The musical always leaves a pleasant aftertaste, and although skeptics say that the best of the genre is in the past, modern musicals are just as amazing. Old school musicals are the unforgettable Swing Time (1936), An American in Paris (1951), Singing in the Rain (1952), The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964), The Sound of Music (1965), Oliver! ” (1968), All That Jazz (1979), Ball (1982), Victor/Victoria (1982).
More or less modern - okroshka from old hits "Moulin Rouge" and "Around the Universe", animated "The Lion King", biographical ones (Cole Porter and "The Pet", Bobby Darrin and "By the Sea") and manga musicals. Unfortunately, it is impossible to write about all of them, here are the best of them. And the cynical Stas and romantic Polina will criticize (or admire) the best musicals.
When you're in Manhattan and some untrustworthy, shifty-eyed man is selling Cats tickets for cheap, be sure to grab it. But only as a souvenir, because the musical has not been shown for ten years. This long-running production was visited by more than 50 million viewers in thirty countries. The show beat the conceivable and the unthinkable records: collected 7 Tony medals, the Laurence Olivier Award, the Evening Standard and the French Molière. “Cats” has been translated into 14 languages.
A talented person can make candy out of anything. Andrew Lloyd Webber was inspired by T. S. Elliot's "Popular Cat Science Written by an Old Possum"
The French author of detective stories Gaston Leroux, like no one else, understood the reader's interest in everything mysterious and inexplicable. The writer created a number of mystical works, among which "The Enchanted Chair", "The Man Who Saw the Devil", "Mysterious King" and "Phantom of the Opera". The last thing about a supernatural being that lives in a dungeon under the building of the Paris Opera.
The plot features a dramatic love triangle. In the production of the opera Faust, a young stunt double, Christina Dayet, gets the lead role thanks to the guidance of a mysterious Phantom. Viscount Raoul de Chagny, who has known the girl since childhood, comes to the theater.
Bernard Show, who modestly rejected the Nobel Prize in Literature, wrote his own interpretation of the Greek myth of Pygmalion and Galatea. According to its plot, the great connoisseur of phonetics, Professor Higgins, on a dare, undertakes to teach any commoner, so much so that they cannot be distinguished from a secular person. The choice falls on the vulgar without measure flower girl Eliza Doolittle, who actually turns into a charming lady with an impeccable pronunciation.
Variations on the classics are often successful, and the show became wildly popular immediately after its Broadway premiere on March 15, 1956. Two years later, the premiere took place in London, where the role of Higgins was played by
The appetite of the people for bread and circuses is not a new phenomenon. In 1924, a young journalist for the Chicago Tribune, Maureen Dallas Watkins, wrote an article about a corps de ballet actress who killed her boyfriend, followed by a story about a married woman who shot her lover. Both articles were of considerable interest. When Maureen studied drama at Yale, she wrote a play. "Chicago". Various stage performances and several film adaptations followed, including "Roxy Hart" with the brilliant Ginger Rogers in the title role.
When the famous choreographer and director Bobby Floss drew attention to the plot, a very close to us stylized as the 20s appeared.
Many artists received prizes at Eurovision, but after a certain period there is no one to remember. Almost. Because the first steps on the way to fame at the international competition were made by Canadian Celine Dion and the Swedish quartet ABBA.
Abbamania of the 80s is a completely unique phenomenon: even if a person of that generation does not understand music at all, the name of the group instantly awakens a wave of memories. Unpretentious melodies with pleasant lyrics are so fond of that hits “Winner takes it all”,"Dancing Queen", “Gimme Gimme Gimme”, “S.O.S.” still sing along all over the world, and the lyrical “Happy New Year” became an anthem
Summer I don’t remember what year, the song spoiled many Belle. It sounded from every doorway and was re-sung by any more or less voiced individual. I read somewhere that Julius Kim was responsible for the Russian-language texts (beware of the sixties poets!). Not everyone who survived then healed their wounds.
The creation of the musical began in 1993: Luc Plamondon brought about three dozen songs to the composer Riccardo Coccante. Coccante's blanks subsequently became hits Belle, "Le temps des cathedrales" and "Dance mon Esmeralda". A skillful canvas was the novel by Victor Hugo “Notre Dame Cathedral”.
The project turned out
I don't really want to talk about what is on the stage now. From some texts with magical phrases “good is hopeless / and evil is so reliable” or so dear to Stas Mikhailov “for you / for you / for you”, you want to go to a zaimka and never come back. There was no cake in the Soviet Union, but there were musicals. They were called differently, but the essence is the same - "Orpheus and Eurydice", "Prince and the Pauper", "Penelope", here music tapes "The Pig and the Shepherd», "Tractor drivers", "Funny boys", "Volga-Volga", "Circus", "Spring".
Recently a musical "Juno and Avos" turned 30 years old. Perhaps such a rare luck happens once in a
"The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" written by Frank Baum. A little sorry for Western readers, interpretation of the Soviet writer Alexander Volkov "The Wizard of Oz", written in 1939, seems to me much more interesting and dynamic. However, the opinion is biased, a favorite book of childhood, after all. But America made up for this with a plethora of adaptations, spin-offs, remakes, songs, and more, more, more, including the musical. “Bewitched”.
About the most interesting and beautiful representatives of such a musical and theatrical stage genre as a musical, we will tell you in this top 10 best musicals.
10 Sounds of Music
The music for this musical was written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, and the libretto by Howard Lindsey and Russell Crouse. The musical tells the story of a young girl named Maria. She is an orphan who is going to become a nun. However, others believe that this role is not quite suitable for her. Therefore, Mary goes to a family of seven children and their father. There the girl will know the feeling of love.
9 Mamma Mia!
This musical with a libretto was created based on more than two dozen songs by ABBA. A young girl Sophie is preparing for her wedding with Sky. She wants her father to take her, the bride, to the altar. But the problem is that Sophie never saw her father, and her mother Donna did not tell anything about him. Sophie accidentally finds her mother's diary and learns the names of the three people Donna was romantically involved with in the year Sophie was born. The girl invites the three men to the wedding by writing to them on Donna's behalf.
8 My fair lady
This musical was created by Frederick Low based on the comedy by Bernard Shaw "Pygmalion". Henry Higgins is a famous professor and a bachelor, content with his lifestyle. One day, he argues with a friend that in six months he can turn a street flower seller into a lady who can appear in "high society". But Henry does not know that changes are waiting for him, along with the upcoming love.
7 Moulin Rouge!
This musical was released in 2001. Satine is a famous actress and courtesan in the Moulin Rouge cabaret. She needs to seduce the Duke and get funding for a theatrical production. However, a poor poet named Christian falls in love with the girl. Sateen reciprocates his feelings. The Duke finds out about this, and the plot is bordered by a love triangle.
6 Outcasts
The composers of the music for this musical are Claude-Michel Schoenberg and Alain Boublil. The English libretto was created by Herbert Kretzmer. This work is based on the novel Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. The musical Les Misérables takes place in France in the 19th century. Jean Valjean is a former convict. He is a fugitive from justice and from police inspector Javert. One day, Jean agrees to take care of Cosette, whose mother, a factory worker Fantine, has died. He does not suspect that this decision will irrevocably change their lives.
5 Cats
The musical "Cats" was created by Andrew Lloyd Webber based on the children's book "Popular Cat Science by an Old Possum" by Thomas Stearns Eliot. In the center of the narrative in the musical is a special cat's ball. A tribe of cats gathers in a huge garbage dump in order to perform a dance under the moon, and also to find out who, after death, will be able to go to cat heaven and get a new life.
4 Romeo and Juliet. From hate to love
The words and music for this musical were created by Gerard Presgurvik. This work tells the story of the classic play "Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare. This musical is about two families who hate each other, and about the children from these families, who are connected by a feeling of love.
3 Notre Dame de Paris
Sometimes this musical is also called "Notre Dame Cathedral". It was created based on the novel "Notre Dame Cathedral" by Victor Hugo. The main character of the musical is a beautiful young gypsy Esmeralda. The priest Claude Frollo, the hunchback bell-ringer Quasimodo, and Phoebe de Chateauper, who is betrothed to another girl, fall in love with her. Also, the poet Pierre Gringoire feels sympathy for the girl. A complex romantic line at the end turns deadly for many characters in this musical.
2 Last test
The music for this musical was written by Anton Kruglov, and the words were written by Elena Khanpira. The Final Trial is based on the books The Saga of the Spear by Laura and Tracey Hickman and Margaret Weiss. The dark mage Raistlin wants to defeat the Goddess of Darkness - Takhisis - and thus gain power and authority. To do this, he takes with him the priestess of the Light God - Crysania. Raistlin and Crysania find themselves bonded in love, but Raistlin's ultimate choice, his final test, lies ahead. And the price of a magician's mistake will be incredibly high for him. There is an alternate ending to the musical.
1 Phantom of the Opera
The music for this musical was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, and the libretto was written by Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe. This musical is based on the novel The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux. Opera singer Christine Daae is in love with Viscount Raoul de Chagny. However, difficulties and dangers stand in the way of their relationship, because the mysterious Phantom of the Opera loves the girl.
A variety of musicals can open a world of beautiful music and interesting stories to a person.
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!
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 young Brian Roberts, an aspiring writer, moonlighting with lessons in 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, 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 Roxy 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 bodysuits 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 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. Theatrical 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.
15 chose
Every new year I buy a calendar. This, you know, with loose leaflets, different anniversaries and events for every day. Almost all of January flies by without reading - holidays, no time! Therefore, everything interesting begins in February. I open the first leaf: more than 80 years ago on this day, the premiere of the first film musical "Broadway Melody" took place, critics called it "the worst brainchild of Hollywood" ... However, the film was an unprecedented success, collected an impressive box office and received an Oscar.
In principle, despite the fact that America is considered the birthplace of the musical, but almost every self-respecting cultural country considers it its duty to realize itself in this (By the way, in case someone does not know what a musical is, then official data, this is "a musical stage work in which dialogues, songs, music are intertwined, choreography plays an important role").
So, our "trial balloon" - zong opera "Orpheus and Eurydice". She traveled almost the entire Union with resounding success, but never saw the world stage. But... to the credit of the creators of the zong opera, it must be said that it became the first Russian musical to receive a diploma from the British Musical Award and was declared performance of the year. Moreover, it entered the Guinness Book of Records: the number of performances by one team exceeded 2000! Alas, I am only familiar with popular excerpts from this work, but Petersburgers and guests of the cultural capital can still see "Orpheus" on the stage of the Rock Opera Theater (in the title role, by the way, again its first performer Albert Asadulin) .
The first television version of the musical in Russia was " Juno and Avos". For a 12-year-old me, that show was a real culture shock, and I already cried ... The story of Count Rezanov and Conchita could hardly leave anyone indifferent. The performance has been on the Lenkom stage for 30 years, but this is the first performance with Karachentsov, Shanina and Abdulov, agree, the best...
Not everyone can boast of having seen a "live musical", and I can't. But film musicals are our universal love.
"Golden Key", "The Adventures of Pinocchio", "About Little Red Riding Hood"- Magical, adored by everyone literally from the cradle, children's performances by Alexei Rybnikov are now liked by our children.
Little Red Riding Hood's song is our wonderful childhood... Yana Poplavskaya- the idol of the boys of those years and the subject of slight envy of girls.
Musical " The Star and Death of Joaquin Murieta also staged by Alexei Rybnikov based on the dramatic cantata by Pablo Neruda in 1976 at the Lenkom Theater (1st place in the hit parade of the best records, by the way!). In 1982, the film of the same name was released on the cinema screens. Great music, but such a... ambiguous plot! I confess I've only watched one episode so far...
"Sunset (Moldavanka)" based on "Odessa Tales" and "Sunset" by Isaac Babel (if you haven't read it yet, I recommend it). The only one from Russia, staged in the USA, was called How It Was Done in Odessa ("How it was done in Odessa"): 30 theaters, more than 1000 performances. On the screen came out under the name "Bindery and the King." Dear heart, Odessa dialect ...
Especially in terms of musicals, the "New Year's greetings" of the leading Russian TV channels distinguished themselves ...
"Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka"- comedy-musical based on the work of N.V. Gogol. The film became a real New Year's gift to viewers in 2003. "Incomparable Solokha" (Lolita Milyavskaya), the ubiquitous moonshiner Verka Serdyuchka. And what a charming Devil managed to portray Philip Kirkorov!
"Crazy Day, or The Marriage of Figaro"- modern musical comedy (Russia - Ukraine) based on the play by Beaumarchais "Crazy Day" (scriptwriter and director Semyon Gorov). New Year's premiere 2004. Anastasia Stotskaya, Boris Khvoshnyansky, Lolita Milyavskaya, Philip Kirkorov, Sofia Rotaru - a brilliant cast and a really "crazy day"!
And finally, an independent film that has nothing to do with the New Year.
"Dandies" - a film musical of 2008, filmed by Valery Todorovsky - about the life of young people in the 1950s, composed of the hits of "Russian rock" in jazz and rock and roll adaptations: about the reckless and resilient youth of our grandparents, fathers and mothers, our with you and for those who will be young after us...
Not having time to finish the material, she could not stand it - she put on a disc with "Dandies" and ... "Give me this day, give me this night, give me at least one chance!" The son came up: "Mom, are you watching Stilyag? Even I have already watched it twice! It's cool!" Like this...
And how do you feel about the musical genre on the Russian screen?
