Children's musicals and their composers. Abstract Development of the musical

Only after many years, long and painful work, the musical is born. The big day of the premiere is coming.

1. “My wonderful lady” (My Fairy Lady) (1956)

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

Professor of Phonetics Henry Higgins makes a bet with his linguistic colleague, Colonel Pickering - he undertakes to turn a London flower girl named Eliza Doolittle 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 brilliance. The ending of the musical is optimistic - Eliza returns to her teacher Higgins.

The musical premiered 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 2,717 times on Broadway and 2,281 times in London. 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 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. The role of Eliza went to Audrey Hepburn, and Rex Harrison successfully moved from the stage to the big screen. The film was nominated for an Oscar and received eight of the 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 now be seen in London.

2. “The Sound of Music” (The Sound of Music) (1959)

In 1958, American screenwriters Howard Lindsay and Russell Cruz, 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 tells about an Austrian family, which, fleeing the persecution of the Nazis, was forced to leave their homeland and go to America. The story was not invented - the film was based on a book written by Maria von Trapp, a direct participant in the events described.

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

November 16, 1959 premiered on Broadway. The play was directed by David Jay Donahue. The main role, of course, was played by Mary Martin, the role of Captain von Trapp - Theodor Bickel. The audience, in love with Mary Martin, struggled to get into the musical, which provided him with excellent fees.

The Sound of Music was played 1,443 times and won 8 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and the original album won 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 world fame. The film had its world premiere in New York on March 2, 1965. The picture was nominated for an Oscar in 10 categories, 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" (Cabaret) (1966)

The literary basis for this legendary performance was Christopher Isherwood's "Berlin Stories" cycle of stories about Germany in the early 1930s and the play "I Am a Camera" by John Van Druten. The musical tells about the romance of a young American writer Cliff Bradshaw and a singer from the Berlin cabaret "Kit-Kat Club" Sally Bowles.

In Berlin in the 1930s, the fate of a young Englishman Brian Roberts, an aspiring writer who is forced to earn extra money by lessons, throws. Acquaintance with the American cabaret singer Sally gives Brian a fresh, unforgettable experience. The writer and the singer fell in love with each other, but they are destined to survive the separation. Sally refuses to go to Paris with her beloved, Cliff leaves Berlin with broken hearted. Cabaret, last resort spirit of freedom, filled with people with swastikas on their sleeves...

The premiere took place on November 20, 1966. The production was directed by the famous Broadway director Harold Prince, John Kantser wrote the music, song lyrics - Fred Ebb, libretto - Joe Masteroff. The original cast included Joel Gray (entertainer), Jill Haworth (Sally), Bert Convy (Cliff) and others.

The production withstood 1,165 performances and received 8 Tony awards, including in the Best Musical nomination. In 1972, Bob Fossey's Cabaret was released with Joel Gray (entertainer), Liza Minnelli (Sally) and Michael York (Bryan). The film received eight Oscars.

In 1987, Joel Gray again played the role of the entertainer in the revival of the show. In 1993 in London, and then, five years later, on Broadway, it opened completely new production Cabaret directed by Sam Mendes. This version of the play has also received numerous awards. The musical went through about 2,377 performances and 37 previews and closed on January 4, 2004.

4. 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 operatic traditions (hero's aria, chorus, heroine's aria, etc.). Unlike traditional musicals, "Jesus Christ" has no dramatic pieces - everything is built on vocals and recitatives. The combination of rock music with classical motifs, the use of modern vocabulary in texts, their high quality, the so-called sung-through principle (the whole story is told solely through songs, without the use of non-singable dialogue) - made "Jesus Christ Superstar" a real hit.

The musical “Jesus Christ Superstar” tells about the last seven days of the life of Jesus of Nazareth, seen through the eyes of his disciple Judas Iscariot, who was disappointed in what the teachings of Christ had become. The plot covers the period from the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem to his execution at Golgotha.

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

A new production of the musical was created at the 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 made a feature film based on the work in 1973. The film won an Oscar in 1974 for best music. In addition to great music and vocals, the film is interesting for its unusual interpretation of the theme of Christ, which is an alternative to orthodox Christianity.

One of the most famous musicals, also called 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 various languages, has been staged many times and has been staged for more than 30 years on the stages of Australia, New Zealand, Hungary, Bulgaria, France, Sweden, America, Mexico, Chile, Panama, Bolivia, Germany, Japan and the UK .

5. "Chicago" (Chicago) (1975)

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

On December 30, 1926, Chicago opened on Broadway. The play withstood 182 performances, in 1927 the film of the same name was shot, and in 1942 the film "Roxy Hart" directed by William Velman with Ginger Rogers in the title role was released.

Bob Fossey, the famous choreographer and Broadway director, could not pass by such a plot. Fossey brought in composer John Kander and librettists Fred Ebb and Bob Fossey to implement the project. The score of "Chicago" is a brilliant stylization of American hits of the late 20s, and in terms of the way it is presented 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 prison warden, Matron Mama Morton, and the sly lawyer Billy Flynn. The court finds Roxy innocent, but this does not bring her joy. AT final scene The musical's entertainer announces the debut of the "two sparkly sinners" duo, Chicago crime queens Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart. They made their way into show business.

The musical premiered at the 46th Street Theater on June 3, 1975 with Gwen Verdon as Roxy, Chita Rivera as Velma and Jerry Orbach as Billy. Chicago only opened in the West End in 1979. This production had nothing to do with the performance of Bob Fossey. After 898 performances on Broadway and 600 showings in the West End, the show was cancelled. In 1996, the show was revived under the direction of Walter Bobby and choreographer Ann Rinking. The four performances played at the City Center were received with such enthusiasm that the producers of the show decided to move it to Broadway. The cast included Ringing herself as Roxy, Bebe Neuwirth as Velma, James Naughton as Billy Flynn and Joel Gray as Amos. Chicago has won six Tony Awards and a Grammy Award for Best Album.

In 1997 the musical opened at London's Adelphi Theatre. Chicago London won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Musical and Ute Lemper for Best Actress in a Musical. The performance was remastered 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 with 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" in the category "Best Musical or Comedy". In addition, the picture was nominated for an Oscar in 12 categories, of which it won six.

6. Evita (1978)

In October 1973, Tim Rice was driving 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 be the subject of a new musical. His co-author Lloyd Webber was unenthusiastic about the idea, but on reflection he agreed.

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

In the summer of 1976, the first demo recordings of a new musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice were presented to guests at the first Sidmonton Festival. Soon the studio "Olympic" began recording the album. The part of Evita was performed by the actress Julie Covington, the young singer Colm Wilkinson became Che, and Peron was performed by Paul Jones. The album was a wild success. Already 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.

Celebrity director Hal Prince began work on the production. Elaine Page became the new Evita, and the famous rock singer David Essex was invited to play the role of Che. Evita premiered on June 21, 1978. The play was a huge success and won the West End Theater Society award for "Best Musical of 1978", Elaine Page received the award for Best Actor in a Musical. The disc with the recording of the original London line-up of Evita went gold in the first weeks after it went on sale.

On May 8, 1979, Evita opened in Los Angeles. Four months after the American premiere, on September 21, 1979, the same cast performed for the first time on Broadway. Evita has won the hearts of the public and received 7 Tony awards.

After the success on Broadway, the musical was staged in a huge number of countries: Australia, Spain, Mexico, Austria, Japan, Israel, Korea, South Africa, Hungary. Filming began twenty years after Evita was born. Directing was entrusted to Alan Parker, Madonna played Eva Peron, Spanish film star Antonio Banderas was invited to the role of Che, British actor Jonathan Pryce was Peron. Especially for the film, a new song was written - “You must love me”, which brought its authors an Oscar.

7. Les Misérables (1980)

Les Misérables by Victor Hugo received its second birth in a musical created by composer Claude-Michel Schonberg and librettist Alain Boublil. Work on the musical lasted two years and, finally, a two-hour sketch of the future musical was recorded. With the help of librettist Jean-Marc Nathel, 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 a little Cosette.

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

In 1982, the young director Peter Ferago, who really liked the concept album Les Misérables, brought it to the attention of British producer Cameron Mackintosh. McIntosh turned the project into a show of the highest class. On the creation of a new version of the musical "Les Misérables" worked strong team: Directed by Trevor Nunn and John Kead, the English text was composed by Herbert Kretzmer in close collaboration with the creators of the musical. The performance 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 most “long-lived” production of the musical “Les Misérables” is proud of the Palace Theater in London. In total, the performance was shown in this theater more than six thousand times.

In 1987, Les Misérables crossed the Atlantic and settled on Broadway, thus beginning their triumphal march around the world. Despite the fact that the musical is already over twenty years old, it does not leave the stage and continues to be very popular all over the world. Les Misérables 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 Misérables” was seen by residents of two hundred cities in thirty-two countries of the world. The creation of Alan Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg was watched by more than 20 million viewers around the world.

8. "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.

Andrew Lloyd Webber began writing songs based on Eliot's poetry in the early 70s. By 1980, the composer had accumulated enough musical material, which was decided to be processed into a musical. The cat show was destined for success: the British are known for their love for these animals. The musical team consisted of talented people- produced by Cameron Mackintosh, directed by Trevor Nunn, stage designer John Napier and choreographed by Gillian Lynn.

When it came to stage incarnation webber songs, the main problem faced by the creators of the musical was the lack of a plot. Fortunately, thanks to the widow of T. S. Eliot, Valerie, the authors had at their disposal letters and drafts of the poet, from which they fished out bit by bit ideas for the plot outline of the play.

There were special requirements for the actors of the musical - they had to not only sing well and have perfect diction, but also be extremely plastic. In the UK, it was not easy to recruit a troupe of 20 people, so the prime minister was also included in the cast. Royal Ballet Wayne Sleep, and pop singer Paul Nicholas, and 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 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.

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 performance ran in London with great success, earning the title of the most "long-playing" theatrical production in the history of the English theater (more than 6,400 performances). The musical "Cats" broke every conceivable record in the United States. In 1997, after 6,138 performances, the musical was recognized as the number one Broadway longevity. Over 8 million people have watched the London production in 21 years, and its creators have earned £136 million.

During its existence, the musical was staged more than forty times, it was visited by more than 50 million viewers in thirty countries, translated into 14 languages, and the total amount of fees in this moment 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.

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. Based on the voice of Sarah, Lloyd Webber composed "Requiem", but he wanted to show his wife's talent in a larger work. This work was the musical "The Phantom of the Opera", created based on the novel of the same name by the French writer Gaston Leroux. It's bleak and romantic story about supernatural being who lived in a dungeon under the Paris Opera.

Sarah Brightman played the role of the main character - Christina Daae. Home men's party performed by Michael Crawford. The role of Christina's lover, Raul, was played by Steve Barton in the premiere cast. The libretto was written by Richard Stilgoe and Andrew Lloyd-Webber, the lyrics were written by Charles Hart. theater artist Maria Bjornson conceived the famous Phantom mask and insisted that the notorious falling chandelier be lowered onto the audience and not onto the stage.

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

Over 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. Income from ticket sales for the Phantom of the Opera exceeded $ 3.2 billion.

10. “Mama Mia” ( Mamma Mia) (1999)

The idea of ​​creating original musical based on ABBA songs, owned by producer Judy Kramer. The basis of the musical is 22 songs of the group. Since in the original all the songs were performed by women, the story of mother and daughter, about two generations, was offered as a starting point. It was necessary to come up with a story worthy of the famous hits of the Swedish quartet. The writer Katherine Johnson came to the rescue, writing a story about a family living on the Greek islands. History is of no less interest to the viewer than songs. Katherine was able to logically build the songs into a single 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 a relationship between two generations. The plot of the performance 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 also expressed in the characteristic logo "Mama Mia" - the image of a happy bride. This picture has become an internationally recognized brand.

A young girl Sophie is about to get married. She wants to invite her father to the wedding to take her to the altar. But she doesn't know who he is, as 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 a 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 "Mamma Mia" is staged in parallel in 11 different places around the world. 11 worldwide productions gross more than $8 million per week. 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 Mama Mia musical every day around the world.

US$1.6 billion worldwide box office revenue from Mama Mia.

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.

On September 16, 1998, the legendary musical Notre Dame de Paris debuted on the Parisian stage, which immediately became one of the most popular world productions.

AiF.ru offers to recall the best musical performances, tickets for which are sold out in a matter of hours.

"Notre Dame de Paris"

Performance based on the novel Victor Hugo"The cathedral Notre Dame of Paris”, won the hearts of the audience so quickly that the musical entered the Guinness Book of Records as having the most successful first year of operation.

The main heroine of a beautiful tragic story was the gypsy Esmeralda, with whom three men fell in love at once: the archdeacon of the Cathedral of Notre Dame Frollo, his pupil the hunchbacked ringer Quasimodo and the captain of the royal shooters, the handsome Phoebus. The conflict unfolding between the heroes burning with passion is not so easy to resolve, especially since the girl herself has love for someone who does not value her at all.

Already in 1999, Notre Dame de Paris began to go on tour, and today the world production of the famous show with more than 200 tons of scenery and the participation of 65 artists has already been shown in more than 15 countries.

"The beauty and the Beast"

Based on the studio cartoon of the same name Walt Disney Pictures, the musical ran 5,461 times on Broadway and became the eighth longest-running Broadway musical.

"Beauty and the Beast" is a story about love that can change a person for the better, about beauty hidden in the depths of the heart. The plot revolves around a selfish prince who was cursed for his heartlessness. Now he is forced to live in the guise of a hideous monster until someone loves him and breaks the spell.

The uniqueness of the musical lies in the fact that most of the characters are things: cabinets, chairs, clocks, chests of drawers, beds, candlesticks. Even spoons and plates sing on the stage. The scenery, costumes of the actors and unexpected directorial tricks (for example, lighting up the fire at Lumiere's candlestick) have already been appreciated in more than 14 countries, including Russia.

"The Lion King"

The Lion King is a musical without a single human character, it reproduces the real African savannah on stage. Lions, panthers, giraffes, monkeys, wild boars, hyenas, birds - and this is not a complete list of animals that Broadway stars managed to show on stage.

The Lion King tells the story of the young King of Beasts, the lion cub Simba, and his difficult life after the death of his father. In the struggle for his rightful “throne”, Simba is constantly in danger, and his own uncle threatens his life.

For the production of The Lion King, as for many other Broadway masterpieces, the word "show" is more applicable than "musical". Its action takes place not only on the stage: from time to time, elephants, giraffes and other heroes of the performance suddenly appear between the rows of the auditorium, which always delights the little spectators. This musical has long earned the title of "best for children" and "best for the whole family."

"Mermaid"

The musical "The Little Mermaid", staged by fairy tale of the same name Hans Christian Andersen and a Disney cartoon, debuted on the Broadway stage in 2007. Today at Russian press it is already being called "the capital's favorite family musical".

In the center of the plot is the young mermaid Ariel, who does not want to live in the ocean and strives for the human world. Wanting to become a man and win the prince's heart, the little mermaid takes a dangerous step - she makes a deal with a cruel sorceress.

Almost the entire action of the famous fairy tale takes place under water, and in order to reproduce the sea world as plausibly as possible, the actors of the musical studied the behavior of fish for a long time, worked on the plasticity of movements. To create the effect of swaying in the water, each of the underwater heroes undulates throughout the performance with their bodies. The illusions of being under water are also helped by unique directorial finds: the actors ride skateboards, roller skates, and even soar in the air.

"Sounds of music"

Premiere of the legendary "The Sound of Music" Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein took place in 2006 in London, where the grand performance played a record 956 performances and won 5 Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

The script for The Sound of Music is based on an autobiography Maria von Trapp"Von Trapp Singers Family" and tells the story of the indefatigable thirst for justice, the struggle between good and evil. In the center of events taking place in Salzburg, a governess who managed to change the life of the widowed captain von Trapp and his children.

The romantic story unfolds against the backdrop of the tragic events of World War II. This makes the musical even more dramatic. The culmination of the performance is the escape of the Austrian family from the Nazis, and in the finale of the performance, goodness, honor and justice traditionally triumph.

Mamma Mia!

Musical based on 20 hits ABBA groups , is currently the leader in terms of the number of productions. During the rental, more than 27,000,000 spectators around the world attended this performance, and the show itself was staged in more than 140 cities.

The ironic romantic comedy combines two themes: a love story and generational relationships. The action takes place on a Greek island, where the main character Sophie is planning her wedding. Wanting to keep all the traditions, the girl wants to find her own father so that he can lead her to the altar. However, the problem is that no one knows which of the three men Sophie's mother had an affair with is her real father.

The beloved songs of the ABBA group do not leave the audience indifferent: most of the audience from the very first notes pick up musical hits and even begin to dance.

CHICAGO

A tale of sin, corruption and scandal is the musical CHICAGO, a Broadway classic that has been a hit in New York City since 1996. This show combines everything that a viewer can expect from a Broadway performance: stunning choreography, multiple special effects and the atmosphere of America in the 20s of the last century.

The play that formed the basis of the musical describes real events USA of the 20th century. A popular Chicago journalist, known for her crime columns, based her work on two real trials: in a fit of rage, women killed their husbands, for which they were sentenced to be hanged.

The musical conveys the spirit of dangerous jazz America with particular precision. It is felt even in the Russian production, which was organized on the initiative of Philip Kirkorov.

"Les Misérables"

The winner of more than 100 international awards, the musical Les Misérables was not immediately acclaimed by critics. The British newspaper The Observer, for example, called it "stupid unnatural fun". But despite this, the English-language production has not left the stage for almost 30 years and has been called the longest-running musical in the history of the West End.

The heartbreaking story about people who occupy a plight in society, told by Hugo in the novel of the same name Les Misérables, left few viewers indifferent. Jean Valjean, one of the main acting characters, served time in prison for stealing bread for a starving family. Thanks to the help of Muriel's father, he gets a chance to start life anew and become a different person.

Some of the songs from the musical were so loved by the audience that they have become part of modern public life. "One more day", for example, was used during the presidential campaign Bill Clinton.

"Phantom of the Opera"

"The Phantom of the Opera" - the legendary production of the British genius Andrew Lloyd Webber, author of the musicals Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita and Cats, was staged in 1984. Luxurious performance with elements of mysticism and illusion techniques was created based on the novel of the same name Gaston Leroux and on this moment is the longest-running show on Broadway in history.

The musical takes place in a building Paris Opera, in the dungeon of which the Ghost lives, terrifying directors, artists and visitors to the theater. The "genius of music", which turns out to be the Phantom, falls in love with a young girl Christina and becomes her secret mentor and patron. Dreaming of making his beloved the prima of the theater, the Phantom, hiding his face under a mask, and his body under a cloak, is not going to stop at nothing.

In 2014, the premiere of the musical The Phantom of the Opera took place in Moscow. In order to collect the best cast, international team directors held castings all over Russia.

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 is very fond of this show, its production is listed in the "Russian Book of Records" in two categories: "Musical played by the most a large number of times in a row in the continuous release mode” and “The musical that gathered the largest number of viewers in the same hall in the continuous release 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 history musical genius masked, 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 in theater MDM, where it went without interruption for two seasons and became the most popular event in 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 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 Cosettes 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, unique design scenes, in the form of a dump, extraordinary 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.

The musical grew out of a mixture of many entertaining light genres - from variety shows to ballet. The first musical "Black Crook" was staged in New York in 1866. It was a mixture of ballet, melodrama, comedy and operetta. It was this performance that became the basis of a new, unusual genre. Musical comedies, which gained popularity a little later, continued the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bBlack Crook, however, they came to the fore with actual musical melodies performed by famous actors, and the plot was an optional, almost secondary element.

Since then, musicals have retained the most relevant and musical movements and themes specific to their time. 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

List of the most famous works in the musical genre 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.

Exists studio album Jesus Christ Superstar. 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. In "Cabaret" we are talking 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 was 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 still 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. In the texts of arias, it is used quite modern language, and the arias themselves are stylized as the work of famous rock bands. The musical is about last life Jesus. In fact, the main character of the musical is a disappointed Judas Iscariot. The musical premiered in 1971 on Broadway.