A Swashbuckling New Three Musketeers Concert Premieres in Moscow's Mossovet Theatre
A new dramatic concert based on The Three Musketeers has premiered at Moscow's Mossovet Theatre. Directed by Yevgeny Marchelli, the production blends theatre, music and nostalgia, revisiting Alexandre Dumas's classic with a fresh yet reverent approach. The show features iconic songs from Maxim Dunayevsky's 1970s musical, now reimagined for a modern audience.
The production draws heavily from Dunayevsky's 1972 music, originally written for the Soviet animated film The Three Musketeers. Songs like Porá-porá-poraduemsya and the ballad There's a Dark Pond in the Earl's Park remain central, with Ekaterina Guseva delivering a standout female rendition of the latter. The finale includes Let's Rejoice, performed as the four lead actors recreate the famous duel scene from D'Artagnan and the Three Musketeers.
The cast includes notable names: Olga Kabo, known for her role as the Duchess de Chevreuse in The Musketeers Twenty Years After, now plays Queen Anne. Alexey Trofimov, son of the late Alexander Trofimov, takes on the role of Cardinal Richelieu. Mitya Fyodorov, as Athos, brings particular depth to the character's musical moments. Marchelli's direction treats Dumas's text as a cherished legend, balancing tradition with new interpretations.
The show's roots stretch back to Soviet adaptations, where Dunayevsky's music and Rozovsky's lyrics—paired with Yuri Ryashentsev's poetry—turned the Musketeers into cultural icons. Early versions, like the 1978 ballet D'Artagnan, My Son and the 1982 Lenkom Theatre musical (starring Mikhail Boyarsky), reflected the era's socialist ideals. Later revivals, from 1990s rock operas to post-Soviet productions, shifted tone—moving from heroic patriotism to romantic nostalgia, mirroring Russia's changing political and cultural landscape.
The Mossovet Theatre's production continues a long tradition of Three Musketeers adaptations in Russia. By blending Dunayevsky's enduring music with Marchelli's theatrical vision, it connects past and present for audiences. The show's success highlights the story's lasting appeal, now free from political constraints but still deeply tied to national memory.
