What is a musical, the history of the musical

What is a musical, the history of the musical

Musical theater as a special form of art was formed by mixing several areas of creativity. Musicals are able to tell a classic story in a completely new way, more piercing and deep, and make the author's modern play popular at one moment. In the context of prosaic reality, is this not a miracle generated by music, colors, voice and a powerful emotional message coming from heart to heart?

The history of the musical and a lot of interesting facts read on our page.

What is a musical

This is a theatrical show, where there are, in addition to the dialogues between the heroes of the performance, vocal and dance performances. Any musical is a form of narration. The story may have a purely dramatic or historical basis, talk about love, sincere feelings, or contain deep political, philosophical or social overtones. Whatever the plot, it must be embodied in such a way that the public has the opportunity to enjoy a fantastically spectacular performance that can evoke a real emotional response.

Genre finally took shape in the United States. In the 30s of the last century, the stronghold of a democratic device plunged into the so-called Great Depression. In those difficult times, musicals, colorful, dynamic, “live”, acquired the status of vents for people who were in constant concern for their future. This circumstance helps to understand how far-reaching the impact of art is on the psychological state of a person. The musical in this vein is the most simple, affordable, "lightweight" form.

A conditional stronghold of successful musicals is considered Broadway. Theaters on this street in New York can boast an enviable repertoire, as well as the title of the premiere venue for performances, which later became the highest-grossing and won phenomenal popularity. In the current reality, the production of one musical included in the Broadway repertoire costs several million dollars.

Musicals are always spectacular and exciting. The incredible effect of viewing, in terms of impressions, is achieved through painstaking, time-consuming work, which invariably remains "behind the scenes." The spectator gets a chance to see only the result. Difficult can be not only the installation of multi-ton scenery (sometimes the creators are content with a very modest stage entourage) and production of tricks, but also the work of makeup artists, costume designers, all members of the creative team, which creates a different fascinating and "catchy" reality.

Popular musicals

The most sought-after and acclaimed musicals by the public are mostly based on immortal literary works of recognized geniuses. There are exceptions, because they bring to the art notes of inspiring unpredictability and anticipation with an uncertain mood. Taking film as a basis for a musical (example - "Sounds of music"), original authentic life story ("Chicago"), children's poems ("Cats") or stories about contemporary authors (" The Cabaret "), the producers are at risk, but the ovations of enthusiastic spectators are even sweeter. The list of the most popular musicals is constantly updated, but there are performances that have already become inimitable legends.

"My Fair Lady"

The story of the transformation of a modest girl named Eliza Dolittle, who happened to be in the professor's house, came to the liking of the public. The production itself was highly appreciated by critics. The musical has won a number of prestigious awards. In 1964, a film with a similar name was released, the main role was given to the beautiful Audrey Hepburn, an icon of the style of her time.

"Jesus Christ Superstar"

A distinctive feature of the musical is the lack of dance numbers. An unforgettable biblical picture that depicts the circumstances of the last week of Jesus of Nazareth’s earthly life was recreated on the theatrical stage in New York in 1971. The production became a cult, not only because of the religious aspects affected, but also because of its successful integration into the narrative canvas of musical ballads in rock style. An interesting circumstance was the fact that the life and teachings of Christ were described by the eyes of his follower, Judas, whose mental torments and throwings led first to disappointment, then to betrayal, but were not resolved by repentance.

"Mamma Mia"

The musical, created with the inclusion of 22 songs of the Swedish quartet "ABBA", was doomed to popularity initially. In 1999, the premiere performance was organized, after 9 years the full-length film was released, another 10 - the sequel. This is a story about a young girl who is looking for love, and, having found it, seeks to share joy with the closest people. However, Fate has prepared for the young person trials that will help find their way and distinguish the wheat from the chaff.

"Fiddler on the roof"

The musical debunks the stereotype that the musical theater is certainly an extravaganza, masquerade, entertainment and a happy ending. A musical performance about real, strong love without a romantic flair and excessive sentimentality can have a tragic, "painful" ending. It will just have to be taken, like so much in real life, from which art goes side by side.

"Cats"

The existence of this musical connoisseurs of the genre are obliged by the love of Mr. Andrew L. Webber to children's poetry. The play was first presented in 1981 in London, and its literary base was a book for children in the verses of T. Eliot under the heading "The book of the old possum on practical cats." The uniqueness of the musical lies in the most complex, multi-stage work of make-up artists and scenery artists. At the same time, the creative space where the action unfolds has no delineated border with the hall. Such a decision creates a feeling of incredible closeness and realism of what is happening on the stage, which appears as a landfill, where homeless people gather, but who do not lose their dignity.

"Phantom of the Opera"

Infernal mysticism and sincere feelings - a musical based on the novel by G. Leroux is built on the display of these ephemeral matters. The mysterious ghost who lives in the labyrinth of the catacombs under the building of the Opera Theater in Paris, is imbued with tender feelings for Christine, the actress, shining on the stage. The ghost seeks to protect her beloved and help her fulfill her dreams, but his own aspirations about the beautiful woman's position should remain imprisoned in the gloomy corners of her consciousness.

For film directors, successful musicals acquire the status of manna from heaven, which makes it possible to take advantage of a priori successful plot outline: it only needs to be “polished” by the available spectrum of expressive means and the play of talented actors. For the creators of the musicals themselves in an arbitrary “menu” that generates inspiration, classic pieces, the interest in which does not fade away, are a tasty morsel.

The history of the musical

The genre originated in the United States, but a historical retrospective is impossible without regard to European influence. In the 18th century, opera rapidly gained momentum in development in order to present itself as an important theatrical form by the beginning of the 19th century. However, performances in Italy, France, and Vienna gathered in the halls mainly aristocracy, representatives of privileged social strata. Opera was considered entertainment "for the elect," America, on the contrary, sought to provide society with such art that was accessible to the mass audience, regardless of its social status and financial position, in terms of content, presentation and design.

Surprisingly, it was in the spiritual aspect that the Americans made an attempt to move away from the trend of class and stereotype. Unfortunately, only in the question of determining the audience. With respect to the plots, the authors were given complete freedom: the content of the performances was often intended to ridicule a certain phenomenon or person.

The forerunner of the musical is considered to be the minstrels' show, which gained popularity by the end of the 80s of the nineteenth century. The comedy show was a failure setting in a satirical vein, where the characters of the characters were transmitted in a somewhat grotesque style. The structure of the performance implied 3 actions, in each of which the plot was developed through songs and dances. The minstrels' show changed over time, transforming into a vaudeville, burlesque and, of course, a musical. Already at that time, the artists participating in such scenes were supposed to be universal in terms of creative skills: they were dancers, singers, and performers.

In the current time musicals are extremely popular. They become part of the repertoire of famous theaters, and can be put on peripheral platforms. Pupils and students turn to this genre when organizing their own events within the boundaries of individual educational institutions. Amateur performances are organized in churches and on spontaneously installed street stages.

Tony Award - an award that is awarded each year for success and achievement in the works within the boundaries of American musical theater. Every year, the award ceremony becomes a landmark, summing up event in culture, gathering in a festive atmosphere a huge number of outstanding talented artists.

Interesting facts about the musical

• The first performance, reminiscent of a musical, was the "Beggar's Opera". The performance was released in 1728 in the British capital. The action in 3 acts was characterized by a comic plot, which, according to the idea, was to be a parody of the Italian dramatic opera. In the course of the action, the life of the marginal layers was ridiculed: robbers, courtesans, thieves. The first musical in the form in which it is most consistent with the concept, can reasonably be considered the production of "Show Boat". The premiere took place in 1927 in the USA.
• Two musicals that turned out to be "champions" in terms of box office, in the musical aspect are the creations of Andrew Lloyd Webber. We are talking about the legendary "Cats" who have collected more than two billion dollars for all the time of performances, and the musical "The Phantom of the Opera", striking with the luxury of scenery and exciting suspense. Psychological stress is supported by special effects worthy of participation in the cinematic action-thriller. Despite the enormous costs of reproducing scenery and stunts, "Phantom of the Opera" was put on again and again, regularly gathering the public on Broadway, starting in 1988. The total profit was about $ 5 billion.

• The most commercially unsuccessful project in the musical genre is called “Spiderman”. The performance, despite the epic storyline from the comic book, gained notoriety. The work began in the distant 2007th year, but it was constantly suspended, due to the lack of budget funds for the implementation of the grandiose idea. By 2009, the project debt was approximately 25 million US dollars. However, the creators are not discouraged, believing that the fees will pay back the running costs. Hope did not materialize. The premiere show was revealed to the world in 2011, but after two years it became obvious: there can be no future for the musical, the public did not accept the show, did not appreciate it, despite investments that were not inferior in scale to the plot scope.
• Surprisingly, the American public did not take the musical and the story of Stephen King. Books and film versions of the author's novels are currently extremely popular among readers and admirers of the “king of horrors” talent all over the world. However, the 1988 production of "Carrie" was held on the stage only 5 times. The story of an unhappy and brutal girl with telekinesis abilities, told from a stage on Broadway, did not have any success with the public, although the process of preparing the play cost the creators $ 7,000,000.
• The most famous domestic production in the genre of the musical is "Juno and Avos". A piercing love story that knows no boundaries was embodied on the stage by Mark Zakharov. The premiere took place in 1981.

• The musical belongs to those genres that are either recognized and passionately adored, or are considered low-grade spectacle, emphasizing the fact that the productions are put on commercial rails. French chanson Charles Aznaur defined the musical as a musical genre for those who do not have the skills of stage speech, and colloquial - for those who do not have the ability to sing. American composer Frederick Lowe frankly admitted that he does not like the music he creates. At the same time, he ironically noted that his opinion does not mean anything in comparison with the judgment of the audience. Lowe is the author of the musical based on the play by B. Shaw about the flower vendor “My Fair Lady”, which has become an adornment of the genre.
• The principal difference of the musical in the theater and cinema is that the cinema format provides for greater freedom in embodying the background decorations, within whose boundaries the action is played out. In the film, one can observe magnificent natural landscapes or other surroundings that cannot be technically reproduced in a theater. At the same time, the musical is a special genre in the cinema, which allows actors to look directly into the camera during filming (which is difficult to imagine in traditional cinema). In this way, the effect of theatricality is achieved: through a glance directed from the stage into the hall, an imitation of the dialogue between the artist and the audience takes place.
• It is a mistake to believe that any musical implies both dances and songs. There is the term "musical staging", which describes the implicit result of the work of the director. For example, in the musical there can be no dances at all, not one, but the choreographer’s work will be colossal, which will be embodied in every movement, a passing gesture of an artist.

In one consistently popular Soviet film, one of the characters uttered a phrase that in the near future, television will replace cinema, theater, and books. How erroneous and ridiculous this opinion seems to be in the 21st century, when musical theatrical performances acquired the status of a spectacular show capable of capturing the imagination of even the most demanding viewer!