About the body, soul and life, like a miracle: 5 reasons to visit the new show “Leningrad Center”

______________________________

Petersburgers and guests of the northern capital have long and pleasantly known the “Leningrad Center”, which settled on Potemkinskaya Street. This is not a house of culture, not a theater, but a show space where the genre of theatrical attraction or stage collage prevails. The all-seeing eye, the generator of ideas and the main director here is the artistic director Felix Mikhailov. On his account – and the opening and closing ceremonies of the World Cup, and the Moscow International Film Festival with the “Golden Eagle”. He has been creating at the Leningrad Center since the launch, and this summer he presented a new brainchild – “Body / Soul. Life is like a miracle.” There are at least 5 reasons to visit both the production and the show space itself.

Building

The mansion near the Tauride Garden has more than a century of history. Once upon a time, exhibitions of the Imperial Russian Horticultural Society were held here, and in the middle of the last century, a panoramic cinema “Leningrad” was located. In the early 2000s, the building was reconstructed by the famous Spanish architect Ricardo Boffil – the same one who worked on La Fabrica in Barcelona, ​​Ax Majeur in Paris and Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Morocco. Having retained the cultural function of the “Leningrad Center”, he filled it with modern content.

Technology

A special building – a spectacular “stuffing”. “Leningrad Center” is rightfully considered one of the most technologically advanced Russian venues. Thus, the technical equipment of the big stage includes dozens of movable mechanisms and screens, a 3D curtain designed by Pavel Kaplevich, the largest kinetic chandelier in Europe, and dozens of movable stage mechanisms. For the new show “Body/Soul. Life is like a miracle” the hall designed for 300 guests was transformed. As a result, there is an even greater effect of immersing the viewer in the process, being present in the plot here and now. The center of gravity is a huge antique head, which became the surface for mapping, as well as many other stage attributes that will definitely cause a wow effect.

Team

In addition to Felix Mikhailov, an impressive team worked on the creation of the show “Body / Soul. Life is like a miracle”. Choreographers Oleg Khmelev, Ksenia Mikheeva (winner of the “Golden Mask” award) were responsible for staging the performances, Alexei Ishmaev, winner of the silver medal of the festival in Paris “Circus of Tomorrow” Alexei Ishmaev, created the circus performances, European and world champions in pole dance Victoria Chapaykina prepared their surprises for the audience and Daria Sherstobitova. The invited guests were flamenco stars Stepan and Natalia Pribytko, finalists of both seasons of the dance project on Channel One “Dance Revolution”. Particular attention is paid to costumes: the show features collections created by famous Russian designers Tatyana Parfenova and Yulia Dalakyan.

Format

The new show is made up of independent stories that together form an explosive mixture of feelings: with tenderness, devotion, adoration, revelation, passion – everything that happens in a relationship between two people. The focus is on Salvador Dali, Keith Haring, Frida Kahlo, Rene Magritte, Coco Chanel and other great creators, whose world is full of secrets, inspiration and, of course, love. At this fantastic party, everyone has the right to express themselves as they want, so all conceivable and unimaginable genres have united on the stage – balance and aerial acrobatics, hip-hop and frame up, puppet theater and eccentricity, magic tricks and vocals. “It is important for us to immerse the viewer in the world of miracles that arises in the artist’s head at the moment of creation. But we want to talk about this with irony and love! We will tell the love story of the artist and his muse – men and women!” Felix Mikhailov says.

Gastronomy

A special pleasure in the “Leningrad Center” is to come here early to appreciate the local gastronomy before the premiere. In addition to the White and Black bars, there is the Blok restaurant, the only project of Alexander Rappoport in St. Petersburg. The concept is based on meat and modern Russian cuisine, presented in the interiors of the northern modern and the Leningrad avant-garde. In summer, terraces open with a view of the Tauride Garden and the historical center of the city. The summer menu contains a whole kaleidoscope of dishes using local products, including marbled beef from Voronezh farms, seafood from the northern seas and the Far East, fish from northwestern rivers and lakes, forest and garden berries, and much more.