Theaters/Musical/
Musical Comedy Theatre

The Theatre of Musical Comedy has been founded in 1929. Originally, the performances were in Nicholas II's People's House, which later has become the "Velikan" ("Giant") movie theatre, and in 1988 it has been transformed into the St. Petersburg Music Hall. The building in the Arts Square, in which the theatre has been housed since 1938, had originally been a mansion, then in the 1910s it has been reconstructed by I.L. Balbashevsky to house the Palace operetta theatre.

The theatre has always had operettas by Soviet composers in its repertory, as well as pieces by Offenbach, Strauss and Kalman.

The theatre of Musical Comedy was the only one to work in Leningrad during the blockade. In 1979 it has been awarded the Red Banner of Labour order. The building holds 1,605 people. Not long ago, the Theatre of Musical Comedy has been re-opened after a long-term renovation.

The Opera Hall of Nicholas II's People's House has been built in the Petrogradskaya Side district in 1910-1912. It has changed its proprietors several times since then, but always remained a cultural centre. The building in the Alexandrovsky Park was handed over to the St. Petersburg Music Hall some 20 years after it had been created by I.Ya. Rakhlin in 1967. Its colourful performances in the light comedy genre were sell-outs until recently, but over the last years the interest towards them has been gradually diminishing.

Address: 13, Italianskaya Street Subway (Metro): Gostinny Dvor Tel: + 7 (812) 210 4316