the USA. According to I. Babel, 1987, Riga; in the USA it was called How It Was Done in Odessa (How it was done in Odessa), Philadelphia, 1991, 30 theaters, more than 1000 performances.
"Nord-Ost" is the first world-class Russian musical. Staged by Georgy Vasiliev and Alexey Ivashchenko in Moscow in 2001.
“Finrod-zong” – a fantasy musical based on the works of English writer J. R. R. Tolkien.
“12 Chairs” is a Russian musical based on the novel of the same name by I. Ilf and E. Petrov. Delivered in Moscow in 2003.
“Vladimirskaya Square” - musical by A. Zhurbin based on F. M. Dostoevsky (“Humiliated and Insulted”), 2003, St. Petersburg, Theater named after. Lensovet;
“Open Door Night” is a musical by Evgeny Karmazin and Konstantin Rubinsky based on “A Christmas Tale” by Charles Dickens. Staged in Yekaterinburg in 2005, it received the Golden Mask in two categories (including Best Performance).
“Mowgli” is a Russian fantasy musical staged at the Moscow Operetta Theater. Has been running in Moscow since 2005. Music and libretto - Vlad Stashinsky, production director - Alina Chevik, music. director - Vlad Stashinsky, choreographer - Boris Baranovsky, designer - Viktor Arefiev, costume designer - Valentina Komolova, makeup artist - Andrey Drykin, lighting designer - A. Kuznetsov, choirmaster - P. Suchkov.
“Keep Me, Darling” - musical by Alexander Pantykin and Konstantin Rubinsky. Staged in Yekaterinburg in 2006, it received the Bravo award and was also nominated for the Musical Heart of the Theater award.
“www.silicone fool.net” is a musical by Alexander Pantykin and Konstantin Rubinsky. Staged in Yekaterinburg in 2007, in 2008 it received the “ Golden mask"in two categories.
“Monte Cristo” is a Russian musical based on the novel “The Count of Monte Cristo” by A. Dumas. Delivered in Moscow in 2008.
“The Last Test” is a fantasy musical by Anton Kruglov and Elena Khanpira.
“The Road of No Return” is a fantasy rock musical. Created by the ESSE group based on the Witcher saga by Andrzej Sapkowski (premiere 2009).
“Children of the Sun” is an ethno-musical by Vladimir Podgoretsky.
“Catherine the Great” - musical chronicles of the times of the Empire. Composer Sergei Dreznin. Staged by the Sverdlovsk Academic Theater of Musical Comedy in 2008 (directed by Nina Chusova). In 2009, he was awarded two Golden Mask awards (best female performer - Maria Vinenkova, best costumes - Pavel Kaplevich).
““New adventures of the Bremenskys or forward to the past” (previously: “ New Year topsy-turvy, or forward into the past") - a Russian musical based on the songs of Yuri Entin. Stage Director: Honored Artist Russian Federation Boris Boreyko. The musical features young stars Ilya Viktorov and Evgeny Aksenov.
“The Town Musicians of Bremen” is a musical based on the famous cartoon. Composer - Gennady Gladkov. Poems by Yuri Entin. Stage director - Boris Boreyko, choreographers - Marina Yatsevich and Alexey Valts. The musical was conceived and produced by the Triumph production center.
“VykhAd Corporation” is the first Russian alternative musical. Screenwriter, director and composer Fedor: (Fredo:) Jay Lukashuk, with the participation of the group Enemies of Flies. Sochi, 2007. The sequel (“Corporation “VykhAd” 2”) was staged by the same cast in Sochi in 2009.
“The Master and Margarita” - the premiere took place on September 23, 2009. Created by the Star Marina Production Center. Performs on the stage of the Moscow children's theater stage.
"Doctor Zhivago" - premiere in St. Petersburg Perm drama theater took place on the stage of the Vyborg Palace of Culture on April 15, 2009. The author of the music is Alexander Zhurbin, staged by Boris Milgram.
“Dead Souls” - the author defines the genre of the play as “light opera”. Music by Alexander Pantykin, libretto by Konstantin Rubinsky. The libretto includes motifs from “Dead Souls”, “The Inspector General”, “Taras Bulba”, “Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka”. The premiere took place at the Sverdlovsk Academic Theater of Musical Comedy in November 2009. Stage director - Kirill Strezhnev. In the role of Chichikov - Evgeny Zaitsev. The performance features “Eccentric Ballet” by Sergei Smirnov.
« Dead Souls" - Alexander Zhurbin’s musical based on Gogol’s “Dead Souls,” which premiered in Omsk on April 16, 2010. Without changing his style and “light genre,” Zhurbin, together with co-authors - librettists Olga Ivanova and Alexander Butvilovsky and poet Sergei Plotov, retained seriousness , and the depth of the literary source.
"Caesar and Cleopatra" - a musical by Alexander Zhurbin, first presented to the audience of the Moscow State academic theater operettas June 12, 13, 2010. Libretto based on the play by Bernard Shaw - Jeanne Gerder. Production designer - Alexander Vasiliev. Choreographer - Albert Alberts. Starring: Gerard Vasiliev, Valeria Lanskaya/Vasilisa Nikolaeva.
Ukrainian musicals
“Feminism in Ukrainian” (1998) is the first national Ukrainian musical. The author of the libretto, composer, director and set designer is Alexey Kolomiytsev.

Today, if you offer a person to go to an opera, operetta or musical, he will most likely choose the latter. Let's figure out why, of all the varieties of musical and theatrical genres, it was the musical that gained such mass popularity...

Let's start right away with the main thing. A musical is a musical and stage work that combines dramatic, musical, vocal and choreographic arts. Such an extensive set of functions allows it to be more spectacular, colorful, dynamic and therefore more accessible to perception.

In essence, a musical is a story told through songs, based on a simple plot, active stage action and music. It was preceded by light musical genres such as operetta, burlesque, and vaudeville. Many even consider it one of the types of American operetta, but they still differ significantly from each other: the operetta is based on a musical symphony, which maintains consistency in form and libretto, while in the musical the emphasis is on theatrical action with musical accompaniment.

The ideal embodiment of this genre is the work of composer J. Kern and librettist O. Hammerstein “The Floating Ship” (1927). At that time, this creation was not yet called a musical, but a musical comedy. However, the stereotype that the musical is exclusively a type of comedy began to quickly disappear with the emergence of jazz, which gave unexpected depth to superficial musical entertainment productions.

The official date of birth of the musical is considered to be March 1943, when the premiere of the play “Oklahoma” by R. Rogers and O. Hammerstein took place on Broadway. This production was distinguished by its end-to-end dramaturgy, which was developed in symbiosis by all types of creativity: acting, music, vocals, plastic arts, etc. It could no longer be called a “light comedy”, because it carried such values as love and patriotism. That is why, over time, the music from this musical became the official anthem of the state of Oklahoma.

After this explosive performance, which won two Oscars and did not leave the Broadway stage for many years, the new era first American and then world musical theater, which was led by such composers as J. Gershwin, L. Bernstein, E. Lloyd Webber, R. Rogers, etc.
Broadway "parties" became known throughout the world. The musical was booming! The repertoires of the theaters were annually replenished with new works: “Rosemary”, “I Sing of You”, “The Threepenny Opera”, “My Fair Lady”, “The Sound of Music”, “Fiddler on the Roof”, “Hello, Dolly!” etc.

But the development of the creative industry cannot be stopped, and in the late 60s, new musical genres, such as rock and disco, turned all the arrows on themselves and the popularity of musicals faded away. Fortunately, the musical is a multifunctional genre and was quite ready to support and combine new musical trends. The pioneer in this symbiosis was Galt McDermott with his rock musical “Hair”. Then came Chicago, Corps de Ballet, and Andrew Lloyd Webber's super famous rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar.

In Europe they also loved the musical, but to me it turned out to be red and more conservative. It was more like chamber concerts. The reason, of course, is in the methods and forms. On Broadway they preferred an enterprise: one troupe - one project (musical); European theaters were characterized by a stationary cast of actors and a lack of bright scenery.

In Russia new genre was received with joy. Its first signs could be seen in the films “Jolly Guys” with the participation of Leonid Utesov and a jazz ensemble, “Circus”, “Volga-Volga”. Rock music was used in the production of the plays “Krechinsky’s Wedding”, “Til”, and the well-known “Juno and Avos”.

Western trends in the musical have begun to strengthen in Russia since 1999. For example: “Metro”, “Notre Dame de Paris”, “Chicago”, “Cats”, “Phantom of the Opera”, etc. Over time, the musical turned from a musical stage performance into a large-scale music show and there is a high probability that this genre will not lose its popularity and will develop rapidly, taking into account the needs of the time.

Marina Chursinova