Almar. Beauty and Beast

Almar. Beauty and the Beast

The work’s intricate title is formed from the first syllables of the names “Albert” and “Margarita.” The entire action takes place in a single day in the life of Albert Einstein in August 1945: on the day when the woman he loved said goodbye to the great scientist forever, leaving him alone — to be tormented again and again by visions of the impending global catastrophe and to live with the personal responsibility for the tragedy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

A complex, multi‑layered, and at times almost detective‑like story of the love between the Creator and his Muse unfolds against the backdrop of World War II, atomic bombings, and the machinations of the NKVD. Paradoxically, the world tragedy here takes on the role of fate, without which the characters would never have come to know each other. It’s no coincidence that the literary Einstein exclaims, addressing his beloved: “Just think about it: for us to meet, planetary catastrophes had to occur in the world: in Russia, there was a revolution, Lenin came to power, then Stalin, and repressions began — that’s why you didn’t return to the USSR. Hitler had to appear in Germany; in Berlin, my books were burned in the square in front of the opera house. I emigrated — and ended up here. What terrible events, what tragedies — but in the end, we met. History is terrible, but life is wonderful.”

“How can a major historical figure fail to attract attention?” Lev Stukalov comments. “At the same time, it’s always worth bearing in mind that every director is an interpreter of the material. Everyone sees something different in the text, and in their own way. In the story written by Gelman, I don’t see historical figures, but rather certain characters named Albert and Margarita. For me, Einstein is a genius, a great creator who, in his later years, is dissatisfied with both his life and his work.” In his mind, thoughts keep circling endlessly about how his life has been lived in vain, lived the wrong way. And Margarita Konenkova, in this reality, is his guardian angel and muse. It is this aspect of their relationship that I bring to the forefront. And this is not a private story, but an eternal romance, repeated on Earth in different times and under different historical circumstances.”

Music by Charlie Chaplin, Duke Ellington, and Philip Glass

Director of Photography - Honored Artist of Russia Lev Stukalov

Set design assistants Marina Eremeicheva and Mark Bornstein

Starring:

Margarita — Marianna Semenova

Albert Einstein — Honored Artist of Russia Lev Stukalov / Sergey Romanyuk

Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes without intermission

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Children aged 0 and over must purchase a full-price ticket.

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