Music and Time Annotation << Back Forgotten Pages: Russian Musical Comedy of A. Novikov «The Left-Hander» by Nikolai Leskov T.M. Siverskaya The article is devoted to the life and work of an outstanding Soviet composer Anatoly Novikov (1896–1984). Emphasizing the continuing popularity of the Novikov’s songs and taking into account of the growing interest in the Soviet song of the 1930s–1960s, the author traces the genesis of the composer and his professional formation, revealing the genre palette of his heritage. Special attention is paid to a major genre in the works of G. Novikov, in particular, the Russian musical comedy «The Left-hander» by Nikolai Leskov by libretto R. Galiat-Valaev. For example of this work is given the analysis of the overall style of the composer, his musical language, identified structural and dramatic features of Soviet musical comedy. Notice the satirical interpretation of Leskov's tale in the libretto, originating from the play E. Zamyatin and its mollification, lead away lyrics by composer. Traditional sources of Novikov’s creativity, his wonderful sense of tone manifested in his music, putting his native Ryazan folklore and song features other areas, including – Tula. Novikov’s true patriotism, sincerity, melodic talent and songwriting put him in a number of prominent Soviet composers, sensitively reflected the pulse of their time. Keywords: Novikov, S. Leskov, Lefty, musical Comedy, Opera, song, Soviet song, reminiscence. Contacts: E-mail: tatiana_fund@mail.ru Pp. 15-20.