The most famous musicals in the world. The most famous musicals My Fair Lady

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 from the front, but from the entire 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 - 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 light. 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 "duo 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, the poet's drafts and letters were found, from which, bit by bit, the authors of the musical were able to collect ideas for compiling the plot outline of the play. In "Cats" special requirements were imposed on 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 Paige, 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 newspaper award for Best Musical, 7 Tony Awards, the Molière Award in France. Recordings of the Broadway and London original compositions received a Grammy.

"Phantom of the Opera". Sarah Brightman and Andrew Lloyd Webber's collaboration on Cats led to their marriage in 1984. For his wife, the composer created "Requiem", but this work could not show the talent of the singer on a large scale. Webber therefore decided to create a new musical, which became the Phantom of the Opera, based on the 1910 novel of the same name by the Frenchman Gaston Leroux. A romantic but dark story tells about a mysterious creature with supernatural powers living in a dungeon under the Paris Opera. The main role in the production, Christina Daae, went, of course, to Sarah Brightman. The male part was performed by Michael Crawford. In the first part of Christina's lover, Raoul, Steve Barton played. Richard Stilgoe worked on the libretto with Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Charles Hart wrote the lyrics. Theater artist Maria Bjornson gave the Phantom the famous mask and insisted on the decision to lower the infamous falling chandelier not on the stage, but directly on the audience. The Phantom of the Opera premiered on October 9, 1986 at the Royal Theatre, even members of Her Majesty's family attended. And in January 1988, the first Broadway production of the musical took place, it took place at the New York Majestic Theater. The Phantom of the Opera became the second longest-running musical in Broadway history, after Cats. As a result, about 11 million people watched the show in New York alone. The musical was staged in 18 countries, about 65 thousand performances were given, more than 58 million people watched it there, and the total number of viewers around the world has already exceeded 80 million. As a result - well-deserved awards and prizes, numbering more than 50. The musical received three Laurence Olivier awards and 7 Tony awards, 7 Drama Desk awards, and the Evening Standard award. The total income from the Phantom of the Opera amounted to 3.2 billion dollars. The novel inspired the directors to create as many as seven films, the last of them, shot 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 Katerina 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 performance went platinum in the USA, Korea and Australia, double platinum in the UK, and gold in Sweden, New Zealand and Germany. In 2008, the musical was filmed, it was attended by such stars as Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan, and the same Phyllida Loyd became the director.

On August 19, 1957, the musical "West Side Story" based on the play by Arthur Lorenz premiered in Washington. It was a story of Romeo and Juliet, transferred to the realities of America at that time. The main characters - a Jewish boy Tony and an Italian Catholic Maria - belong to two hostile youth groups in New York, but, in spite of everything, they love each other. The musical instantly became a hit, and after the film adaptation in 1961, it only strengthened its position.

The musical is one of the most popular genres of theatrical art. After all, its plot is played out not only in words and actions, but also in songs and dances. In addition, musicals, as a rule, are massive and bright, which attracts viewers.

We decided to recall the most famous representatives of this genre.

"My Fair Lady"

In 1964, the film of the same name was released, in which the role of Eliza was played by Audrey Hepburn.

This musical is based on Bernard Shaw's play "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. Eliza moved into the house of a scientist to go through a difficult path of learning and transformation.

The musical premiered on March 15, 1956. Julie Andrews played the title role, Eliza. The show immediately gained incredible popularity, and soon received several prestigious theater awards.

In 1964, the film of the same name was released, in which the role of Eliza was played by Audrey Hepburn.

"Sounds of music"

The German film The Von Trapp Family became the basis for this musical. The picture told about an Austrian family who, fleeing the Nazis, went to America. The plot was based on the book by Maria von Trapp, a direct participant in those events.

The premiere took place on November 16, 1959. The musical received 8 Tony theater awards. A film of the same name was released in 1965. Its plot was slightly different from the play, but it was he who brought The Sound of Music real world fame.

"Cabaret"

The plot of the legendary musical is based on Christopher Isherwood's Berlin Stories about life in Germany in the early 1930s. Another part of the story comes from John Van Druten's play I Am the Camera, about the love affair between a young writer and Berlin cabaret singer Sally Bowles. Fate brought the hero to the capital of Germany in the early 30s. Here he meets Sally and falls in love with her. But she refused to follow him to Paris, breaking his heart.

The musical premiered on November 20, 1966. The production won 8 Tony Awards. In 1972, the film of the same name directed by Bob Foss was released. The image of Sally was brilliantly embodied by Liza Minnelli.

"Jesus Christ Superstar"

The work generated a lot of controversy and became a cult for the hippie generation.

The music for this musical was written by Andrew Lloyd Weber. Unlike traditional productions, in this one the whole story is told only with the help of songs. It also became original thanks to rock music and modern vocabulary in the texts. This made the production a real hit.

The story in it 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 first rock opera sounded in the form of an album in 1970, the main role in it was played by the lead singer of Deep Purple, Ian Gillan. The work generated a lot of controversy and became a cult for the hippie generation. A year later it was staged on Broadway.

"Chicago"

On March 11, 1924, in the Chicago Tribune, journalist Maureen Watkins spoke about a variety actress who killed her lover - this was the starting point for the plot of the musical. At the time, sex crime stories were very popular, and Watkins continued to write about them. On April 3, 1924, her new article appeared about a woman who shot her boyfriend. Watkins later wrote the play Chicago.

The story of the musical tells about the corps de ballet dancer Roxie Hart, who murdered her lover in cold blood. In prison, Roxy meets Velma Kelly and other criminals, and then hires lawyer Billy Flynn, with the help of which he avoids punishment, and at the same time becomes a real star. The musical premiered on June 3, 1975.

In 2002, the film "Chicago" was released with Renee Zellweger (Roxy), Catherine Zeta-Jones (Velma) and Richard Gere (Billy Flynn).

"Cats"

In "Cats" there is no curtain, and the stage merges with the audience into a single space.

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 ironically told about the habits and habits of cats, in which human features were guessed. Elliot's poetry appealed to Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Everything in "Cats" is unusual - there is no curtain on the stage, it merges into a single space with the audience. The stage itself is framed like a dump. Actors appear as graceful cats thanks to complex multi-layered make-up. Their costumes are hand-painted, wigs, tails and collars are made of yak wool. The musical was first shown on May 11, 1981 in London.

"Phantom of the Opera"

The Phantom of the Opera is based on the novel of the same name by Gaston Leroux. A romantic but dark story tells about a mysterious creature with supernatural powers living in a dungeon under the Paris Opera. Ono falls in love with a young singer Christina and becomes her patron.

The premiere of The Phantom of the Opera took place on October 9, 1986 at the Royal Theater, even members of Her Majesty's family attended. The show became the first longest-running musical in Broadway history, surpassing even Cats.

In 2004, the musical became a film, in which the image of the masked ghost was embodied by Gerard Butler.

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 wife of the Argentine dictator Juan Peron. The story of her life interested the poet. The plot of the show tells how she came to Buenos Aires at the age of 15 and became first a famous actress, and then the wife of the country's president. This woman helped the poor, but at the same time contributed to the reign of the dictatorship in Argentina.

The musical was released on June 21, 1978, and 20 years later it was decided to make a film based on it. It was directed by Alan Parker and starred Madonna.

"Mama Mia"

The popularity of ABBA's songs is so great that the idea of ​​creating a musical based on them is not surprising. The musical included 22 hits from the legendary quartet. Its authors were the male half of ABBA. The plot is as follows: Sophie is getting married. 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 start arriving at the wedding, the fun begins ...

For the first time this cheerful and bright musical was shown to the audience in 1999, and in 2008 a film based on it was released with Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Amanda Seyfried and other actors.

"Notre Dame de Paris"

The musical is based on Victor Hugo's novel Notre Dame Cathedral.

The musical is based on Victor Hugo's novel 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.

According to the plot, a young gypsy girl named Esmeralda attracts the attention of men with her beauty. Among them are the Bishop of Notre Dame Cathedral Frollo, a young handsome man - the captain of the royal shooters Phoebus and the ugly ringer Quasimodo, a pupil of Frollo.

Esmeralda falls in love with the most beautiful of them - Phoebe. He does not mind taking advantage of this, despite the fact that he has a fiancee - Fleur-de-Lys. Frollo is overwhelmed with jealousy and tormented by doubts - after all, he, as a priest, has no right to love a woman. Quasimodo admires the young gypsy, seeing in her that unattainable unearthly beauty, which is his complete opposite.

"Juno and Avos"

The musical is, without exaggeration, the most famous Russian production of this genre. Its premiere took place on July 9, 1981. The director was Mark Zakharov, and the main roles were played by Nikolai Karachentsov and Elena Shanina. The poem "Perhaps" by Andrei Voznesensky was put as the basis.

According to the plot, Count Rezanov, having buried his wife, decided to give all his strength to the service of Russia. His suggestions about the need to try to establish trade relations with North America for a long time did not meet with a response from the authorities, but at last he was ordered to go there. There he meets the young Conchita, and they fall in love with each other. Circumstances force them to part, but they manage to secretly get married. And although they are not destined to see each other again, their love will live forever.

This is probably the first film that any person remembers with the word "musical". Moreover, it is curious that the songs that sounded in it were not, basically, written specifically for this picture and were performed earlier, including in other films and musicals. Lead actor Gene Kelly was also one of the film's directors, allowing him, with his superstar status, to make the film exactly the way he wanted it to be. Naturally, he also sang the songs himself. But for the beautiful Debbie Reynolds (by the way, the mother of "Princess Leia", Carrie Fisher), just in case, a professional singer was hired: Reynolds herself sang and danced well, but it was impossible to take risks. As a result, the film forever took pride of place among the best film musicals in history.

If we talk about cinematic value, then among all the named paintings, this masterpiece by Lars von Trier is, of course, the main one. Risky, experimental (musical numbers were filmed by a hundred video cameras from different angles), cruel, he immediately became an event everywhere except for conservative America, where von Trier was never favored at all. Even an invitation to a cameo by Joel Gray, known for his role as an entertainer in Cabaret, did not help. Singer Björk wrote her best songs for the film and performed them with Catherine Deneuve. Hollywood pointedly ignored the film, not even giving it an Oscar for the best song, but, fortunately, Hollywood is not a decree for smart people. The film received the most prestigious film award in the world, the Palme d'Or, and although Björk has since refused to even talk to von Trier, she also received the Cannes award for best actress thanks to him.

One of the best musical movie fairy tales, and even with songs written and performed by David Bowie himself. In the film, he played the role of the main villain, who, in general, is not a villain at all, but a lonely and even romantic in love. A magical world, hairy monsters, castles with twisted space - all this comes to life under the amazing music of Bowie and still lives.

The songs of the ABBA group have long turned from pop hits of the 70s into the property of universal culture. Therefore, when a musical was staged on their material, it was not a commercial trick (although it was also for them), but simply an admission of the obvious: ABBA is no longer just ABBA. Therefore, although Hollywood stars in combination with the songs of the Swedish quartet look wild at first, you quickly get used to it and begin to get legitimate pleasure.

It seemed that by the beginning of the 21st century, the Hollywood musical had long been a dead genre, and only experimenters like von Trier dared to work with it. But Baz Luhrmann proved to everyone that this is not so. His massive production of a love story set in the infamous French cabaret turned out to be very timely and incredibly successful. Hollywood realized that the genre needed to be developed.

Huge in scope, the color blockbuster in its time was a worthy competitor to Gone with the Wind. If only because the tale of Oz had more readers anyway. Hollywood's greatest actress, Judy Garland, also starred in the film, and it's still impossible not to fall in love with her when she performs her parts in this film. In the US, this film is always named in the top ten most significant films of all time, and all over the world, viewers of all ages are still happy to review this picture.

One of the greatest musicals in history. The melodies of Michel Legrand have long become popular, no one remembers either their author, or the film, or the role after which Catherine Deneuve became a superstar, or the triumph of the film at Cannes. But the music from the "Umbrellas of Cherbourg" sounds everywhere where there is love, sadness and romance. For her sake, they watch this picture many times, crying over the fate of such young and such unfortunate heroes.

By the standards of today's viewers, a three-hour film musical, and even with a very unpretentious and unhurried plot, even including the theme of Nazism, looks a little heavy. Because this is a big-screen spectacle that needs to be devoted to all evening. To see charming Julie Andrews on this big screen, to submit to the beauty of her voice - and not only her voice. Then it will become clear why the Oscar committee presented the film with awards not only in the "musical" nominations, but considered it the best film with the best director of 1966.

The image of Audrey Hepburn does not fit in with the flower seller from Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion. But the actress managed to “tame” her inexpressible grace and grace for a while, in order to “release” them again later. So one of her most famous films arose, where, oddly enough, Hepburn herself was almost not allowed to sing, although she seriously prepared for this. But many years later, when the film was released on DVD, the soundtracks found with her voice became available to the general public.

Young John Travolta, who dances beautifully and sings a little less beautifully, is the main decoration of this musical. The image of a young hooligan, whose heart turns out to be larger than he expected, conquered all the girls on the planet, with the exception of progressive Soviet spectators: they simply did not see the film.

Style, style and more style - that's what made the musical "Cabaret" directed by Bob Fossey so great. The passionate and complex relationship between the heroes of Liza Minnelli and Michael York develops in Berlin in the early 30s. The space is gloomy, oppressive, somewhat perverted, impudent. And the storyline suits him. This is not a nice little love story, but a gritty tale of several intertwined personal tragedies where abortion, the Jewish rite, and people mysteriously disappearing from the hall where the heroine performs her zongs are of equal importance.

The story of Damien Chazelle is the living embodiment of the American Dream. From the modest short film "Obsession" about a drummer's rehearsal under the guidance of a sadistic conductor - to the full meter of the same name, which was immediately talked about in cinematographic circles. And after that - an incredibly stylish musical with Hollywood stars, which is already being considered as the film event of the year. Elegant, smart, accurate, not a show on the screen, but a serious movie with musical numbers. This is history being made before our very eyes.

One of the most famous musicals in the world for many years could not be transferred to the movie screens. Therefore, they looked at this version very meticulously, mocking Gerard Butler's vocals, which beat the shortcomings of his voice with dramatic talent. But Emmy Rossum in the title role coped with her parts just delicately, at the level of a good opera singer. And although the film failed at the box office in the United States, it still went down in history. Expensive and at times very interesting production.

Women on the verge of a nervous breakdown, a dead man in the next room and a lot of songs, jokes and dances - that's the whole musical of Francois Ozon. Which at the same time remains the most famous work of this director, and there is practically no viewer who would not watch this film at least several times. Because everything in it is perfect, including, of course, the best French actresses of different generations.

Woody Allen and the musical are incompatible things. As well as, for example, Tim Roth, Edward Norton, Natalie Portman and many other stars who do not really fit into the song culture. That's what Allen the joker was counting on. And, as always, he was right: the director's fans received the film very favorably.

For the Soviet public, there can be no question which Mary Poppins is better: they unanimously prefer the Soviet one performed by Natalya Andreichenko and refuse to watch the Disney musical that the whole world adores. But those who have overcome themselves cannot then get rid of the obsessive motives of the songs performed by Julie Andrews and her partners in the film. Playful, witty, and sometimes incredibly sad, they are simple and beautiful, like this adaptation itself.

Tim Burton made everyone sing: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter (she was also filmed pregnant), Sacha Baron Cohen, Alan Rickman - a bloody, dark and very sweet musical about throat slitting with a razor and "the worst pies in all of London" that made from human beings. Even the audience that watched this musical on Broadway was somewhat taken aback, but then accepted the film as their own.

For Judy Garland, this film, a remake of the 1937 film starring the great Adolphe Menjou, was very personal, as it echoed the details of her own biography in many ways. Therefore, it was very difficult for her to come to the shooting: they say that she sometimes made the group wait for herself for several days, breaking deadlines and risking being thrown out of the project. The studio did not forgive the actress: shortly after the release of the film, she was left without work. But for a long time she performed songs from this musical at her concerts.

After a quarter of a century of successful productions on Broadway, "Chicago" found an exemplary film interpretation with the help of today's leading specialist in this genre, Rob Marshall. Rene Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Richard Gere sang for their heroes themselves, although they clearly lacked the vocal abilities for this, which caused a negative reaction from a number of viewers. But the Film Academy openly supported the film, giving it 6 Oscars at once and writing it into the history of American cinema. So he stayed there.

Gangster fighter. But there are two features. First: all the gangsters here sing. Second, they are all played by small children whose machine guns shoot cakes. Watching this musical by Alan Parker is incredibly fun, and the young Jodie Foster clearly stands out from the rest of the other talented actors here. Her femme fatale, even in children's clothes, remains dangerous and sexy.

Turning Federico Fellini's main film "8½" into a musical seems, at first glance, complete absurdity, and therefore the picture of Rob Marshall has many opponents, as, indeed, all his other works. Daniel Day-Lewis is not at all like the refined and cynical Marcello Mastroianni, and Marshall's accents are somewhat shifted. Nevertheless, for any connoisseur of cinema, this film is of particular importance as a recognition of one director's love for the work of another. Very colorful, inventive confession.

The music for West Side Story was written by the great Leonard Bernstein, one of the best conductors of the 20th century, a connoisseur of classical music, an educator and just an outstanding person. Maybe that's why the musical sounds so perfect that it is still listened to today, it has withstood many productions in different countries. The plot is the story of Romeo and Juliet, transferred to the streets of New York in the 50s, where street gangs are shown instead of warring families. The film is considered an exemplary production of this musical, it received 10 Oscars and is one of the best examples of the genre.

The case when the film musical overtook Broadway for half a century: this plot “ripened” to the stage incarnation only by 1980. Meanwhile, for its time, the early 30s, the plot was very sharp and political, if only because it spoke directly about the harsh reality of the Great Depression. Since the sound in the cinema was just emerging, the soundtrack for the musical was recorded in advance, and the artists only had to act in sync with it. Subsequently, Hollywood made this practice ubiquitous.

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.