The play "Mademoiselle Nitusch" staged by the Evgeny Vakhtangov Metropolitan Theater evokes a wide variety of feelings. Everyone sees and feels it in their own way. Some admire the talented play of the actors, others believe that there is too much expression and freedom in their behavior on the stage. One thing is clear - the performance will not leave any spectator indifferent.
Eternal story
Composer Florimon Herve is considered the founder of the French operetta. Of all his works, Mademoiselle Nitusch, which appeared in 1883, received the most popularity. Its premiere took place on the stage of the Variety Theater in Paris, and then the classic sitcom began its victorious march around the world. In this production solemn choral and merry dances are mixed, hypocrisy and greed are adjacent to a young thirst for life. In general, characterizing the story, we can say that the main thing in it, of course, is love.
Events unfold in the French province of the second half of the 19th century. Denise de Flavigny is the main character of the operetta. A young girl is brought up in a monastery boarding house, but has long secretly dreamed of a theater. Once having escaped from a strict boss, she finds herself in the local variety show, where the premiere of the operetta takes place. It turns out that the author of the work is her music teacher Celestin. In the guesthouse, he behaves prudishly, and he burns his life outside his gates and composes musical parts for his girlfriend, the opera prima Korina. Once again, Celesten secretly escapes to the city, Denise follows him to get to the show. This evening, Korin is scandalous and does not want to participate in the premiere, under her pseudonym "Mademoiselle Nitouche" Denise comes out, who knows the game by heart. The performance of the girl resonates with the hearts of the public, the lieutenant Fernand Champlatro present in the hall is not only subdued by the talent of the aspiring artist, but also declares her love. After a series of comical misunderstandings, a happy ending follows.
There is a version that the image of Celestin, who gave music lessons in a monastery guesthouse and came up with operettas, was drawn from Herve from his own biography. In his youth, he had to lead a similar life.
From premieres to anniversaries
For the first time, the opera Mademoiselle Nitouche presented the Yevgeny Vakhtangov Theater to the audience in 1944, directed by Ruben Simonov. The musical performance of the war years was a great success, and for many years did not leave the theater posters.
After 60 years, the Vakhtangans ventured to stage the play for the second time. The premiere of the new Mademoiselle Nitouche took place on the stage of the Vakhtangov Theater on December 30, 2004. The production, authored by famous director Vladimir Ivanov, turned out to be an excellent gift for Muscovites on New Year's Eve. The main "highlight" of the performance is that a real professional orchestra takes part in it, and all the actors sing live and dance beautifully. All this brought the performance not only spectator love, but also a number of prestigious theater awards.
For many years the performance continues its triumphal procession. During this time, the cast changed three times. The only performer was the performer of the role of the head of the "Sky Swallows" boarding house. During the jubilee 300th performance, all three casts took to the stage. The audience got a unique chance to see simultaneously several performers of the role of Denise, three Celestins, Colonels and even the brave hussars who are invited from the Satire Theater.
Cast
The current cast of the show shines with its splendor. The only artist who has steadily stepped on stage more than 300 times as a mentor of the guesthouse is Maria Aronova. In the piggy bank of the actress, many theater roles and film works. Honored Artist of Russia became the owner of several prestigious awards. Her touching, bespectacled heroine in Mademoiselle Nitusch makes the entire audience laugh in her voice, even the most strict skeptic cannot restrain a smile. Elements of the image: an immense ass, a cleft bite and a red bun of hair, together with the artist's comic gift, make it easy to amuse the audience. Some believe that the jokes of the heroine Aronova are somewhat vulgar, but no one will deny that the actress has incredible energy and is good at every appearance on the stage.
The role of Celesten and Floridor is performed by Alexander Oleshko. Often the name of the actor is associated with his work in film and television. However, theater is the second important part of an actor’s life. A talented young man, originally from Chisinau, he graduated with honors from a variety college and theater institute. For creating the image of Celestin, the Honored Artist of Russia received the Seagull Award for best comedic role. In another cast, the image of Celesten on stage was embodied by actor Viktor Dobronravov.
The role of the opera prima donna Korin in the play is performed by Nonna Grishaeva. The talent of the artist is multifaceted: participation in theatrical productions, dozens of roles in films and television programs, dubbing of films and animated films.
Among other actors, I would like to note the play of Vladimir Simonov, Lydia Velezhaeva, Anatoly Menshchikov, as well as the young and pretty actress Olga Nemogai in the role of Denise.
Pros and cons
Sparkling vaudeville on the verge of farce fully corresponds to the traditions of the Vakhtang productions: "Straw Hat", "Ladies and Hussars", "Ancient Russian Vaudeville". Music alternates with humorous dialogues, so the time, while "Mademoiselle Nitusch" lasts, flies by unnoticed. Everything else can be noted bright costumes and beautiful scenery.
The production is easily perceived, it resembles a musical where music is played almost all the time, and small pauses are filled with replicas. The heroes of the play, sing, dance, arrange pranks, thereby causing a smile to the audience. The performance directed by the graduate of the Shchukin school, Vladimir Ivanov, doomed to success not only an intricate plot, but also an unpredictable play by the actors. The play abounds in comic situations. Characters fall out of the blue, hide behind curtains and under tables, change their gait and even faint. In a word - the whole set of vaudeville stamps. Each of the heroes sets his own goal and, as a result, achieves happiness for himself. In the play's finale, three character weddings take place simultaneously.
Among the fans of the theater there were many spectators who considered the production of Vladimir Ivanov to be solid, but boring. It turned out that the easy operetta genre in the production is rather difficult. In their reviews, viewers note that the actresses wagging backwards, laughing unnaturally, their eyes puffed and screaming loudly. Jokes are not always funny, and sometimes even vulgar. Some theatergoers believe that in this production there are too many things: bitchiness, innocence, tearfulness and even dullness.
The production almost lacks the original author's music of Herve, it was replaced by the French chanson. This fact also found many complaints from the audience. According to the director, he removed the "non-winning" numbers from the play and replaced them with the melodies of French composers to make the operetta lighter and more airy. Unfortunately, this changed the general mood of history, its charm.
A lot of controversy aroused among theater critics the image of Colonel Alfred Chateau Zhibus. The red wig, burr reprimand and cavalry gait gave him a special comic. In a complex way, some awkwardness is felt.
