Operetta Theater in the Far East in the Period between Two Wars (1906–1914)

The author highlights the period of the pre-revolutionary operetta theater in the Far East, spanning the years between two Wars – the Russo-Japanese War and World War I, characterized by an intensive development of the given sphere. Both the inner and the overall Russian tendencies find reflection in this process. This is revealed in forming the repertoire with the fundamental musical compositions, including operettas by contemporary composers from Russia and from other countries. The cameo theaters which spread in the region at that time stipulated the appearance of one-act performances, as well as “shortened” versions of classical and Viennese operettas in the programs of the non-repertory theaters. Among the regional traditions of musical theater, we can observe “competitional” productions and incorporation of inserted numbers, which enhance the multicultural character of operetta. When comparing the dynamics of the functioning of the operetta theater in the country’s central and southern provinces, the conclusion is formed about the leadership of the peripheral territories in this sphere. The cities of the Far East, Harbin, Khabarovsk and Vladivostok broadened the geographical areas of activity of the operetta theater in the remote territories of the Russian Empire.