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M. VODYANOY MUSICAL COMEDY THEATER

Start of the creative way

The theater began to be formed in autumn 1946 in Lviv, and in the spring of 1947 showed its first performance with the symbolic name Eleven of the unknown. As later told M.G.Vodyanoy told: "Though we were more, we really were not known to anyone. But soon, dozens of talented artists learned the whole country.

The theater with gratitude stores memory of the FIRST — director I.Grinshpun, conductor E.Makarevich (for many years he will be the chief chorus master of theater), artist A.Naydich, ballet master A.Opanasenko. Among performers of the first performance were N. Buharin, E.Dembskaya, D. Kozachkovsky, I.Anipreev, Ya.Zorina, L.Ostroumova, S. Uvarov, I.Gorodetsky, E.Liberro and M.Vodyanoy who for that time was not in the premier structure. However soon he became the first actor of the troupe for four decades and one of the leaders of a genre in the country. The devotion of performers was so great, their burning so sincere that on April 3, 1947 the Lvov truth wrote: "We saw the first performance... pleased at its success and something healthy, good in shape of the young collective that, undoubtedly, grants to it the right to life". Further followed Silva by I.Kalman and The cheerful widow by F.Legara, May night by A.Ryabov and at last "seagull" A free wind by I.Dunayevsky. This first great luck on the way of development of the modern repertoire, the way which for decades becomes general for the theater. In the performance put by I.Grinshpun, conductor Y.Feldman, artist Yu.Stepanchuk, ballet master A.Opanasenko, perfectly played D. Kozachkovsky, N. Kochkin, N. Buharin, E.Dembskaya, Y.Zorina and M.Vodyanoy as Stenli. Besides, it was M. Demina's brilliant debut that began their unique duet with M.Vodyanoy.

Much performances were made, 4-5 during a season, mainly on a modern subject, without discouraging itself by failures and passing works. There were also classics: The princess of circus, Bayadera, Maritsa by I.Kalman, Mademoiselle Nitush by F.Erva, Roz-Mari by R. Stoggarta, G. Frimlya (in this operetta as Jimmy N.Udod debuted). I.Kilberg was at the panel since Silva who would be the chief conductor of the theater many decades more. V. Sklyarenko, D. Kozachkovsky, I.Grinshpun organized performances. So the theater had the viewer, the admirers. The press wrote: "The young theater has the creative face".

Already since the first seasons the theater began to go on tours through Ukraine. In 1950 and 1952 the collective visits Odessa where finds new admirers at once. From the valuable replenishment of the troupe one excellent vocalist who has entered into a star galaxy and a temperamental actor Y.Dynov should be marked out. N.Bogoslovskiy Honeymoon trip directed by V. Pikovskiy, conducted by K.Bents and with L.Faylenbogen artist is the last performance in Lviv in which I.Ivanova as Olga successfully debuted.

Odessa registration. 1950-1970

In 1953 according to the decision of the party management the Odessa theater of the Soviet Army was sent to Lvov, and the Lvov musical comedy theatre to Odessa. When in December, 1953 "immigrants" arrived to Odessa, they were awaited already by admirers. The guests were warmly treated by coryphaeuses of the Odessa theaters V. Vasilko, L.Matsiyevskaya, I.Tverdokhlib, P. Mikhaylov and Z.Dyakonova. Soon Odessa actors E.Glovatskaya, M. Dashevsky and A.Sivtsov joined the troupe.

The collective organically fitted into the city life. The big role played the fact that the genre of the musical comedy is close to the Odessa character. The theater managed to experience the city, its peculiar atmosphere and to embody it in the creativity so naturally that it soon becomes one of the symbols of Odessa.

The white acacia by I.Dunayevsky made by I.Grinshpun at the very beginning of 1956 became the first considerable success on this way. The performance was showed on tours in Moscow. Critics unanimously gave it preference before the performance made by the capital operetta theater that really was considered as an outstanding achievement. The Soviet culture wrote: "Freshness, a spontaneity, mischief blows from it... the performance charm is in its ease, cheerful enthusiasm... the operetta characters are perceived as people alive". E.Groshev musical critic reсalled: "The Minister of Culture of that time liked the performace so much that he even stated intention... to transfer the theater to Moscow"! . Fortunately for the Odessa audience and the theater, this plan wasn't carried out. It is impossible to tear off Anthea from the earth, and the Odessa soil was very fruitful for the musical comedy theater.

Among the star names of the late 1950-th - early 60th there are new: Z.Votintseva, V. Primenko, L.Satosova, S. Krupnik … The collective persistently works over performances. Only for the two first decades of the existence, the theater has made 85 performances.

Briefly recalling history pages, it is necessary to tell kind words about the first director M.A.Podshibitkin who took difficulties of the organizational period, and certainly about D.M.Ostrovskiy, faithfully serving to the Odessa operetta for three decades.

Theater blossom in the 60-70th years is connected with the name of the main director M. Osherovskiy which has become famous for the first performances of foreign and Soviet musicals. Today the theater practically refused so-called Soviet repertoire which was earlier a basis of its creative life. In performances of that time, the theater didn't dissemble, trying to speak about life and to approve humanistic ideals.

Young voices. 70-80-th

By M. Osherovskiy the new generation of actors joined the troupe, among which were Y.Osipov, E. Silin, S.Valovaya, A.Poslavsky, and also graduates of a course directed by the Odessa theatrical school: V. Frolov, V. Frolova, V. Barda Sklyarenko, V.Valovoy and G. Zhadushkina.

In the late seventies, the beginning of the 80th, thanks to M.Vodyanoy's initiative young talented actors came to theater: the graduate of the school of Gnesinykh T.Tishchenko, graduates of GITIS. N. Zavgorodnyaya, A.Semenova, N. Zavgorodny, S. Kowalewski and others. And Y.Osipov comes back to a position of the leading soloist.

For the theater untimely death in 1987 of his leader Mikhail Vodyanoy, right after the huge success of the musical entitled The Violinist on a Roof by J. Bock (directed by Edward Mitnitsky) became tragic, where the Master created a deep drama image of milk seller philosopher Tevye.

New horizons. 90-ies

The period from 1987 to 1990 under the leadership of the main director Julius Grinshpun, the son of one of the theatre founders I.Grinshpun, was noted by the setting of sharply critical comedies Elephant by V. Grokhovskiy, I.Dunayevsky's Grooms, Mafioso by M. Novak, and also operettas Bayadera by I.Kalman and The Great Mikado by A.Sallivana (The first prize of the all-Union festival of operetta theaters).

The 90ies became for the theater the years of creative search. Many known directors worked with the troupe. The performance revues Carnival in French Boulevard and Folk show directed by Alexey Yakubov, A ball in honor of the king had special spectator success (directed by M. Lich), classical operettas directed by B. Ryabikin, musicals Trekhgroshevaya Love (directed by E.Mitnitsky), Kabare by D. Kendera and Game, game on! by A.Kolker (directed by V. Strizhov). Among the young actors O. Oganezov, A.Akhmetova, P. Kolomiychuk, V. Kondratyev, S. Lukashenko are in the lead …

In 1995 the theatre was awarded with the title of the outstanding actor of the theater and cinema, the national actor of the USSR Mikhail Grigoryevich Vodyanoy was.

Modern theatre. 2000s

The new page in the history of theater opened the rock opera Romeo and Juliette by E.Lapeyko (2002). New rhythms began to sound, new scenic effects and technologies began to be used, and the new generation of talented young actors joins the troupe. Performances by two, absolutely different on a hallmark directors, inhabitants of Odessa, honored workers of arts of Russia, now working in St. Petersburg became art events: George Kovtun (Romeo and Juliette, Canterville Ghost, The silicone silly woman) and Vladimir Podgorodinskiy (The cheerful widow, Hello, Dolley! , Don César de Bazan, Kiss me, Cat! , An anonymous star, Zhirofle-Zhiroflya,The first love of Don Zhuan).

Executive and creative leaders head successfully this big collective: the theater director — the honored worker of culture Elena Redko, the chief conductor Arcady Pevtsov, the chief ballet master, the honored worker of arts of Ukraine Igor Didurko, the chief chorus master, the honored worker of arts of Ukraine Yury Topuzov, the main art director, the deserved artist of Ukraine Stanislav Zaytsev.

Long-term creative merits of collective were adequately estimated. In the 2006th year the theater received the status of the academic. And in the 2007 Odessa musical comedy theatre celebrated the 60th anniversary by a festive show .

Today the repertoire of the theater contains performances in practically all directions and genres of musical theater, from the classical operetta to a rock opera, version of musicals, from Broadway classics to the musical detective story and the musical in the style of jazz. These are classical operettas entitled Maritsa by I.Kalman, Bat by I.Shtraus, The cheerful widow by F.Legar; Zhirofle-Zhiroflya by Sh. Lekok, musicals My fair lady by F. Law, Don César de Bazan by E.Ulyanovsky, Kiss me, Cat! by K.Porter, Hello, Dolley! by J. German, Wedding of Krechinsky by A.Kolker; Naked love by M. Samoilov, the performance entitled Ball in honor of the King devoted to the memory of Mikhail Vodyanoy, performances for children.

The rock opera Romeo and Juliette by E.Lapeyko enjoys popularity on the scene of the theater, the youth audience is collected also by the musical Canterville Ghostby A.Ivanov. The musical Anonymous Star by M. Samoilov was recognized as the best performance among the Odessa theaters in 2006.

Following the results of 2008 national actors of Ukraine Olga Oganezova and Vladimir Frolov became winners of the annual city competition called Your Names, Odessa, for the roles of Don Zhuan and the Commodore in the musical The first Love of Don Zhuan by M. Samoilov.

The performance of the scandalous modern musical Silicone Silly Woman by A.Pantykin became a significant event of 2009.

In 2010 the theater pleased the audience with two premier performances: the restored version of the Broadway musical by Cola Porter called Kiss me, Cat! directed by Vladimir Podgorodinskiy and the musical for the whole family The Bremen musicians by a young Moscow director Nikolay Pokotylo.

The total staff of the theater, taking into account the talented and creative production part, is 340 people. The new building of theater was constructed in 1981, according to the project of the Odessa architect G. Topuz. The capacity of the hall is 1200 places. Today it is one of the most modern and technically equipped theatrical platforms of Odessa.