A Journey to the Heart of 'The Master and Margarita' - A Musical Spectacle That Left Me Speechless
As a self-proclaimed musical lover, I have a deep affinity for the genre. It's a part of me, drawing me in like a magnet whenever I have the chance to experience it.
My recent encounter with the rock opera 'Orpheus' in St. Petersburg was truly amazing, with great costumes and outstanding voices that left me in awe.
However, it was my experience with the 'The Master and Margarita' musical at the LDM Theater that truly left me speechless.
The address had changed, so I double-checked the website and the poster several times before heading to the new location. The ticket price was 3700 rubles each, which I thought was a great value for money, considering the price varies from 1500 to 15000 rubles.
But the theater itself has a not-so-convenient location, situated in an industrial area that brought back memories of a concert we'd seen there before.
Upon entering the building, I was surprised to find that the foyer is quite small, with tiny tables where people are sipping champagne, and a ridiculously small coat check area.
The line to check in our coats was huge because the internet wasn't working in the building, and when we tried to leave, they were demanding we hand over our binoculars, which we hadn't even gotten because we hadn't paid for them.
The theater's got some serious issues with seating and admin, but I'm getting ahead of myself.
Another thing that's really annoying is that they're selling play programs, but they don't even tell you who's playing which character.
But enough about the theater's quirks - let's talk about the actual show.
The musical was first performed in 2014, took a break, and then came back in 2017.
We arrived 10 minutes before the show started, and it turned out it was some kind of warm-up act, which was nice to listen to.
I was bummed that I couldn't take any photos or videos of the concert, but the program and voiceover warnings made it clear that it was strictly forbidden.
The opening act was this incredibly talented actor who was just so full of energy, with an amazing voice and a way of connecting with the audience that felt effortless and genuine.
Voland was absolutely phenomenal, and Ivan Ozhogin's performance was truly a treat for anyone who loves musicals!
Now, I have to admit that if I ever see a movie or musical adaptation of this, but without him, I'm worried that the other actors will pale in comparison.
The parts where Voland takes center stage are the ones that really get your heart racing, and Ivan Ozhogin truly brought that drama to life.
Main characters like Margarita, Jesus, and Pontius Pilate - strong voices and emotions, they played beautifully, but in my opinion, the Master should be a bit older, with a stronger voice.
Jesus/Master is played by Anton Avdeev - beautifully, tenderly, with wisdom and humility - excellent, beautiful tone, but I just wasn't feeling it...
But I have to give credit where credit is due - no one faked it and performed their roles from the heart, emotionally, vividly.
And Margarita... her love - unwavering, pure, and tender for the Master, throughout the parts she fully showed the audience the love that people die for.
Her duets with either Voland or the Master, and her desperation or passion shine through, and her liberation of Frida... yeah, it was so poignant that I cried...
Voland's entourage, I'm not sure who played Helga, but she's absolutely stunning and showed love and passion for her master, but unfortunately...
By the way, this is the first musical where the actors spent about a third of the time on stage, frequently appearing from the side aisles and sometimes the girls from the cabaret would get kisses and hugs from a bald guy in the row next to the aisle.
3D effects truly transform the picture, filling it with a greater soul and emotions.
The costumes of Voland and his entourage are just stunningly done, and the costume for the scene of flying over Moscow is classic.
Sound was perfect, loud enough to fill the room but not so loud it hurt my ears, and the head-mounted mics were a great touch, letting me move around freely.
My friends Gella and Margarita had some issues with theirs - the mics kept dropping out on them, but that was a minor glitch.
Costumes were top-notch - thoughtfully designed, vibrant, thematic, and atmospheric, and the ones on Voland were particularly stunning.
Lighting was incredible - every moment was perfectly lit to match the mood and tone of the scene, and it really added to the emotional impact of the performance.
I have to say, this musical really blew me away, cleared up all the confusing moments for me, and the actors delivered their lines with such dignity that I was left speechless.
It was a truly talented and flawless performance, and the audience was even throwing money at the performers during the show!