The Altist Danilov

Vladimir Danilov, a demon on contract, works as an altist at the Bolshoi Theatre. He enjoys his earthly life: music, hanging out with friends, and the hustle and bustle of Moscow.
He has even met the girl of his dreams –... lab assistant Natasha. But one circumstance troubles him – the demonic court has appointed a time of "C" for him.
In the tormenting anticipation of his fate, Danilov is forced to keep an eye on his lyceum comrade Karmadon, who has turned into a huge blue bull, run errands for his ex-wife Klavdiya, and see how he is increasingly turning into a man…
"The Altist Danilov" opens the cycle of "Ostankino Stories" by Vladimir Orlov (1936 – 2014) and is one of the brightest examples of Soviet magical realism. Beneath the fine satire lie eternal questions of Russian literature about the fate of the creator, the struggle of good and evil, and the search for the true "self" in this complex world.