The music hall is currently the only such existing theatre in Russia and in St. Petersburg, working in the genre of the musical Revue.

The concept of "music hall" appeared in hotels, taverns and Inns of England of the 18th century. Then surcharge for the feast was accompanied by a fun – comic song, circus, slapstick, farce. In the mid-19th century music halls spread throughout England and get our own building, and by the end of the century, spread throughout Europe. Was no exception and Russia.

Its the beginning of the St. Petersburg Music hall leads from the people's house. People's house was organized as the solution created in the late 19th century by the Ministry of Finance of the city of guardianship of national sobriety in St. Petersburg. This was done to distract the citizens from drinking. Therefore it was decided to organize for the audience of different social strata available entertainment theatrical performances. Thus, the people's house was an educational cultural and entertainment clubs for Junior executives, middle intellectuals, soldiers, workers and students.

At the beginning of the 20th century the number of such institutions in St. Petersburg was close to 20. It is the biggest folk house in 1900-1912, was built in two stages on Kronverksky Avenue in the Alexander Park. The people's house called "the School for people's entertainment Emperor Nicholas II was consecrated in 1900, So the building lasted until 1932, when the fire happened. In its place was built the other, where today are located the offices and lobbies of the Music hall, the theatre "Baltic house" and the Planetarium.

In the winter of 1912 the construction of the people's house was completed and enlarged the building, called "the Auditorium and the people's auditorium, named after HRH the Prince of A. P. Oldenburg". This part of the people's house functioned as an Opera hall. The authorship of the Opera hall project belongs to the architect G. I. Lucian. For its construction were used brought from Nizhny Novgorod all-Russian exhibition of unique metal frame of the pavilion, designed by architect A. Pomerantsev.

This Opera house was the largest theatre in the world, so how could accommodate 2,800 people. The amphitheatre consisted of 728 of the visual field; in the theater was three tiers and 78 lodges. The Opera house was more of the Sunnah of the Mariinsky. Its opening was held in early January 1912 production of the Opera "life for the Tsar" by M. Glinka.

Only in the people's house of Nicholas II worked for 3 companies. In the first theatre acted drama, and ballet and Opera company played in the Opera hall. When productions were often used pyrotechnics. Theatrical productions were engaged in a famous film Director extravaganzas and historical plays A. Alekseev, and then in 1909 it was replaced by Sergei Ratov, which is a serious modern drama.

Opera five years from 1910 was engaged in a famous tenor of the Mariinsky theatre N. Figner, but his idea of creating a Director of Opera theater found no support from the officials and eventually he had to leave the company in 1915, it is Noteworthy that from 1913 to 1917, the public hall was the official stage speakers there Feodor Chaliapin.

In 1966 in Leningrad II appeared on account of the Music hall founded by I. Y. Rakhlin, who became its artistic Director. In October 1967 in Music hall hosted a screening of the first performance-review, "There is nobody more beautiful than you". Since I show for many years, the theatre has become a noticeable phenomenon in the cultural life of our country. The orchestra was led by conductor S. Gorkovenko, dance group choreographer of I. Gaft, choreographer Belsky, music for performances created composers Zhurbin A., M. clear, D. Tukhmanov, S. polakow.
Soon after the formation of the Music hall, the theater got a Studio that has produced many singers: S. Zakharov and Kirkorov, T. Bulanova, M. Kapur. In different years the staff of the theatre was made by M. Magomayev, E. EHA, I. Kobzon, B. Bentsianov, A. Asadullin and others.
Under the leadership of I. Rakhlin, the Music hall became famous not only in our country but all over the world: in France, Greece, Italy, Germany, Japan, USA, Mexico, Australia.

Since 1988, the Music hall once again began to occupy the building of the former Opera hall of the National house, in 1928 he began his life.

In recent times, the Music hall has its active development as one of the best St. Petersburg stages. In addition to his own performances here each month are touring bands, including domestic and foreign artists, enterprising troupe. For example, Deva Premal from Germany, Marcus Miller from America, actors of the Moscow Lenkom and V. Wulf, theatre R. Viktyuk and O. Menshikov, Chinese circus and Japanese drummers, and many others.