The premiere of “The Overcoat” took place at the Krasnoyarsk Musical Theater / Cultural news of Krasnoyarsk and the Krasnoyarsk Territory / Newslab.Ru

The Krasnoyarsk Musical Theater hosted the premiere of the play “The Overcoat” based on Gogol’s story. The first show took place on February 9. The tragic farce will be shown again in the Great Hall of the Siberian State Institute of Arts on February 21 and 22.

The chamber production was created with an eye to touring remote areas of the region – it can easily be transported and shown in almost any city. As the director of the theater Olga Romanova noted, the same mission is pursued by the children's play “Chuk and Gek”, released in pair “Overcoat”. The production's cast—only four actors—was a conscious decision for mobility.

“So that the regional theater can fulfill its central role of broadcasting its art not only in Krasnoyarsk, but also in remote areas,” she emphasized.

The director also explained the choice of artistic material for the performance. The team chose “The Overcoat” because the play is also intended for a youth audience, and the story is included in the school curriculum.

Director Gemma Avetisyan offered a modern take on the classic. In her version, Akakiy Bashmachkin is not a victim, but a person who shapes his own destiny through elections. “This is a man who was given opportunities and he just didn’t take advantage of them. He is happy in his place,” says Avetisyan.

The music for the performance, combining jazz, musical and academic genres, was written by composer Murat Kabardokov. The author of the libretto, Oleg Ernev, preserved Gogol's plot, but added more light and humor to the narrative to enhance the contrasts.

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Director of the Krasnoyarsk Musical Theater