One of Obraztsov’s best known puppet shows to be demonstrated in Dushanbe

The theater will demonstrate four shows in Dushanbe within the framework of jubilee tour dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the theater. 

The theater’s tour of Dushanbe is organized by Roskontsert under active support from the ministries of culture of Russia and Tajikistan   

One of Obraztsov’s best known puppet shows – An Unusual Concert – will be demonstrated on November at the Opera and Ballet Theater on November 18.   

An Unusual Concert (Russian: Neobyknovennyj Kontsert) is one of Sergey Obraztsov's best known puppet shows.  It is considered a masterpiece of puppeteering and satirizes bad performers.  It appeals both to children and adults.

According to Obraztsov, An Unusual Concert is a theatrical revue or variety show that does not satirize specific genres so much as performers that spoil these genres with their poor performances and poor taste.

An Unusual Concert is one of the best-known puppet performances of the 20th century. It premiered in 1946 and has been performed over 10,000 times all around the world.

The show demonstrates rather complicated puppeteering techniques. For example, there is a dancing couple whose tango movements require the skill of seven puppeteers.

Sergey Obraztsov (July 5, 1901 – May 8, 1992) was a Soviet and Russian puppeteer who is credited by the Encyclopedia Britannica with "establishing puppetry as an art form in the Soviet Union."  Puppet theaters in many countries owe their establishment to Obraztsov's influence.  His collection of exotic puppets was the largest in Russia and one of the largest in the world.

His theatre toured more than 350 cities in the USSR and 90 cities in foreign countries.  During his numerous tours abroad, Obraztsov helped to popularize artistic puppetry in the United States, Britain, and other countries.  Besides more than 70 plays for children and grown-ups that he staged in his theatre, Obraztsov also directed the first short-length puppet film under the title Looking at a Polar Sunset Ray in 1938, and also a number of documentaries.  In his later years, Obraztsov became enthusiastic about finger puppets.  He was also skilled in puppeteering with his bare hands.