A visit to theaters of any format by the public in the computer age indicates that the interest in art, talented acting and the work of great masters has not disappeared. It is doubly pleasant when people are interested in such complex but interesting genres as operetta and musical. The Musical Comedy Theater (Barnaul), with its popularity and large repertoire, confirms that there is still an audience that loves the "live" performances of artists and is ready to pay money for it by buying tickets for performances.
The history of the theater
It often happens that at the beginning of a great cause lies the enthusiasm of several talented and enthusiastic people. The Musical Comedy Theater (Barnaul) began its history in this way.
At first there were just talented young artists who were truly in love with the fun operetta genre. They united in the operetta ensemble of the Altai Territory and performed before the public not only with scenes from various productions, but also with full-fledged performances.
It was a small team led by conductor John Amiragov. For two years, the troupe traveled around cities and villages with such great success that they were invited in 1958 to join the team of the Biysk drama theater.
The season of 1958-1959 was so successful that the theater began to be called musical-dramatic, and the operetta of Soviet authors and classics in this genre were chosen as the main direction of the repertoire. Among them is the “Wedding in the Robin” by B. Alexandrov, which opened the 1959 season.
The popularity of the genre among the public was so high that the decision of the Altai Regional Executive Committee in 1960 awarded the institution the title of Regional Musical Comedy Theater, and in 1964 the whole troupe moved to work in Barnaul. Here, the former NKVD recreation center became the first home for a close-knit and talented team. The Musical Comedy Theater (Barnaul) this year opened its season with the production of Mokrousov's “Wind Rose”.
Collective
Since 1960, the main director of the theater Turov SB and Director Fedorov V.M. managed to lay the foundation for a strong and close-knit collective, which, thanks to talented actors - Pyotr Ryabov, Valentin Gerasimova, Alexei Bogoroditsky and many others - managed to spark public interest in the operetta genre.
The ballet troupe organized at the theater, the best theater orchestra in Siberia and the choir became the foundation of a strong talented collective.
The Musical Comedy Theater (Barnaul) has always depended on the chief director’s commitment to certain trends in the operetta genre. So, in 1961, the head of the troupe was Aldahin P.V., who introduced the classical operetta into the theater's repertoire. In 1963, the first ballet performance “Corsair” by Adan and Delib was staged at the theater. The director was the young ballet dancer Gromov Nikolay, who later took the place of the main choreographer of the theater.
In 1964, the team was replenished with new talents - comedian E. Ovchinnikov, vocalists Olga Polyakova and N. Napalkov, as well as ballet soloists Mikhailov V. and Shustova N. New artists appeared in the troupe, who play witty characters - Olga Brylyakova, Klavdia Novikova and Boris Manzyuk. The Musical Comedy Theater (Barnaul) for many years has become a real creative home for these people. The constantly updated repertoire always fueled the interest of the public, and in 1965 the team made its first tour to Ukraine.
Repertoire
For those who wish to visit Barnaul, the Musical Comedy Theater, whose repertoire includes both modern musicals and classical operetta, is part of the attraction of the center of Altai Territory. Reviews of the productions of this collective are the most flattering both from critics and from the public.
In 1972, the theater moved permanently to a new building at 108 Komsomolsky Prospect. This palace of art, the Musical Comedy Theater (Barnaul), photos confirm this, found a stage with wonderful acoustics and a large hall with comfortable armchairs.
In the same year, the young director of the Leningrad Conservatory, Khalifman L.E., became the main director of the troupe, whose productions did not leave the stage for many years in a row due to their popularity. Among them - “Servant” Strelnikov, “Dreamers” Listov, “Night in Venice” by Strauss and “Violet of Montmartre” by Kalman. In 1980, the Musical Comedy Theater (Barnaul) replenishes the repertoire with complex and breathtakingly emotional works by Sandler's “Chestnuts of Kiev”, “A Man from a Legend” by V. Rubashevsky and “Blue Lady” by S. Banevich.
The play “The Blue Lady” was dedicated to the 250th anniversary of the city of Barnaul. It is based on the ghost legend of a beautiful lady in a blue dress. The production was so successful that it withstood more than 500 performances over 10 years. This is the real pride of a talented team.
Harsh 90s
Since 1991, gradually the Musical Comedy Theater (Barnaul) ceases to receive funding from the state and switches to self-financing.
The institution received the status of a state, and in 1992 it was headed by actor and director V. Filimonov, who grew up on this stage as a professional. The band’s repertoire includes both classic operettas and modern rock operas “Juno” and “Avos” by A. Rybnikov and “Jesus Christ is a superstar” by Webber.
Theater Life in the 21st Century
Since 2000, the Musical Comedy Theater has continued to successfully experiment with various genres, participate in theater festivals and actively tour the country and abroad.
In 2010, the team celebrated the 50th anniversary of its activities. This was a real highlight of the year. By the day of the memorable date, a documentary was shot about the history of the theater and its legendary collective. For such a short period for the theater staff, they have staged and played more than 250 performances of various genres.
Residents of the Altai Territory are proud of their talented artists and enjoy visiting the Musical Comedy Theater (Barnaul). The production schedule is constantly updated with new performances from both the children's repertoire and vital plays for adults.
Awards
Among the awards of the theater team are the following:
- Award for the best choirmaster performance in the play "Juno" and "Avos";
- Municipal Theater Award for the production of Strauss's “Bat”;
- gold medal of the Siberian fair for the rock opera "Jesus Christ is a superstar";
- diploma of the laureate of the festival “Other Shores” for the play “Angels in Time”;
- Altai Territory Prize for the production of "Girl's Trouble".
This troupe has gone this way from a small team of young enthusiasts to the State Musical Comedy Theater. Actors came and went, leaving behind themselves the memory of unique and talented performances.