Since then, the most relevant and musical movements and themes characteristic of their time have been preserved in musicals. The genre of musical comedy developed rapidly, and talented people began to turn to it. In collaboration with honored poets and writers, they created full-fledged stories, clothed in an easy and understandable musical form for the viewer. For a long time, all musicals were produced exclusively in America and Britain, but in 1985 Les Miserables thundered, becoming the first French musical. In fact, they inspired the writing of many other French, Austrian, German and Hungarian works.
The most famous musicals
The list of the most famous works in the musical genre is without a doubt "My Fair Lady". The libretto of the musical was created by Alan Lerner based on the play Pygmalion by Bernard Shaw. Music for the musical Eric Lowe. The plot of this musical as a whole repeats the plot of the play. It tells how a famous professor of phonetics entered into an argument with his friend that he could turn an ordinary flower girl into a sophisticated young lady. The professor won the argument, but it led to unexpected consequences. My Fair Lady premiered on Broadway in 1956. The performance was a wild success, tickets were bought six months in advance. A few years later, the film "My Fair Lady" was filmed, in which the unique Audrey Hepburn played the main role.There is a studio album Jesus Christ Super Star. On this recording, all the roles are performed by the outstanding rock vocalists of their time.
On the basis of Christopher Isherwood's "Berlin Stories", a unique musical "Cabaret" was created. Cabaret is about a young American writer who ended up in Berlin in the early thirties, where he fell in love with a cabaret singer. Their romance turned out to be unusual and very bright. But when the writer is about to move to Paris, the beloved refuses to follow him. As the action progresses, the cabaret fills up with people wearing swastikas on their sleeves. The music was composed by John Kander and by Fred Ebb. Cabaret was first shown on Broadway in 1966. Later, the legendary film with Liza Minnelli was shot.
In the film "My Fair Lady" instead of Audrey Hepburn, professional singer Marni Nixon sings.
The controversial and famous musical "Jesus Christ Superstar" was created by Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rye. Initially, they were going to create, using modern musical means, but at the same time quite traditional. But it turned out to be rock, in which dramatic elements are completely absent, and all the action is based on recitatives and vocals. The texts of the arias use a completely modern language, and the arias themselves are stylized as the work of famous rock bands. The musical tells about the last life of Jesus. In fact, the main character of the musical is a disappointed Judas Iscariot. The musical premiered in 1971 on Broadway.
A musical, or musical comedy, is a stage work in which songs and dialogues, music and dances are mixed. The progenitors of this genre are operetta, vaudeville and burlesque. Musicals are one of the most commercial theater arts. This is due to their entertainment and expensive special effects. It is believed that the first musical was staged in 1866 in New York and was called Black crook.
The beginning of the 20th century gave an active impetus to the development of the genre in America, and the 30s, coupled with the work of talented composers Gershwin, Porter and Kern. The 60s brought new ideas to musicals, over time the number of performances began to decrease, but the scenery and costumes became more magnificent.
In 1985, the monopoly of the United States and England on musicals was broken by the French with their Les Misérables. Today, musicals, timidly born in the USSR in the 70s, are popular in Russia. Let's talk about the ten most famous works of this genre in the entire history of its existence.
"My Fair Lady" Frederick Lowe, the composer of music, and Alan Lerner, the author of the libretto and lyrics, were inspired to write the musical by Bernard Shaw's drama "Pygmallion". It is not surprising that the plot of their joint work repeats the drama of Shaw, which tells how the main character, being originally an ordinary flower girl, becomes a charming young lady. According to the plot of the musical, during the dispute between the professor of phonetics and his friend, the linguist, such a transformation took place. Eliza Doolittle moved into the scientist's house to go through the difficult path of education. In the end, at the embassy ball, the girl passes the difficult exam with brilliance. The musical premiered on March 15, 1956. In London, the performance was given only in April 1958. Rex Harrison acted as the professor-teacher, and Julie Andrews got the role of Eliza. The show immediately gained wild popularity, tickets for it were sold out six months in advance. This turned out to be a real surprise for the creators. As a result, the performance was given 2717 times on Broadway, and 2281 times in London. The musical was translated into eleven languages and played in more than twenty countries. "My Fair Lady" won Tony awards. In total, over 5 million recordings of the musical with its original Broadway cast have been sold. In 1964, the film of the same name was released, and Warner Brothers bosses paid a record $5.5 million for the right to film the musical. Eliza was played by Audrey Hepburn, and Rex Harrison became her partner, having moved to the cinema from the stage. And the success of the film was overwhelming - it was nominated for 12 Oscars and won 8 of them. The musical is so loved by the audience that it can now be seen in London.
"Sounds of music". The German film "Von Trapp Family" became the basis for this musical. In 1958, the idea was transferred from cinema to the stage by screenwriters Howard Lindsay and Russell Cruz, producer Richard Holliday and his wife, Mary Martin, who was an actress. The picture told about an Austrian family who, fleeing the Nazis, went to America. The plot of the film was not invented, it was based on the book of Maria von Trapp, who was a direct participant in those events. Mary Martin herself at that time was a celebrity of the musical theater, in this case it was a serious dramatic role. However, the actress could not refuse to perform in a new role as a singer. At first, the authors decided to arrange the production with the help of folk songs and religious hymns of the von Trapp family. However, Mary insisted that a song written specifically for her be present. With the help of composer Richard Rogers and librettist Oscar Hammerstein, new musical numbers appeared in the play, and the musical was born. It premiered on Broadway on November 16, 1959. Mary Martin's partner was Theodor Bickel, who played the role of Captain von Trapp. Mary Martin was so popular that the public was eager to see the premiere of the musical with her participation, providing generous fees. The Sound of Music won 8 Tony Awards and was played 1443 times. The original album even won a Grammy. In 1961, the musical began its US tour, at the same time the show opened in London, where it was staged for 6 years, becoming the longest-running American musical in the capital of England. In June 1960, filmmakers from 20th Century Fox purchased the film rights to the production for $1.25 million. Although the plot of the film was different from the play, but it was he who brought the "Sound of Music" truly worldwide fame. The film premiered on March 2, 1965 in New York and won 5 of the 10 Oscars it was nominated for. Subsequently, more attempts were made to film the musical, but this did not prevent its popularity as an independent performance. In the 1990s, The Sound of Music was played in Greece and Israel, Finland and Sweden, Peru and China, Iceland and the Netherlands.
"Cabaret". For this legendary performance, Christopher Isherwood's "Berlin Stories" were taken as the basis, telling about life in Germany in the early 30s. Another part of the story comes from John Van Druten's play I Am the Camera, about the love affair between a young American writer and Berlin cabaret singer Sally Bowles. Fate brought the young Brian Roberts, an aspiring writer, moonlighting with lessons to the capital of Germany in the early 30s. Here he meets Sally, falls in love with her, getting a lot of new and unforgettable sensations. Only now the singer refuses to follow the guy to Paris, breaking his heart. The cabaret, which was once a symbol of freedom, gradually begins to fill in the course of the action with people with a swastika on their sleeves ... The premiere of the musical took place on November 20, 1966. The production was carried out by the famous Broadway director Harold Prince. Music by John Kanzer with lyrics by Fred Ebb and libretto by Joe Masteroff. The original cast featured Joel Gray as the entertainer, Jill Haworth as Sally, and Bert Cliff as Cliff. The production withstood 1165 performances, receiving all the same 8 Tonys. In 1972, the film "Cabaret" directed by Bob Foss was released. Joel Gray played the same role, but Liza Minnelli brilliantly embodied Sally, while Michael York played Brian. The film received 8 Oscars. An updated version of the musical appeared before the audience in 1987, and where without Joel Gray? But in 1993 in London and 1998 on Broadway, the new musical "Cabaret", directed by Sam Mendes, had already begun its own journey. And this version has received numerous awards, being submitted 2377 times. The musical was finally closed on January 4, 2004, for how long?
"Jesus Christ Superstar". Music for the work was written by the legendary Andrew Lloyd Weber, and Tim Rice created the libretto. Initially, it was planned to create a full-fledged opera, using modern musical language and all relevant traditions - the arias of the main characters should have been present. The difference between this musical and traditional ones is that there are no dramatic elements here, everything is based on recitatives and vocals. Here, rock music is combined with classical history, modern vocabulary is used in the lyrics, and the whole story is told exclusively through songs. All this made "Jesus Christ Superstar" a super hit. The story is about the last seven days of the life of Jesus, which pass before the eyes of Judas Iscariot, disappointed by the teachings of Christ. The plot begins with the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and ends with his execution. The opera was first performed in the form of an album in 1970, on which the main role was performed by Deep Purple vocalist Ian Gillan. The role of Judas was played by Murray Head, and Mary Magdalene was voiced by Yvonne Elliman. In 1971, the musical appeared on Broadway. Many note that in the production, Jesus is portrayed as the first hippie on the planet. The production lasted only a year and a half on stage, but it received a new breath in London in 1972. The main role was played by Paul Nicholas, and Judas was embodied by Stefan Tate. This version of the musical became more successful, lasting for eight whole years. Based on the work, as usual, a feature film was also shot by director Norman Jewison. Oscar in 1973 for the best music went to this particular work. The film is interesting not only for its excellent music and vocals, but also for its unusual interpretation of the theme of Jesus, which appears in an alternative traditional point of view. This musical is often referred to as a rock opera, the work has generated a lot of controversy and has become a cult for the hippie generation. "Jesus Christ Superstar" is still relevant today and has been translated into many languages. For more than 30 years, the musical has been staged all over the world - on the stages of Australia, Japan, France and Mexico, Chile and Germany, Great Britain and the USA.
"Chicago". The musical was based on an article in the Chicago Tribune dated March 11, 1924. Journalist Maureen Watkins spoke about a variety show actress who killed her lover. In those days, stories about sex crimes were very popular, it is not surprising that Watkins continued to write on similar topics. On April 3, 1924, her new article appeared about a married woman who shot her boyfriend. These crime stories were accompanied by a noticeable sensation, which had an impact on Maureen, who eventually left the newspaper and began to study law at Yale University. It was there that a woman, as an educational task, created the play "Chicago". The day before the onset of 1927, the premiere of the play "Chicago" took place on Broadway, it withstood 182 performances, in 1927 and in 1942 films were made based on the play. The rebirth of the plot was given by Bob Foss, the famous Broadway director and choreographer. He attracted the composer Dojn Kander, and he and Fred Ebb worked on the libretto. The score of "Chicago" itself was a brilliant stylization of American hits of the 20s, and the presentation of the musical material was similar to vaudeville. The story tells about the corps de ballet dancer Roxie Hart, who dealt with her lovers in cold blood. In prison, a woman meets Velma Kelly and other criminals. Roxy was able to get away with the help of sly lawyer Billy Flynn - the court found her innocent. As a result, the world of show business was enriched by the "duet of two sparkling sinners", Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart. The musical premiered on June 3, 1975 at the 46th Street Theatre. The role of Roxy went to Gwen Verdon, Velma was played by Chita Rivera, and Billy was played by Jerry Orbach. In London, the musical appeared only 4 years later, and the production had nothing to do with the brainchild of Bob Fosse. The performance ran for 898 showings in America and 600 in the West End and was eventually closed. However, the show was revived in 1996 under the direction of Walter Bobby and choreographer Ann Rinking. The first performances in the City Center caused such a stir that it was decided to continue the shows on Broadway. The role of Roxy was played by Rinking herself, Bebe Neuwirth played Velma, and James Naughton played Flynn. This production received 6 Tony awards, as well as a Grammy for best album. In 1997, the musical came to London's Adelphi Theatre, and the production won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Musical. In an updated form, the performance was shown all over the world - Canada, Australia, Holland, Argentina, Japan, Mexico, Russia and other countries. In 2002, the Miramax film was released with stars Renee Zellweger (Roxy), Catherine Zeta-Jones (Velma) and Richard Gere (Billy Flynn). The project was directed and choreographed by Rob Marshall. The picture received the Golden Globe in the category "Best Musical or Comedy" and won 6 Oscars out of 12 for which it was nominated. In Russia, the musical was staged by Philip Kirkorov, who himself embodied the role of a skilled and corrupt lawyer.
Evita. The idea of creating a musical appeared by chance - in October 1973, Tim Rice heard the end of a radio program in the car, which dealt with Evita Peron. The woman was the wife of the Argentine dictator Juan Peron, the poet was interested in her life story. His co-author, Lloyd Webber, was initially unenthusiastic about the story, but eventually agreed to work on it. Rice thoroughly studied the history of his main character, for this he spent a lot of time in London libraries and even visited distant Argentina. That's where the main part of the storyline was born. Tim Rice introduced a narrator into the musical, a certain Che, whose prototype was Ernesto Che Guevara. The story itself tells about Eva Duarte, who came to Buenos Aires at the age of 15 and became first a famous actress, and then the wife of the country's president. The woman helped the poor, but also contributed to the reign of dictatorship in Argentina. "Evita" combined various musical styles, with Latin American motifs as the basis of the score. The first demos of the musical were presented to critics at the first festival in Sidmonton, and then the recording of the album began at the Olympic studio. Evita was the actress Julie Covington, and Che was the young singer Colm Wilkinson. The role of Peron went to Paul Jones. The album was a great success - half a million copies were sold in three months. Despite the fact that "Evita" was officially banned in Argentina, getting the record was considered a matter of prestige. The musical was released on June 21, 1978, directed by Hal Prince. In his production, the role of Evita went to Elaine Page, and Che was played by the famous rock singer David Essex. The play was so successful that it was named the best musical of 1978. The main actress herself received an award for her performance in Evita. The very first weeks after the release of the recording of the musical on the disc made it gold. On May 8, 1979, the premiere of "Evita" took place in America, in Los Angeles, and four months later the performance came to Broadway. The popularity of "Evita" proved 7 "Tony" awards received by her. The success of the musical allowed him to visit many countries - Korea, Hungary, Australia, Mexico, Japan, Israel and others. 20 years after the birth of the musical, it was decided to make a film based on it. The director was Alan Parker, the main role, Evita Peron, was played by Madonna, the role of Che was entrusted to Antonio Banderas, Peron was played by Jonathan Pryce. The film featured a new song by Webber and Rice, "You Must Love Me," which won an Oscar for Best Original Song.
"The Outcasts". Composer Claude-Michel Schonberg and librettist Alain Boublil have given a second birth to Victor Hugo's already classic Les Misérables. Work on the creation of the musical was carried out for two years. The result was a two-hour sketch, then converted into a concept album with a circulation of 260,000 copies. An engraving depicting little Cosette has become a kind of hallmark of the musical. The stage version was presented on September 17, 1980 at the Palais des Sports in Paris. As a result, the performance was watched by more than half a million people. The role of Jean Valjean was played by Maurice Barrier, Javert was played by Jacques Mercier, Fantine by Rose Laurence and Cosette by Fabienne Guyon. The concept album "Les Misérables" appealed to the young director Peter Ferago, who attracted English producer Cameron Mackintosh to work. This made it possible to create a truly high-class show. A professional team worked on the production - directors Trevor Nunn and John Caed, and Herbert Kretzmer adapted the text into English with the help of the creators of the musical. As a result - the premiere of the performance under the auspices of the Royal Shakespeare Company at the Barbican Theater on October 8, 1985. To date, Les Misérables has been shown most frequently at London's Palace Theatre, with more than 6,000 performances of the musical taking place there. In 1987, "Les Miserables" came to Broadway, so began their procession around the world. Although the performance is more than twenty years old, it is still on the stages of world theaters. Les Misérables has been translated into many languages, including exotic ones such as Japanese, Mauritanian and Creole. In total, this musical was staged in 32 countries around the world. The creations of Schonberg and Boublil were eventually seen by more than 20 million people.
"Cats". The basis for this popular musical was a cycle of children's poems by T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, published in England in 1939. The collection spoke with irony about the habits and habits of cats, but human traits were easily guessed behind these features. Elliot's poems appealed to Andy Lloyd Webber, who throughout the 70s composed music for them slowly. And so, by 1980, the composer had collected enough material to transform it into a musical. Since the British are very fond of cats, their show was simply doomed to success. In addition to Webber, the team included producer Cameron McIntosh, director Trevor Nunn, artist John Napier and choreographer Gillian Lynn. But during the stage implementation of the songs, it turned out that there was no sensible plot. However, thanks to Eliot's widow, drafts and letters from the poet were found, from which the authors of the musical were able to piece together ideas for compiling the plot outline of the play. In "Cats" special requirements were made for the artists - it was not enough to sing well and speak clearly, you also had to be very plastic. It turned out that in England itself it was almost impossible to recruit a troupe of 20 such actors, so pop singer Paul Nicholas, actress Elaine Page, young dancer and singer Sarah Brightman, and Royal Ballet star Wayne Sleep were included in the cast. The "Cats" theater was created by its own designer - John Napier, as a result there is no curtain at all, and the stage and the hall merge into a single space. The action takes place not frontally, but throughout the depth. The scene itself is framed as a dump - there are mountains of picturesque garbage on it, but in fact the scenery is equipped with sophisticated equipment. Actors, with the help of complex multi-layered make-up, appear in the form of graceful cats. Their tights are hand-painted, their wigs are made of yak wool, their tails and collars are made of wool, and they wear shiny collars. The musical first appeared before the eyes of the public on May 11, 1981 in London, and hit Broadway a year later. As a result, "Cats" was able to become the longest-running production in the history of British theater until its closing on May 11, 2002. In total, 6,400 performances were given, the production was seen by more than 8 million people, and the creators were able to earn about 136 million pounds. And in the States, the musical broke all possible records. Already in 1997, the number of performances exceeded 6100, which made it possible to call the performance the main long-liver of Broadway. As a result, for all the time "Cats" were staged more than 40 times, the total number of viewers in 30 countries exceeded 50 million, the songs were performed in 14 languages, and the total amount of fees was 2.2 billion dollars! The musical received many awards, among them the most famous are the Laurence Olivier Award, the Evening Standard newspaper award for Best Musical, 7 Tony Awards, the Molière Award in France. Recordings of the Broadway and London original compositions received a Grammy.
"Phantom of the Opera". Sarah Brightman and Andrew Lloyd Webber's collaboration on Cats led to their marriage in 1984. For his wife, the composer created "Requiem", but this work could not show the talent of the singer on a large scale. Webber therefore decided to create a new musical, which became the Phantom of the Opera, based on the 1910 novel of the same name by the Frenchman Gaston Leroux. A romantic but dark story tells about a mysterious creature with supernatural powers living in a dungeon under the Paris Opera. The main role in the production, Christina Daae, went, of course, to Sarah Brightman. The male part was performed by Michael Crawford. In the first part of Christina's lover, Raoul, Steve Barton played. Richard Stilgoe worked on the libretto with Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Charles Hart wrote the lyrics. Theater artist Maria Bjornson gave the Phantom the famous mask and insisted on the decision to lower the infamous falling chandelier not on the stage, but directly on the audience. The Phantom of the Opera premiered on October 9, 1986 at the Royal Theatre, even members of Her Majesty's family attended. And in January 1988, the first Broadway production of the musical took place, it took place at the New York Majestic Theater. The Phantom of the Opera became the second longest-running musical in Broadway history, after Cats. As a result, about 11 million people watched the show in New York alone. The musical was staged in 18 countries, about 65 thousand performances were given, more than 58 million people watched it there, and the total number of viewers around the world has already exceeded 80 million. As a result - well-deserved awards and prizes, numbering more than 50. The musical received three Laurence Olivier awards and 7 Tony awards, 7 Drama Desk awards, and the Evening Standard award. The total income from the Phantom of the Opera amounted to 3.2 billion dollars. The novel inspired the directors to create as many as seven films, the last of them, filmed in 2004, was nominated for an Oscar three times, the same Webber was the producer and composer.
"Mama Mia" The popularity of the songs of the ABBA group is so great that the idea of creating a whole musical based on them, which came to the mind of producer Judy Kramer, is not surprising. The basis of the musical was 22 songs of the legendary band. In the original, all the songs were performed by women, so a story was developed about a mother and daughter - people of two different generations. In order for the story to be worthy of famous hits, the writer Katherine Johnson was invited, who came up with a story about a family living on the Greek islands. As a result, the viewer is attracted not only by musical hits, but also by the plot, in which music is closely interwoven. The songs were divided into dialogues, having received new intonations. The production was directed by Phyllida Loyd and composed by ABBA member Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Anderson. The result is a romantic comedy that is ironic and quite modern. There are two main lines in the musical - a love story and the relationship of two generations. The plot of "Mama Mia" is filled with comedic situations that take place against the background of the cheerful compositions of "ABBA", the characters communicate quite witty, and their costumes are bright and original. The characteristic logo of "Mama Mia" has become the image of a happy bride, as a result, it has become a kind of brand, recognizable all over the world. The plot of the musical is as follows. Young Sophie is soon preparing to become a bride. She is going to invite her father to the wedding to take her to the altar. Only the girl's mother, Donna, never talked about him. Sophie found her mother's diary, which told about her relationship with three different men, as a result, an invitation is sent to all of them. When guests begin to arrive at the wedding, the most interesting thing happens ... At the end of the action, mom marries with Sophie. The first test of "Mama Mia" was its pre-premiere screening in London on March 23, 1999. The audience was in complete delight - they did not sit still throughout the performance, but danced in the aisles, clapped and sang along. The real premiere took place on April 6, 1999. The London successful production led to the fact that the musical was staged in 11 more countries around the world, and the musical's box office there reaches $ 8 million weekly! Today "Mama Mia" was seen by more than 27 million people, daily numbers of visits increase by 20 thousand. The musical has grossed over $1.6 billion worldwide. During the rental, the show visited 130 major cities, and the album with the recording of the very first production went platinum in the USA, Korea and Australia, double platinum in the UK, and gold in Sweden, New Zealand and Germany. In 2008, the musical was filmed, it was attended by such stars as Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan, and the same Phyllida Loyd became the director.
On a warm summer evening or a rainy day, we invite you to plunge into the mixture music, songs, dances,comedy And drama. Cheer yourself up, or maybe get a little sad. We present to you 5 most famous musicals in the world:
"My Fair Lady"(My Fair Lady) (1956)
This musical is based on the play by Bernard Shaw. "Pygmalion", which tells how the main character, flower girl Eliza Doolittle, becomes a charming lady. This transformation took place because of a dispute between a professor of phonetics and his linguist friend.The musical premiered on March 15, 1956. It has been translated into eleven languages, including Hebrew, and has been successfully broadcast in more than twenty countries. The musical received 6 Tony awards. The original Broadway cast recorded over five million copies sold, and George Cukor's film of the same name was released in 1964. Warner Brothers paid a record $5.5 million for the film rights to the musical.
"Notre Dame de Paris"(Notre-Dame de Paris)(1998)
Musical based on the novel by Victor Hugo "Notre Dame Cathedral". It was first shown in Paris on September 16, 1998 and entered the Guinness Book of Records as having the most successful first year of operation.
"Cats"(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 feline characters and habits, behind which various human types are easily guessed.In the "Cats" theater, created by designer John Napier, there is no curtain, the hall and the stage are a single space, and the action takes place not frontally, but throughout the depth. The stage is designed as a dump and is a mountain of picturesque rubbish, the scenery is equipped with sophisticated electronics. The actors are transformed into graceful cats with layered make-up, hand-painted leotards, yak hair wigs, fur collars, tails and glittery collars.
During its existence, the musical has been staged more than forty times, it has been visited by more than 50 million viewers in thirty countries, translated into 14 languages, and the total amount of fees at the moment has exceeded $ 2.2 billion. Cats' awards include the Laurence Olivier Award and the Evening Standard Award for Best Musical, seven Tony Awards, and the French Molière Award. Recordings from both the London and Broadway original cast were awarded Grammys.
"Phantom of the Opera"(The Phantom of the Opera) (1986)
The Phantom of the Opera is based on the novel of the same name by the French writer Gaston Leroux. This is a dark and romantic story about a supernatural creature that lived in a dungeon under the Paris Opera.It became the second longest-running play in Broadway history after Cats, with 10.3 million viewers.
More than 65,000 performances of The Phantom have been 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 the Evening Standard Award. "The Phantom of the Opera" won the sympathy of more than 58 million viewers from all over the world. Almost 11 million people have already watched it in New York alone, and over 80 million worldwide.
"Mama Mia"(Mamma Mia) (1999)
The idea of creating an original musical based on ABBA songs belongs to producer Judy Kramer. More than 27 million - the total number of viewers around the world who visited the musical "Mama Mia". More than 20,000 people visit the musical "Mama Mia" every day around the world.For eight years of hire, the musical was staged in more than 130 major cities. The album recording the first production of "Mama Mia" became "platinum" in the US, Australia and Korea; double platinum in the UK and gold in Germany, Sweden and New Zealand.
Happy viewing!
Musicals are very popular all over the world, they are loved for their entertainment and ease of perception. The form of the musical is most often a performance of two acts. The plots of such productions can be varied in subject matter and are often taken from well-known literary works. We present you the top ten musicals recognized as the best in the world.1. Chicago is the 3rd longest-running musical on Broadway. It is based on the theatrical play of the same name. In the story, corps de ballet dancer Roxie Hart ends up in prison after killing her lover. She and another prisoner, Velma Kelly, convicted of a similar crime, are helped out of prison by an unscrupulous lawyer, Flynn. In fact, this musical is a denunciation of the terrible morals prevailing in America at that time. The original Broadway production took place in 1975, but only the 1996 revamped production received a Tony Award for Best Renewed Musical. The debut of "Chicago" in Russia took place in 2002 and it was the first foreign musical in our country. And in 2013, the second Russian production of "Chicago" was presented, which turned out to be even more successful.
2. Solar musical "Mamma Mia!" known among other things for the fact that it is based on 22 hits of the legendary band ABBA. The premiere took place in 1999 in London. This is a comedic story about Sophie's pre-wedding troubles in search of her father. The Russian audience loved this show very much, its production was included in the Russian Book of Records in two categories: “The musical played the largest number of times in a row in the continuous rental mode” and “The musical that gathered the largest number of spectators in the same hall in continuous rolling mode.
3. The Phantom of the Opera is a musical based on the novel of the same name by the French writer Gaston Leroux. This is the story of a masked musical genius forced to live in the cellars of the Paris Opera. The musical premiered in the West End in 1986 and on Broadway in 1988. He has been awarded the Laurence Olivier and Tony Awards. The play became the longest-running musical in Broadway history, surpassed only by Les Misérables on the West End. It is the Phantom of the Opera that is considered the highest grossing entertainment event of all time (international fees amounted to $ 6 billion). The premiere of the Russian production of the musical The Phantom of the Opera took place on October 4, 2014 at the MDM Theatre, where it ran for two seasons without interruption and became the most demanded event of 2014/2015.
4. The French musical Les Misérables, based on the novel of the same name by V. Hugo, has become one of the most significant works of the world musical theater, a real world sensation. The premiere took place on September 17, 1980 in Paris, after which the triumphal procession of this show around the world began. The performance was shown in 42 countries in 21 languages. The plot of the musical retains all the main vicissitudes of the plot of the novel - this is the story of the rebirth of the former criminal Jean Valjean and his adopted daughter Cosette against the backdrop of revolutionary events in France. On Broadway alone, the musical Les Misérables ran for 16 years, and the London production lasted even longer - 21 years and entered the history of musical theater as the longest-running musical in the world.
5. The premiere of the musical "Notre Dame Cathedral" took place in September 1998 in Paris and was a rare success. The success of the first year of the show was even noted in the Guinness Book of Records. The single "Belle" stayed at number one on the French charts for 33 weeks. The plot of the production was taken from the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo - this is the relationship of the young gypsy Esmeralda with four men in love with her: the archdeacon of the Cathedral Frollo, Captain Phoebus, the ringer Quasimodo and the poet Gringoire. Although the musical was not able to compete with Broadway and London shows, Russian audiences liked it. For two years, the production of Notre Dame Cathedral was successfully staged at the Moscow Operetta Theater from 2002 to 2004, the profit from the show amounted to about ten million.
6. The musical "Romeo and Juliet", which premiered in 2001, was called by many critics the best French musical. The single Les rois du monde ("Kings of the World") spent several weeks at number one on the French national charts and sold 800,000 copies. During the year of the show, the musical was watched by more than a million viewers throughout France. Despite the cool meeting in London, performances of the story of two families of lovers separated by enmity were opened all over the world. On May 20, 2004, a Russian production of the musical opened at the Moscow Operetta Theater.
7. The plot of the musical "My Fair Lady" largely repeats its basis - the play by Bernard Shaw "Pygmalion" - the London flower girl Eliza Doolittle turns into a lady. The musical premiered on Broadway on March 15, 1956. He immediately became extremely popular. It has been translated into eleven languages and has been successfully broadcast in more than twenty countries. And in London, as in Russia, you can still watch it. This show was the first musical staged at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg.
8. The rock musical "Jesus Christ Superstar" is not only one of the most famous, but also the most scandalous and controversial stage works. Its content causes violent controversial reactions regarding the interpretation of religious scripture. It tells about the last seven days of the life of Jesus - a man on behalf of his disciple Judas Iscariot, disappointed in the teachings of Christ and the subsequent betrayal of Judas. In response to the onslaught of many representatives of the church, the authors replied that their hero is the story of a man, not God. The rock opera is about earthly life. Divinity is not refuted by the created plot of the rock opera, but rather raises this issue, leaving it open. The rock opera was staged on Broadway in 1971. Ian Gillan, vocalist of Deep Purple, performed the title part.
9. The basis for the musical "CATS" was "The Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" by T.S. Eliot, published in 1939 in England. The author was posthumously awarded the "Tony" for the best libretto of a musical. The show is the story of one cat tribe and, in particular, the cat Grizabella, who ended up in cat heaven. The premiere of the musical took place on May 11, 1981 in London, and a year later the play opened on Broadway. It became one of the most successful theatrical productions in the history of show business. It ran on Broadway for 18 years and on the West End for 21 years. The popularity of this show was facilitated by its outstanding brilliance, enchantment and fantasy, the unique design of the stage, in the form of a dump, the extreme plasticity of specially selected actors, believable costumes and makeup. In Moscow, CATS was shown for the first time in 1988 in a production by the Vienna Theatre, and 17 years later, in 2005, the premiere of the Russian version of the famous musical took place. It ran for over a year as a daily show and closed on March 31, 2006.
10. The Sound of Music is a musical staged for the first time in 1959 based on a German film. This is the story of the nascent love between Captain Georg von Trapp and his children's governess Maria. The show has won 5 Tony Awards. 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. The musical is still loved by the public and is staged all over the world. It was revived several times in London (in 1981 and 2006), re-staged in the USA (in 1990 and 1998), all this without counting amateur productions. In 2005, the musical "The Sound of Music" was first staged in the homeland of the heroes - Austria. In 2011-2012, The Sound of Music was performed in Russia.
Despite the fact that the genre of the musical is still relatively young, it managed to win the love of audiences around the world and have a tremendous impact on popular culture. This material will give you the opportunity to learn more about the most famous musicals in the world.
"My Fair Lady"
opens the era of great Broadway musicals. Its premiere took place on March 15, 1956. Music composer Frederic Lowe and libretto and lyricist Alan Lerner were inspired by Bernard Shaw's drama Pygmallion. The production quickly became wildly popular, tickets were sold out six months in advance. On Broadway, the show was given 2717 times, and in London - 2281. Recordings of the musical with the original Broadway cast sold about 5 million copies. It has been translated into eleven languages and staged in more than twenty countries. Are you interested in such famous musicals? You can still enjoy this masterpiece in London.
"Jesus Christ Superstar"
is a rock opera that took the genre to a whole new level. The music for it was written by the legendary Andrew Lloyd Webber, the lyrics belong to Tim Rice. The work first appeared in 1970 as a musical album, where the title part was performed by Deep Purple vocalist Ian Gillan. In 1971, the musical was staged on Broadway, and a year and a half later in London. The show has been a resounding success and has been staged on theater stages around the world for over 30 years. Rock music combined in it with all the familiar classical history. Many other famous musicals ended up adopting this wonderful concept.
"Chicago".
Maureen Dallas Watkins wrote a scandalous news column that generated incredible buzz. In 1926, the journalist wrote the play "Chicago" based on several notes, which was then put at the basis of the musical of the same name. The musical premiered on June 3, 1975 at the 46th Street Theatre. Its authors John Kander, Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse have managed to create an unsurpassed atmosphere that captivates audiences in many countries. The production has been staged thousands of times at the best venues, winning many prestigious awards. Famous musicals are often filmed, and Chicago was no exception: the 2002 film won the Golden Globe and 6 Oscars.
"Cats"
- Another work of the great maestro Webber. This time, he was inspired by T. S. Eliot's collection of children's poems, Popular Cat Science by an Old Possum. On May 11, 1981, the musical first saw the light of day on the stage of the New London Theater, and a year later it was also staged on Broadway. He was recognized as the most "long-playing", 6400 performances were given, the production was seen by more than 8 million people, and the creators earned about 136 million pounds sterling. Few even very famous musicals can boast of such recognition.
Musical Notre Dame de Paris (fr. Notre-Dame de Paris)
stands out among the flagships of the genre in that it is of French origin. It was created by Riccardo Coccante and Luc Plummonton based on the novel by Victor Hugo Notre Dame Cathedral. The debut took place in Paris on September 16, 1998. The musical got into the Guinness Book of Records as having the most successful first year of work. He turned out to be very popular on the stages of many different countries, both on tour and in productions. Our country was no exception; even the most famous musicals have not experienced such popularity in Russia.
"Mama Mia"
is a musical inspired by the work of the cult Swedish band ABBA. It is based on 22 songs of this group, the idea of creation belongs to producer Judy Kramer. The film was directed by Phyllisa Floyd and composed by ABBA members Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Anderson. The pre-premiere screening took place in London on March 23, 1999, and the musical was first shown to the audience on April 6 of the same year. The people who came experienced a real delight, they could not sit still, but danced and sang along. The musical was staged in 11 other countries around the world, it was seen by more than 27 million people. Weekly rental fees reach more than 8 million dollars, daily visits increase by 20 thousand. The total box office receipts worldwide exceeded $1.6 billion. During the rental, the show visited 130 major cities. This is what is called really famous musicals!
"Juno and Avos".
In conclusion, we will tell you about the first domestic musical, the rock opera Juno and Avos. Composer Alexei Rybnikov was responsible for the music, and the poet Andrei Voznesensky became the author of poetry. Mark Zakharov showed the premiere on July 9, 1981 on the stage of the Moscow Theater named after Lenin Komsomol. The musical toured successfully in many countries, and was also staged in a number of theaters around the world.
Of course, these are far from all famous musicals, but we told you about most of the most prominent representatives. Everything else is in your hands, but we can say with confidence that by visiting any of the performances described, you will definitely not remain indifferent!
