the Moscow Children’s Variety Theater - Master i Margarita

On September 23, 2009, the Московский детский театр эстрады (МДТЭ) or the Moscow Children’s Variety Theater (MDTE) premiered a fantasy opera based on Mikhail Bulgakov's novel The Master and Margarita.

Valentin Valentinovich Ovsyannikov (° Moscow, 1961), artistic director of the MDTE, wrote over 25 years on the music and the libretto. He wanted to have it premiered for the 20th anniversary of the Moscow Children's theater. After a preview on September 16, 2009, for an audience of politicians, musicians and cultural personalities, the opera was premiered on September 23, 2009. It will be part of the Children's theater repertoire, and there are also plans for a tour and the recording of a CD and a DVD.

The role of the master was played by Vladimir Yabchanik, who performed already in many Russian versions of popular musicals. Svetlana Svetikova, a graduate of the MDTE, plays the role of Margarita. Other roles are performed by Vladimir Yabchannik, Oleg Goncharov, Alexander Balikov, Sergei Sorokin and Victoria Livko. Director is Leonid Polonsky, and producer is Natalya Bodilevich.

The duet between the Master and Margarita, sung by Svetlana Svetikova and the popular singer and actor Dimitry Kharatyan, was broadcast on the Moscow radio by way of promotion.

It was remarkable that Sergey Shilovsky, the grandson of Bulgakov's third wife Elena Sergeevna, was present at the premiere. Usually he causes much trouble to everyone who wants to make an adaptation of The Master and Margarita with its claims for copyrights. It is, for example, due to his stubborn attitude that the film of Yuri Kara from 1994 was never released. But the he made an exception for the Moscow Children’s Variety Theater. "I am very touched by what I saw," he said, "Thank you for all the love you showed while working on this opera."

Московский детский театр эстрады
Baumanskaya ulitsa 32, Moskou
Telephone: +7 (495) 632-18-32; +7 (495) 632-18-44

Tickets : tue, wed, thu, fri 15.00 – 19.00, sun 10.00 – 15.00

Metro Baumanskaya

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Click here for the website of the Moscow Children’s Variety Theatre

Technical details

Album
None

Performers
Vladimir Yabchanik (The Master)
Svetlana Svetikova (Margarita)
Oleg Goncharov
Alexander Balikov
Sergey Sorokin

Label
None