Hollywood diva

Musical comedy in two acts 

www.hollywooddiva.ru

At the heart of "Hollywood diva" is unknown in Russia musical comedy by Austrian composer Ralph Benatzky "Axel at the gates of heaven", story which takes place in Hollywood in the early twentieth century. In the center of intrigue - Hollywood actress Gloria Mills and secular reporter Axel, who hopes for a promotion by using Gloria.

The world premiere of this comedy was held September 1, 1936 in Vienna, on the stage operetta Theatre an der Wien. For the main role of the film actress Gloria many stars of film and theater, including Greta Garbo, were invited. However, in the end, the role went to then still an unknown in Austria Swedish actress - beautiful Zarah Leander (1907 - 1981). The very next day she woke up famous. Role of Axel played German actor Max Hansen (1897 - 1961).

The play was a great success and was shown more than two hundred times. Almost immediately after the premiere Zarah Leander has got a lot of attractive offers from numerous studio. And ultimately in the history of art this actress came not as theatrical performer, but as a movie star. In 1937, with her participation on the screens released film, created based on the operetta Benatzky (Russian title "Towards new shores").

All-Russian premiere of the work of Benatzky took place at the St. Petersburg Theatre of Musical Comedy. It was adapted for the stage by Cornelius Baltus, the director of the famous musical "Dance of Vampires".

Cornelius Baltus: "I changed the name of the performance four times and today I finally see an updated play. It can be called a musical comedy, a little operetta, but almost musical, by the special energy inherent in this genre. Together with the production designer Kentaur we recreated the majestic atmosphere of Hollywood 30s . With Adrian Werum we made completely new orchestration and more vigorous scale version and added some new musical numbers..."