b o o k   t i c k e t s   o n l i n e

Leningrad State Musical Comedy Theatre came to life in summer 1929 as a merge of two theatrical companies: one from Kharkov and one from Leningrad. 17th September 1929 is considered to be it's birthday when the "Kholopka" performance by N. Strel'nikov opened the new season at the State People's House stage. Starting with September 1938 the mansion at 13 Italyanskaya street serves as the theatre's premises.

Having classics as a base of repertoire, the theatre was persistent in creating the Soviet operetta genre. The theatre may be called as a test laboratory of this genre. I. Dunayevskiy may also be named as the "Founder of Soviet Operetta". He was first to introduce the mass songs into the operetta which helped to reform the genre and take it away from the vaudeville-style conventionalism and melodramatic romance. The theatre staged the shows which became the milestones in "Soviet Classics" genre development. They were: "The Golden Valley" and "The Road to Happiness" by I. Dunayevskiy, "The Wedding in Malinovka" by B. Aleksandrov, "Girls' Hurly-Burly" and "Chanita's Kiss" by Yu. Milyutin, "The Sorochintsy Fair" by A. Ryabov, "Akulina" by I. Kovner etc.

During the World War II the Musical Comedy Theatre was the only theatrical company which didn't interrupt it's work during all 900 days of the siege. 20 premieres and remakes were staged at those days. 1 300 000 spectators came to the shows. No replacements were made. There always were two companies: if some actor didn't come and reported being ill then it usually meant his death. The theatre was constantly sold out. The tickets used to be resold for a daily ration of bread. Almost all the soloists gave more than 1000 free concerts at the front line, at the hospitals and industrial facilities. 4 million 334 thousand and 4 roubles pure income were transferred by the theatrical management to the defense foundation. The theatres history, both heroic and tragic has no example. During the hardest days of the siege the theatre was a part of city's spiritual life, the only island of happiness for the siege-weary citizens and military men.

Those names will stay forever in the world theatre history: Manager G. S. Maximov; directors: A. N. Feona, N. L. Yanet, G. M. Polyachek; conductors: G. V. Furman, A. A. Loginov, M. P. Volovats, V. N. Astrov (died of rat attack); choreographers L. G. Beyselman, R. O. Gerbek; dancers N. V. Peltser, A. A. Komkov, L. M. Lidina; a brilliant constellation of actors: N. I. Boldyreva, E. S. Brill', K. M. Bondarenko, Z. D. Gabrielyants, I. V. Kedrov, L. A. Kolesnikova, A. V. Korolkevich, E. D. Mikhailov, A. A. Orlov, G. P. Pavlotskaya, V. I. Sviderskiy, N. Ya. Yanet, V. N. Khristianova, A. G. Slonimskiy.

The theatre's post-war life was marked with a bright creative works given on its stage by G. V. Bogdanova-Chesnokova, N. Yanet, Z. Yemelyanova, I. Kedrov, debuts done by Z. Vinogradova, V. Kopylov, V. Timoshin, later by L. Fedotova, L. Yermakova, I. Sorkin, A. Shargorodskiy, A. Pankov. Directors V. Rapoport, Yu. Khmelnitskiy, V. Tutyshki, M. Dotlibov worked in the theatre during some times; as well as designers N. Akimov, V. Ryndin, T. Bruni.

When the RSFSR Merited arts' worker V. Vorobyov came to the theatre in 1972, the repertoire grew to comic opera, operetta, musical comedy, ballet, musical, song-opera. During those years a new generation of actors comes to stage: V. Vasilieva, V. Krivonos, V. Kostetskiy, V. Matvyev, V. Sviridova, E. Driatskaya, V. Artyukh, B. Smolkin, E. Tilicheev.

During 70 years of it's existence the theatre had times of creative rise, success and bold experiments. There were times of crisis as well. Every step was fruitful. Since 1995 the theatre is led by the manager, Russia's Merited Culture Worker V. V. Pashkov and the artistic director, Russia's Merited Art Worker, Member of the Russian Television Academy, People's artist of Russia A. A. Belinskiy. The Small Hall of the theatre opened in August 1996. This hall shows classic repertoire: "Queen of Csardas", "Mister X", "Bayadere" "Premier Gypsy" by I. Kalman, " The Jolly Widow" by F. Legard, "The Beautiful Galathaea" by F. Suppe, "Lili" by F. Herve; "The Road to New York", a Hollywood musical fantasy, "She's Provincialist" by A. Chaykovskiy; shows for children: "The Puppet Faerie", a ballet by F. Beyer, "Nils' Wonderful Trip with Wild Geese" by I. Shainskiy, "The Stork Khalifa" by O. Petrova; "Arsenic and Old Wine", a musical crime story by V. Pleshak.

In October 1999 the theatre received a gift to it's 70-year anniversary, a historically true renovated foyer.
Picking its repertoire the theatre as usual relies more on classical and modern operetta as well as on musicale. During 1998-1999 the theatre added some more performances: "I Don't Know Of Any Other Country" (Brief course of Russian Communist Bolshevik Party history), "Ball in Savoy" by P. Abraham, "Mistakes Of The Youth" by G. Sarochan, "Premier Gypsy" by I. Kalman, a concert "From Adam To Our Days", Concert-performance "Hits Of Soviet Operetta". The major event of the upcoming season of 2000-2001 will be comical opera by S. Banevich "Turkey Fate" (based on playscript by A.N. Ostrovskiy "Wolves and Sheep", staging conducted by A. Belinskiy). Operettas by I.Kalman "Maritsa" and by K. Zeller "Birds Salesman" are getting prepared for the stage.

Artistic leader of theatre, laureat of stare premium, academician of russian TV people artsit of Russia A.A.Belinsky

Director of theatre, meritorious worker of culture V.V.Pashkov

St.Petersburg Musical Comedy and Ballet theatre hall plan

Address: Italyanskaya Ul., 13   see map