News

On 29 May St Petersburg will welcome the ceremonial opening of the Mariinsky Theatre’s largest and most eagerly awaited annual event – the Music Festival Stars of the White Nights. It crowns the theatre season and draws connoisseurs of classical music from around the world. It offers audiences a chance to experience unforgettable performances in the heart of Russia’s cultural capital. Major premieres, rare repertoire, and appearances by leading international artists come together in the unique atmosphere of the white nights. This year the festival runs from 29 May to 24 July and spans all Mariinsky Theatre venues in St Petersburg.

The operatic programme opens on 29 May on the Mariinsky II stage with the season’s headline premiere – Boris Godunov by Modest Musorgsky. Renowned Bulgarian director Orlin Anastassov and designer Denis Ivanov have created a large-scale new production of this monumental drama. Further performances follow on 30 and 31 May at 13:00 and 19:00.

The ballet programme begins at the Historic Stage with a cornerstone of the classical repertoire – Swan Lake by Pyotr Tchaikovsky. On 29 May Maria Ilyushkina and Even Capitaine take the leading roles. On 30 May at 13:00 the festival presents a notable debut: Maria Bulanova appears as Odette–Odile for the first time, partnered by Nikita Korneyev as Siegfried. That evening at 19:00 Maria Khoreva and Timur Askerov perform the principal roles. The end of the month also features Romeo and Juliet by Sergei Prokofiev (31 May at 13:00 and 19:00). In the evening performance Victoria Tereshkina and Roman Belyakov lead the cast.

The Concert Hall launches its festival programme with the Mariinsky Stradivarius Ensemble under the direction of Lorenz Nasturica-Herschcowici. The ensemble, known for performing on period string instruments, has prepared a special surprise programme. It returns on 31 May at 19:00. Earlier that day, at 13:00, the hall hosts a performance for younger audiences – Once Upon a Time There Lived Bach.

The programme will be expanded.

The XXXIV Music Festival Stars of the White Nights takes place with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. Valery Gergiev serves as Artistic Director of the festival.

The XXV Moscow Easter Festival will take place from 12 April to 10 May. This anniversary season sets a new record both in scale and in duration. The festival retains its traditional strands – Symphonic, Choral and Bell-ringing programmes – as well as its core principles: charitable, educational, and outreach activities that bring together audiences across Russia. The XXV Moscow Easter Festival takes place with the support of the Moscow Government and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, and with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’.

Major venues in Moscow and across the regions will welcome internationally acclaimed artists and legendary ensembles. Their performances will mark significant anniversaries, including the 135^th anniversary of Sergei Prokofiev and the 120^th anniversary of Dmitri Shostakovich. This season also pays special tribute to the 90^th anniversary of Yuri Luzhkov, whose name remains inseparably linked to the history of the festival.

“The dedication of the Moscow Easter Festival to Yuri Luzhkov rests on deep foundations. His contribution to the support of cultural initiatives and to the shaping of Russia’s contemporary cultural environment is difficult to overestimate. It was in collaboration with Yuri Mikhailovich, and with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II, that the organisational, social, and spiritual principles of the festival were established – principles that have largely defined its further development and its significant place in the cultural life of the country,” said Valery Gergiev.

On 11 April, on the eve of the festival and of Easter, the Mariinsky II stage will present Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s epic mystery The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevroniya, conducted by Valery Gergiev. Alexei Stepanyuk’s production draws on the traditions of Russian icon painting, emphasising the prayerful character and spiritual depth of the score. The principal roles will be performed by Irina Churilova, Nikolai Gassiev, Yuri Vorobiev, Alexander Trofimov, Alexey Markov and Svetlana Karpova.

The festival will open ceremonially, as tradition dictates, on Easter Sunday. On 12 April at 20:00 a combined symphony orchestra of the Mariinsky and Bolshoi theatres will perform at the Historic Stage of the Bolshoi Theatre under Valery Gergiev. The programme includes Rimsky-Korsakov’s Russian Easter Festival Overture, Stravinsky’s The Firebird suite, Prokofiev’s Scythian Suite (Ala and Lolli) and his Symphony No. 5.

As part of the Symphonic Programme, Valery Gergiev and leading musicians from Russia’s two principal theatres will travel more than twenty thousand kilometres over twenty-nine days, visiting nearly forty towns and cities. In addition to Moscow, performances will take place in Tver, Vladimir, Nizhny Novgorod, Kostroma, Yaroslavl, Tikhvin, St Petersburg, Cherepovets, Vologda, Kirov, Perm, Yekaterinburg, Surgut, Tyumen, Omsk, Kemerovo, Tomsk, Krasnoyarsk, Novosibirsk, Chelyabinsk, Ufa, Orenburg, Saratov, Astrakhan, Vladikavkaz, Rostov-on-Don, Saransk, Penza, Samara, Kazan, Almetyevsk, Naberezhnye Chelny and others. Votkinsk, the birthplace of Pyotr Tchaikovsky, and Smolensk, the birthplace of Mikhail Glinka, will host joint events of the XXV Moscow Easter Festival and the 3^rd Music Festival Genius of the Place.

On 9 May, Victory Day, a combined orchestra of the Mariinsky and Bolshoi theatres, conducted by Valery Gergiev, will give a large-scale open-air concert at Poklonnaya Hill, traditionally attended by thousands. Veterans of the Great Patriotic War, public organisations, and students of Moscow’s arts schools will be invited.

The Far East Easter Festival will take place for the third time this year as an annual extension of the Moscow Easter Festival. From 12 to 28 April the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre will perform in Sakhalin, Primorsky, and Khabarovsk regions.

The Choral Programme will feature twenty-nine ensembles from across Russia, including Moscow, St Petersburg, Suzdal, Perm, Yessentuki, Ivanovo, Arkhangelsk, and from South Ossetia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and China. Performances will take place in churches, concert halls, care centres, rehabilitation facilities, and institutions supporting family welfare. For the first time the New Stage of the Bolshoi Theatre will also host choral performances.

Choral events will extend beyond Moscow to numerous towns and cities, including Reutov, Balashikha, Zvenigorod, Istra, Dmitrov, Yegoryevsk, Klin, Krasnogorsk, Shchyolkovo, Sergiyev Posad, Odintsovo, Zaraysk, Kolomna, Podolsk, Serpukhov, Kashira, Alexandrov, Rostov Veliky, Vladimir, Suzdal, Murom, Tver, Staritsa, Tula and Arkhangelsk.

The Bell-ringing Programme will include forty-four concerts in churches across Moscow, St Petersburg, Istra, Zvenigorod, Krasnogorsk, Rybinsk, Kaluga, Yekaterinburg and Feodosiya. More than fifty professional bell-ringers from Russia and Belarus will take part. As always, these performances remain open and accessible to all.

Over the years the Moscow Easter Festival has grown into one of the largest and most anticipated cultural events in Russia. It stands not only as a celebration of music for millions but also as a unique platform for international cultural dialogue. Thousands of performers from around the world have taken part – from globally renowned artists to emerging talents, including laureates of the International Tchaikovsky Competition.

Valery Gergiev and the Moscow Government founded the Moscow Easter Festival in 2002. In 2003 it received national project status with the support of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin.

On 24 and 25 April (at 12:00 and 19:00) and on 26 April at the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia’s Historic Stage, as well as on 29 and 30 April and 1 May (at 12:00 and 18:00) at Mariinsky II, the renowned Guangzhou Acrobatic Troupe of China will return for a second гастроли in Russia.

The Chinese virtuoso performers, who captivated audiences in St Petersburg and Moscow in 2024 with their breathtaking feats, once again present the spectacular acrobatic drama Swan as part of their spring tour in the two capitals.

Swan traces the emergence of the unique genre of “ballet on shoulders” and the creation of the world’s first acrobatic drama inspired by Swan Lake. The story unfolds through the artistic journey of Yu Meng, encompassing triumphs and setbacks, perseverance and ultimate success. It is both a metaphorical narrative of Chinese acrobatic art and a tribute to the resilience and dedication of every performer.

The production seamlessly combines elements of drama, acrobatics, dance and Chinese shoulder ballet, creating a striking and immersive theatrical experience.

The performance has received support from the National Arts Fund of China and has won numerous prestigious awards, including honours for performance, staging and visual design. During its previous tour to Russia, Swan was warmly received by audiences and highly praised by representatives of the Chinese Embassy as “an outstanding example of the innovative fusion of Chinese and Western art”.

Founded in 1959, the Guangzhou Acrobatic Troupe of China preserves and develops the rich traditions of Chinese acrobatics. By integrating contemporary dance, artistic gymnastics, theatre and other art forms, the company has established a distinctive modern performance style.

The troupe enjoys international acclaim, having received more than a hundred awards and titles both in China and abroad for its contribution to the development of contemporary acrobatic art and international cultural exchange. In recent years the company has toured extensively across Asia, Africa, Europe, North and Latin America and Oceania.

From 8 to 14 April the Mariinsky Theatre will present the tenth anniversary edition of the International Flute and Harp Music Festival Virtuosi of the Flute & Northern Lyre. The festival was conceived and created by Sofia Kiprskaya and Denis Lupachev.

Audiences in the Northern Capital of Russia can look forward to seven outstanding concerts featuring leading instrumentalists of today, masterpieces of the repertoire, original transcriptions for harp and flute, and world premieres of works written especially for the festival’s participants.

Two particularly significant events will precede the festival. On 4 April the Rachmaninoff Hall will host The Musical Future of Russia, a concert showcasing gifted students from Russian and European music institutions. On 6 April the Concert Hall will present a symphonic evening in memory of Yoko Nagae Ceschina – the Japanese harpist, patron and long-standing friend and partner of the Mariinsky Theatre. The Mariinsky Orchestra will perform under Valery Gergiev.

The festival opens on 8 April with a gala concert. In the year marking the 270^th anniversary of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s birth, his Concerto for Flute and Harp will symbolically launch the celebrations. The event will bring together artists from the Mariinsky and Bolshoi theatres, alongside distinguished musicians from Switzerland, Serbia, China and Syria.

On 9 April audiences will hear the harp programme Uniting Worlds. Opera and ballet soloists, the Mariinsky Chamber Choir and leading instrumentalists will take part. The evening will introduce listeners to the unique sounds of the Syrian qanun, the Chinese guzheng and both classical and Celtic harps. The concert is directed by Yuri Smekalov.

On 10 April the Stravinsky Hall will host an evening of chamber music featuring world premieres composed especially for the festival. The concert, A Tribute to Teachers, honours the memory of distinguished mentors, including Asya Varosyan, Vera Dulova, Grigory Korchmar, Sergey Slonimsky, Lidiya Gordzevich, Tatiana Tauer, Boris Tishchenko, Igor Boguslavsky, Sergey Banevich, Fyodor Stepanov and Ivan Pushechnikov.

On 11 April the Concert Hall will welcome the renowned international flautists Yu Yuan (China) and Sébastian Jacot (Switzerland).

The festival will conclude on 14 April with a gala at the Concert Hall. Soloists from Russia, Germany and China will perform with the Mariinsky Orchestra. The programme includes Quantz’ Concerto for Two Flutes, Romberg’s Lunaaeternalis, Weiner’s Romance for Cello and Harp, Vivaldi’s Piccolo Concerto, Eduard Kiprsky’s Elegiac Concertino for Harp, Sibelius’ Violin Concerto (in a transcription for flute) and Tatiana Ivanova’s Heroic Music for hurdy-gurdy.

In addition, the festival will feature a series of open masterclasses led by distinguished artists from Serbia, China, Switzerland, Germany and Russia.

To mark the anniversary, the Mariinsky Theatre offers a special themed subscription package, allowing audiences to attend concerts from Virtuosi of the Flute & Northern Lyre at reduced prices when purchasing tickets for three or more events.

On 6 and 7 March (at 12:00 and 19:00) the New Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre will host performances of the mystical opera Mandragora by Tchaikovsky–Dranga, created with the assistance of artificial intelligence. The world premiere took place on 19 June 2025 at Mariinsky II as part of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, where it became one of the most widely discussed events. Now audiences will have the opportunity to experience this unique work.

The idea for the opera Mandragora arose after Pyotr Tchaikovsky became acquainted with Professor of Botany Sergey Rachinsky. A man of many talents, Rachinsky was also a mathematician and folklorist who wrote extensively on the arts, including literature and music. He authored the libretto of Mandragora. Although the complete text has not survived, a synopsis reached us through a letter Rachinsky wrote to the composer’s brother, Modest Tchaikovsky.

Mandragora became one of Tchaikovsky’s fantastical stage works that he left unfinished. “I was ready to undertake this libretto, but friends dissuaded me, insisting the opera would prove unstageable,” the composer wrote. The only completed fragment is the evocative and magical Chorus of Flowers and Insects on Ivan Kupala Night. It was first performed in Moscow on 18 December 1870 under the baton of Nikolai Rubinstein.

Today, a century and a half later, modern technology offers audiences the chance to glimpse what Mandragora might have been. Composer Peter Dranga, together with artificial intelligence, has completed Tchaikovsky’s opera. A neural network assisted in reconstructing the libretto as well as in developing the scenography and costume designs. Dranga rebuilt the opera’s structure and composed additional music and text, drawing on the surviving materials and the artistic language of Tchaikovsky and Rachinsky.

“The creation of Mandragora demanded the utmost respect for its source and a deep immersion in the style of Tchaikovsky and Rachinsky. Artificial intelligence became an important partner in this process: it helped structure the dramaturgy and refine the visual imagery and stage design. When technology makes it possible to hear the voice of an era, it is not magic – it is true art,” noted Peter Dranga.

The production is directed by Ilya Ustyantsev, with choreography by Dmitry Pimonov. The chorus master is Konstantin Rylov; the répétiteur in charge is Yevgenia Isupova.

From 3 to 12 March the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre will embark on major spring tour in St Petersburg. Audiences in the Northern Capital of Russia will see exclusive productions by the Vladivostok company: Tchaikovsky’s fairytale The Nutcracker, Adam’s romantic Le Corsaire and the troupe’s calling card – Amirov’s One Thousand and One Nights. As part of the tour, the Primorsky Stage will also present in St Petersburg for the first time this season’s ballet premiere – La Fille mal gardée set to music by Louis Hérold. In total, twelve performances will take place on the Mariinsky Theatre’s Historic and New stages.

The programme opens with Fikret Amirov’s One Thousand and One Nights, one of the Primorsky Stage productions especially beloved by St Petersburg audiences. This enchanting dance vision of the world of Arabian tales, created by People’s Artist of Russia Eldar Aliev, forms part of the “Golden Fund of Russia’s Theatrical Productions”. It is the work the company most frequently performs on tour. One Thousand and One Nights has enjoyed repeated success in Russia, China, Oman, Qatar and Belarus. Performances will take place on 3, 4 and 9 March (at 14:00 and 19:00). Leading roles will be danced by Lada Sartakova, Irina Sapozhnikova, Razmik Marukyan, Sergei Borovykh, Anna Samostrelova, Liliya Berezhnova, Sergei Umanetc and Erlan Suyunbek. The performances will be conducted by Vitaly Shevelev.

On 5, 6 and 8 March (at 14:00 and 19:00) the Historic Stage will host Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker. This fairy-tale production, staged exclusively by Artistic Director of Ballet of the Primorsky Stage, Eldar Aliev, has been performed with success in Vladivostok and on tour for more than ten years, consistently drawing enthusiastic acclaim. The principal roles will be danced by Sergei Umanetc, Anastasia Kaplina, Lada Sartakova, Denis Klepikov, Mikhail Shulaev, Alisa Pestova, Irina Sapozhnikova, Alexei Golubov, Maria Popova, Lilia Berezhnova and Sergei Amanbaev. The performances will be conducted by Dušan Vilić.

On 7 March at 14:00 and 19:00, audiences will see the thrilling sea adventure ballet Le Corsaire by Adam in a new interpretation. Eldar Aliev’s version, first staged in Indianapolis and brought to Vladivostok in April 2015, is an authorial edition incorporating fragments of choreography by Marius Petipa. Its defining feature is the deliberate rejection of pantomime in favour of continuous dance action, lending the production heightened dynamism. The principal roles will be performed by Anna Samostrelova, Lilia Berezhnova, Razmik Marukyan, Sergei Amanbaev, Irina Sapozhnikova, Lada Sartakova, Shizuru Kato and Denis Klepikov. Vitaly Shevelev will take the conductor’s stand.

The most intriguing highlight of the tour will be performances of La Fille mal gardée set to music by Louis-Joseph-Ferdinand Hérold. This production, staged by People’s Artist of the USSR Oleg Vinogradov with designs by People’s Artist of Russia Vyacheslav Okunev, premiered at the Primorsky Stage in October last year. One of the oldest ballet comedies, it immediately won audiences’ hearts with its charming characters, light-hearted plot, witty pantomime and elegant choreography. The principal roles on 11 and 12 March will be performed by Lada Sartakova, Denis Klepikov, Irina Sapozhnikova and Shizuru Kato. Vitaly Shevelev will take the conductor’s stand.

On 26 and 27 February Mariinsky-2 will present the first ballet premiere of the season – Round Dances to music by Rodion Shchedrin. Choreography, sets and costumes are created by Honoured Art Worker of Russia Vyacheslav Samodurov, whose Dance Scenes became one of the most talked-about ballet events of the last season. The upcoming premiere continues the Maya and Rodion Festival and is dedicated to the composer’s memory. The evening will also feature the legendary Carmen Suite by Bizet–Shchedrin. Valery Gergiev conducts the premiere performances.

From 20 November to 16 December last year the Mariinsky and Bolshoi theatres hosted the Grand Tribute Festival Maya and Rodion, dedicated to the memory of the outstanding composer and the legendary ballerina, whose contribution to Russian and world culture is immeasurable. For the Mariinsky the project held special significance: Rodion Shchedrin and Maya Plisetskaya shared decades of close friendship and fruitful artistic collaboration with the theatre.

Today the Mariinsky’s repertoire includes a unique collection of Shchedrin’s works: all of his operas have been staged, three of his ballets are represented, and his choral, symphonic and chamber compositions – many of which were premiered here – are regularly performed. The ballet based on Round Dances – Shchedrin’s Fourth Concerto for Orchestra – will receive its first staging at the theatre. In addition to the classical instruments of the symphony orchestra, the score calls for recorder, Russian wooden spoons, sleigh bells of a Russian troika, and prominent solos for piccolo clarinet and piccolo trumpet.

On 6 February (19:00), 7 February (13:00 and 19:00) and 8 February (13:00 and 19:00) the New Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre presents the first performances of one of the most eagerly awaited premieres of the season – Modest Musorgsky’s monumental opera Boris Godunov.

The new production is created by renowned Bulgarian theatre artists: stage director Orlin Anastassov and set designer Denis Ivanov. On 6 and 8 February (19:00) the title role will be sung by People’s Artist of Russia Ildar Abdrazakov. Valery Gergiev will conduct all premiere performances.

The Mariinsky Theatre hosted the world premiere of Boris Godunov on 27 January 1874, yet the opera’s journey to the stage proved long and arduous. Musorgsky submitted his first version to the Directorate of the Imperial Theatres in 1869, but officials rejected it. Refusing to abandon the work, the composer undertook major revisions: he expanded the cast, added new scenes, and reshaped existing ones. Even then acceptance came slowly. Only through the determination of leading soloists of the Russian Opera Company did Boris Godunov finally reach the Imperial stage.

The opera’s early-stage life remained turbulent. After just twenty-six performances, theatres withdrew it from the repertoire in 1882. A decisive turning point arrived in 1898, when the Moscow Private Opera staged Boris Godunov in Rimsky-Korsakov’s edition, with Feodor Chaliapin in the title role. Success followed immediately. Russian theatres embraced the opera, including the Bolshoi and the Mariinsky, and soon the world’s leading stages followed. Milan, Paris, London and New York acclaimed Chaliapin’s portrayal of the tormented tsar. Since then the opera’s international stature has only grown, securing Boris Godunov a place among the most frequently performed Russian operas.

Several versions of the score now coexist. Musorgsky continued revising the opera after its premiere; later Rimsky-Korsakov and Pavel Lamm produced their own editions, while the Kirov Theatre performed the opera for a decade in Dmitri Shostakovich’s orchestration. For this new Mariinsky Theatre production the theatre returns to Musorgsky’s original authorial version of 1869.

Gifted with exceptional literary instincts, Musorgsky wrote the libretto himself, drawing on Alexander Pushkin’s tragedy and Nikolai Karamzin’s History of the Russian State. The idea of portraying the people as a central dramatic force gripped the composer profoundly. In Boris Godunov he revealed both the rebellious energy of the narod (people/folk/nation) and the devastating solitude of a ruler abandoned by his subjects.

The Mariinsky Theatre’s new production reunites a creative team already familiar to St Petersburg audiences from their acclaimed staging of Verdi’s Ernani. Anastassov and Ivanov approach Boris Godunov on a truly monumental scale. Designers have constructed six vast scenic pavilions, each equipped with mobile modules. These elements transform before the audience’s eyes, lending the performance a striking cinematic fluidity.

The production draws on classical theatrical traditions and historical research, yet it avoids museum-like reconstruction. Architecture and costumes reinterpret historical forms through metaphor rather than literal replication. This approach invites the audience to engage actively with the drama and its meanings.

Two opposing visual motifs shape the scenography. Ice, cold and snow evoke the Little Ice Age during Boris’ reign – a time of relentless winter and catastrophic famine. In contrast, gold and brilliance symbolise power and authority. Costume workshops hand-covered the boyars’ garments with vast quantities of metal leaf, an extraordinarily demanding process. Ice and gold thus embody two colliding worlds – the people and the tsar – each carrying its own burden of tragedy.

Cast includes:
Boris Godunov: Ildar Abdrazakov, Yevgeny Nikitin, Gleb Peryazev, Stanislav Trofimov
Shuisky: Yevgeny Akimov, Dmitry Golovnin, Alexander Mangutov
Pimen: Yuri Vorobiov, Mikhail Petrenko, Oleg Sychov
Grigory Otrepyev: Gamid Abdulov, Kirill Belov, Roman Shirokikh
The Holy Fool: Andrei Zorin, Andrei Popov
Andrey Shchelkalov: Vyacheslav Vasilyev, Vladislav Kupriyanov, Pavel Yankovsky
Varlaam: Mikhail Kolelishvili, Miroslav Molchanov, Yakov Strizhak

On 30 January the Mariinsky II will host the premiere of a new production of one of Mozart’s rare masterpieces, Idomeneo, rè di Creta. The production is directed by Roman Kocherzhevsky, well known for his work in dramatic theatre. The majestic ancient myth will come to life in a visually rich performance enhanced by striking multimedia elements.

This new staging is timed to coincide with two major anniversaries celebrated in January 2026: the 270^th anniversary of the birth of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and the 245^th anniversary of the opera’s world premiere. Valery Gergiev will conduct. Further premiere performances will take place on 2 and 28 February (at 13:00 and 19:00).

The ancient myth of the Cretan king who came close to sacrificing his only son to the god Poseidon inspired many composers, yet it was Mozart’s Idomeneo, rè di Creta that achieved lasting fame. The opera received its world premiere on 29 January 1781 at the Residenztheater Munich. In Russia the work appeared already in the following century, with its first performance in St Petersburg dating from 1820. By the twentieth century opera seria as a genre was widely regarded as outdated, despite the genius of Idomeneo. In recent decades, however, interest in this score has grown steadily, and the opera has returned to leading stages worldwide.

Idomeneo, rè di Creta is among Mozart’s most innovative works. Rethinking and enriching the traditional forms of opera seria, the composer created a new type of heroic opera. The scale and psychological depth of the characters, the vivid theatricality and dramatic momentum of Idomeneo are no less impressive than the remarkable freedom and richness of its musical dramaturgy.

The new production is conceived for a broad audience. Experienced opera-goers will appreciate the harmonious synthesis of contemporary stage technologies with an homage to the classic Idomeneo staging by Jean-Pierre Ponnelle. Those new to opera will discover the work’s strong educational dimension. The production seeks to demonstrate that beyond its outstanding musical qualities, Idomeneo also offers a genuinely compelling and gripping dramatic narrative – one made accessible through this new interpretation.

Audiences can expect not only visual cues and “guideposts” introducing the ancient world, but also an impressive multimedia design. Squares, harbours, cliffs and temples – these and other spaces will be vividly recreated on stage using large-scale screens, fully immersing the audience in the world of this great myth.

Cast includes:
Idomeneo – Gamid Abdulov, Alexander Mikhailov, Dmitry Voropaev, Igor Morozov, Sergei Skorokhodov
Idamante – Roman Shirokikh, Klim Tikhonov, Boris Stepanov, Evelina Agabalayeva, Ekaterina Sergeeva, Irina Shishkova, Daria Rositskaya
Ilia – Antonina Vesenina, Kristina Gontsa, Yekaterina Savinkova, Aigul Khismatullina, Yulia Suleymanova, Anna Denisova, Lyudmila Razumkova
Elettra – Zhanna Dombrovskaya, Inara Kozlovskaya, Anzhelika Minasova, Ekaterina Sannikova, Diana Kazanlieva, Oxana Shilova, Anastasia Kalagina
Arbace – Stanislav Leontiev, Yegor Chubakov, Yevgeny Akhmedov, Alexander Trofimov, Oleg Losev, Alexander Timchenko

From 20 to 29 December the Mariinsky Theatre will host the XX Mariinsky International Piano Festival. Audiences can look forward to a rich and diverse programme comprising twenty outstanding concerts featuring renowned pianists alongside gifted young musicians.

The festival brings together Mira Yevtich, Vadim Monastyrsky, Vladimir Vishnevsky, Sergey Davydchenko, Yan Fang, Ilya Papoyan, Abisal Gergiev, Miroslav Kultyshev, Mira Marchenko, Oleg Vainshtein, Elizaveta Ukrainskaia, Xenia Bashmet, Daniil Sayamov, Anton Gornatko, Irina Lizanets, Pavel Nersessian, Irina Ten and Daniil Yekimovsky. Also taking part are Alexander Trostiansky (violin), the Komitas Quartet, students of Zora Zucker, and the Mariinsky Orchestra. The founders of the festival are Valery Gergiev and Mira Yevtich.

On 19 December, on the eve of the festival’s opening, a concert will be given by Ilya Papoyan, 3^rd prize and Bronze Medal winner of the XVII International Tchaikovsky Competition, together with the Mariinsky Orchestra. The programme features six keyboard concerti by Johann Sebastian Bach.
Papoyan will appear again on 21 December, performing Bach’s French Overture, Schumann’s Davidsbündlertänze and Rachmaninoff’s Piano Sonata No. 1.

On 20 December the official opening of the festival will take place at the Concert Hall. Appearing are Abisal Gergiev, 2^nd prize winner of the Northern International Music Competition (2024), Sergey Davydchenko, 1^st prize and Gold Medal winner of the XVII International Tchaikovsky Competition, and the Mariinsky Orchestra.
The artists will perform Rodion Shchedrin’s Piano Concerti Nos 1 and 2. The evening is dedicated to the memory of the outstanding Russian composer. At 19:00 the Rachmaninoff Hall will host a recital by Anton Gornatko, laureate of international competitions. The programme features works by Beethoven, Chopin, Debussy and Liszt.

On 21 December the Concert Hall welcomes Vladimir Vishnevsky, winner of numerous prestigious international contests and 1^st prize and Gold Medal recipient of the Rachmaninoff International Competition for Pianists, Composers and Conductors (2025). The programme features Bach–Busoni, Scriabin, Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev, Liszt, Chopin and Ravel.

On 22 December a concert by the Mariinsky Orchestra, conducted by Oleg Khudyakov, 1^st prize winner in conducting at the 2^nd Rachmaninoff International Competition, will take place. Soloists: Mira Yevtich, co-founder of the festival, and Abisal Gergiev. The programme features Mozart’s Piano Concerti Nos 23 and 24 and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4.

On 23 December the Rachmaninoff Hall hosts Alexander Trostiansky (violin) and Irina Lizanets (piano). The programme features Beethoven’s Violin Sonatas Nos 4 and 9, Shchedrin’s Menuhin Sonata and Enescu’s Violin Sonata No. 1.

On 24 December four events will take place across the Mariinsky Theatre’s stages. At 13:00 at the Concert Hall: Pavel Nersessian, Honoured Artist of Russia, Professor of the Moscow Conservatory and Boston University. The programme features works by Bach, Chopin, Brahms and Ravel. At 19:00 there: Oleg Vainshtein, Honoured Artist of Russia, Associate Professor of the St Petersburg Conservatory. The programme features works by Chopin, Rachmaninoff and Borodin–Kamensky. At 19:00 at the Rachmaninoff Hall: Irina Ten, laureate of international competitions. The programme features Liszt’s Après une lecture de Dante, the Concert Suite from The Nutcracker (Tchaikovsky–Pletnev), Scriabin’s 24 Preludes and Rachmaninoff’s Piano Sonata No. 2. At 19:30 at the Stravinsky Hall: Mira Marchenko, Honoured Teacher of Russia. The programme features Schumann’s Kinderszenen and Tchaikovsky’s Piano Sonata in G major.

On 25 December an evening dedicated to the memory of Vsevolod Zaderatsky, composer and pianist. Daniil Sayamov, Pavel Nersessian and Daniil Yekimovsky will perform works by Zaderatsky, including the Sonata No. 2, Microbes of Lyricism, Notebook of Miniatures, Porcelain Cups, 24 Preludes and the world premiere of the Sonata No. 3.

On 26 December Mira Yevtich will play with the Komitas Quartet, a distinguished string ensemble founded in 1924. The programme features works by Rachmaninoff, Shostakovich, Mahler, Mirzoyan and Komitas–Aslamazyan.
On the same day, in keeping with festival tradition, the Prokofiev Hall will host a concert by students of Zora Zucker, whose pedagogical legacy is inseparable from St Petersburg’s musical life. The programme features works by Banevich, Chopin, Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff and Liszt.

On 27 December at the Concert Hall the audience will hear the Mariinsky Orchestra, conducted by Fyodor Khandrikov. Soloist: Xenia Bashmet, laureate of international competitions. The programme features works by Bach, Britten, Haydn, Turina and Tchaikovsky. At 19:30 at the Rachmaninoff Hall Elizaveta Ukrainskaia will perform. The programme features works by Bach–Busoni, Brahms, Prokofiev and Rachmaninoff.

On 28 December at the Concert Hall Miroslav Kultyshev, Honoured Artist of Russia, will play Scriabin’s Piano Sonata No. 6, Prokofiev’s Piano Sonata No. 8 and Tchaikovsky’s Twelve Pieces. At 19:00 at the Rachmaninoff Hall Yan Fang, acclaimed Chinese pianist, will perform works by Leibak, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Scriabin, Bach–Busoni and the celebrated Ode to the Yellow River by Xian Xinghai and Yin Chengzong. At 14:00 at the Stravinsky Hall Vadim Monastyrsky, Honoured Artist of Russia, will play Bartók’s Suite, Schubert’s Six Moments musicaux, Liszt’s Sonetto 104 del Petrarca and Piano Sonata in B minor.

On 28 December Daniil Sayamov will perform with the Mariinsky Orchestra in a concert dedicated to the memory of Rodion Shchedrin. The programme features his Piano Concerti Nos 3 (Variations and Theme) and 4 (Sharp Keys).

On 29 December the closing concert will take place. The XX Mariinsky International Piano Festival concludes with a gala concert dedicated to the memory of Rodion Shchedrin. The Mariinsky Orchestra, together with pianists Yan Fang and Sergey Davydchenko, will perform Shchedrin’s Piano Concerti Nos 5 and 6 (Concerto lontano).