Music Hall is currently the only one of this kind operating theater in Russia and St. Petersburg, working in the genre of musicals and revues.

The concept of "music hall" appeared in hotels, taverns and inns in England of the 18th century. Then surcharge was applied to the feast entertainment - comic songs, circus acts, slapstick, farce. In the mid-19th century music halls spread throughout England and get their own building, and by the end of the century and spread throughout Europe. I was no exception, and Russia.

His beginning St. Petersburg Music Hall leads from the People's House. People's homes were organized to address created in the late 19th century. Ministry of Finance of the urban guardianship of national sobriety in St. Petersburg. This was done in order to distract citizens from alcoholism. Therefore it was decided to organize to the public of various social layers of the available entertainment theater. Thus, people's homes were the educational cultural and entertainment clubs for petty officials, the average intellectuals, soldiers, workers and students.

At the beginning of the 20th century. the number of such institutions in St. Petersburg was approaching 20. Largest People's House in the 1900-1912 biennium. It was built in two stages on Kronverksky Avenue in the Alexander Park. People's House, entitled "Institution for the popular entertainment of the Emperor Nicholas II» was consecrated in 1900. So the building lasted until 1932, when a fire broke out. In its place was built the other, where today are located offices and lobbies Music Hall, the theater "Baltic House" and Planetarium.

In winter 1912 construction of the People's House was completed and replenish the body, called the "People's auditorium, and the audience behalf of His Highness Prince AP Oldenburg ". This part of the People's House functioned as the Opera Hall. The authorship of the project belongs to the architect of the Opera Hall GI Lyutsianskomu. For its construction was used brought from Nizhny Novgorod All-Russian exhibition a unique metal frame of the pavilion, designed by architect A.Pomerantsevym.

This Opera Hall was the largest theater in the world, because at the same time could accommodate 2,800 people. Amphitheater 728 visual seats; the theater had three tiers and 78 lodges. Scene Opera House has more than sunnah of the Mariinsky. Opening it held at the beginning of January 1912 production of the opera "A Life for the Tsar" by Glinka.

In total, the People's House of Nicholas II worked 3 troupe. In the first theater appeared dramatic and ballet and opera troupe played in the Opera Hall. When productions are often used pyrotechnics. Theatrical performances by famous director extravaganzas and historical plays Alekseev, and then in 1909 he was replaced by S. Ratov raises serious modern plays.

Operas five years from 1910, engaged in the famous Mariinsky Theatre tenor Figner, but his idea of ​​creating a directorial Opera did not find support among officials and in the end he had to leave the troupe in 1915. It is noteworthy that from 1913 to 1917. Hall of the People's House was the "official scene" were there Feodor Chaliapin.

In 1966, he appeared in Leningrad II, on account of the Music Hall, founded by IJ Rachlin, who became its artistic director. In October 1967, in the Music Hall hosted the show I play revue "No you beautiful." Since its I show for many years the theater has become a significant event in the cultural life of our country. Orchestra led by conductor S. Gorkovenko, choreographic group - I. Gaft choreographer, choreographer J. Belsky, music for plays created composer Alexander Zhurbin, M.Kazhlaev, Tuhmanov D., S. Pozhlakov.
Soon after the formation of the Music Hall, the theater there was a studio that has produced many singers: S. Zakharov, F. Kirkorov, T. Bulanova, M. Kapoor. Over the years, with a team of theater performed Muslim Magomayev, E. Peha, I. Kobzon, Boris Bentsianov A. Asadullin and others.
Under the leadership of J. Rachlin Music Hall became famous not only in our country but all over the world: in France, Greece, Italy, Germany, Japan, the US, Mexico and Australia.

Since 1988, the Music Hall again began to occupy the building of the former Opera Hall of the People's House, where in 1928 he began his life.

Recently, the Music Hall has its active development as one of the best St. Petersburg design and rolling fields. Besides its own productions here every month are the touring groups, among which are the domestic and foreign artists, antrepriznyh troupe. For example, Deva Premal from Germany, Markus Miller from America, the actors of the Moscow "Lenkom" and B. Wolfe, theater Viktyuk R. and O. Menshikov, Chinese circus and Japanese drummers and many others.